Thumbs up and thumbs down, part 1: Peace as Russian propaganda, Dracula’s Castle unhunted by Musk

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This is the first installment of our monthly series which “On the Barricades” co-produces and co-hosts with Youri Smouter of 1+1. Co-hosts Boyan Stanislavski, Maria Cernat speak with Youri on some thumbs down with regards to Romanian news.

On October 24 Romanian Defence Minister Vasile Dincu was fired and replaced by another yes man to the West, after declaring on his own initiative that Ukraine needs to negotiate for peace. The media focused on the shady past of the current Defence Minister Angel Tîlvăr in the secret services during the Ceaușescu era. Maria, Boyan and Youri discuss how this is culturally and systemically possible, that asking for peace is now treated as Russian propaganda. And what is the actual relation between democracy and the secret services in Romania?

Another thumbs down is the recent hype in Romania about billionaire Elon Musk supposedly renting the Bran castle (“Dracula’s castle”) to throw a huge Halloween party. This led to a wide-spread rumors and anticipation that he was in Romania, although he was not. This Dracula Castle is a museum, and should be public, but instead was sold back to the monarchy in 2006 and is now rentable by private owners.