"You can't 'defend democracy' by destroying democracy. You can't 'fight election interference' by interfering with elections. You either have freedom of speech and fair elections — or you don't. And the Romanian people deserve both," he said.
Durov, born in Russia but now a French national, was detained last year in France amid an investigation into crimes related to child pornography, drug trafficking and fraudulent transactions associated with the app.
In March Durov, who denied any wrongdoing, returned to Dubai. Telegram is widely used in Russia, including by the authorities and officials, and in Eastern Europe.