“Apostates! Prepare for judgment!” Harsh exchange of lines between minister Irineu Darău and moderator Cătălina Porumbel
An interview with the interim Minister of Economy Irineu Darău on Antena 3 ended with a tense dialogue with moderator Cătălina Porumbel. The debate over controversial ministry appointments has degenerated into a heated exchange of accusations of conflict of interest and threats of legal action. The tense exchange of lines culminated in the moderator stopping the show.
Cătălina Porumbel and Irineu Darău, harsh exchange of lines PHOTO video capture
The Minister of USR had been invited to the set of Antena 3 CNN in the context of his accusations against the former leadership of the Authority for Digitization of Romania (ADR), which would have lost 14.7 million lei from European funds through the faulty management of money from the PNRR.
Irineu Darău reproached the moderator, during the show, that he was not allowed to answer questions. Cătălina Porumbel brought up USR's political slogan, “No penalties in public positions”, recalling the appointment of Adriana Miron to a public position. The journalist pointed out that Adriana Miron was criminally convicted in the past, asking the minister if he did not find another more competent person.
In response, the Minister of Economy argued that the said conviction concerned a minor damage, of 1,600 lei, which occurred after Adriana Miron allegedly blocked contracts and generated penalties of one million euros precisely for the companies controlled by Sebastian Ghiță. He defended the appointment, arguing that constitutionally and legally there was no incompatibility because the person concerned currently has a clean record.
The “Caragea” case, the reason for the conflict. Threats of judgment
The discussion got heated on the set when the moderator asked him about another controversial appointment, that of the former head of the IPJ Gorj Salvador Caragea, recalling his connections with the father of USR deputy Radu Miruță.
Irineu Dărău accused the moderator of the existence of a conflict of interests:
“What is the problem with Mr. Caragea? Do you know what he did when he was a cop? He arrested some people from Dan Voiculescu's party and some relatives of your husband! It's public information! You are in a conflict of interest!“
Cătălina Porumbel rejected the claims, categorizing them as “huge disinformation and manipulations”, asking the minister for evidence:
“You are deviant, Mr. Minister! Deviants! I'm going to sue you for the nonsense you say! Prepare for judgment! Make a huge manipulation! I'm going to sue you for the nonsense you say! Prepare for judgment, Mr. Minister!“, said the moderator.
Dărău also accused editorial blackmail from a colleague from Antena 3, claiming that he received messages by which pressure was put on him to block the appointments: “I have the written message asking me: “Are you withdrawing it?”. Where does this interest come from?“, asked the minister.
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Cătălina Porumbel decided to end the show, stating that the time dedicated to it has expired: “Don't intimidate me! I have been seeing ministers like you for 20 years. The show has closed, thank you for your presence, it does not honor you!“.
After the incident, Irineu Dărău returned with a message on social networks in which he reaffirmed that he is not afraid of threats to the court and that his actions are part of an effort to combat “theft and lies”: “When Porumbel-Voicu A3 threatens me with judgment and the fugitive Ghiță RTV comes out to attack, I sleep even more peacefully knowing that I am doing the right thing. Where is the journalism? What about digitization? STOP thieving and lying!“
The incident sparked debate on social media. While the minister's supporters applauded the way he withstood the barrage of accusations in the face of an interview style considered aggressive, critics believe that Irineu Darău avoided answering the accusations punctually and that he diverted the debate towards attacks on the journalist's private life.
We reproduce the exchange of lines from the show below
Irineu Darau: …Mr. Caragea… Here I was never given the opportunity to give a reply based on facts.
Catalina Porumbel: Document yourself, Mr. Minister, when you come to the show! What did Mr. Caragea do when he was chief of police and was a friend of Mr. Miruță's father, your colleague?
Irineu Darau: I would also ask you: did he arrest some people from Dan Voiculescu's party and some relatives of your husband?
Catalina Porumbel: No, no, no! It has nothing to do with it. You are making insinuations that have no connection.
Irineu Darau: It's public information. We have a conflict of interest…
Catalina Porumbel: Mr. Minister, you are deviant! Deviants! Aberrant, aberrant, Mr. Minister!
Irineu Darau: This man, when he was a policeman, arrested some people from Gorj who were in Dan Voiculescu's party and a relative…
Catalina Porumbel: Mr. Minister, you are deviant! I will sue you! I'm going to sue you for the nonsense you're saying! Prepare for judgment, Minister! Make a big big big misinformation and manipulation and huge manipulation, Mr. Minister!
Irineu Darau: …as I told you, a relative of your husband's. You know very well. And you're in a conflict of interest because this honest man took it upon himself to be a police officer and arrest people, including for gun theft. It was on Antena 3 I don't know how many times.
Despite the obvious blunder, the moderator of Antena 3 insists that she is right and USR is evil: “He activated his army of orcs”
Catalina Porumbel: I told you: don't intimidate me! I have been seeing ministers like you and politicians for 20 years. I won't ask you anything more, because the show has closed. Thank you for thank you for this show. Thank you for this… Minister.
Irineu Darau: Not me, you are trying to intimidate. You know that a colleague of yours tried to pressure a minister – that is, me – to withdraw this appointment. No, I won't take it back.
Catalina Porumbel: thank you
Irineu Darau: I have the written message asking me: “Are you withdrawing it?”. Where does the interest come from?
Catalina Porumbel: Minister, thank you for your presence. It doesn't do you any good.
Irineu Darau: I'm just telling the truth, but it bothers you.
Catalina Porumbel: When you have proof, bring it!
Irineu Darau: When you have the truth in front of you, it bothers you, it seems to bother you.
Full show:
