Romania’s emergency chief Raed Arafat has fired back at false claims that he carries a pistol for protection in his pocket when he visits Romanian hospitals.
The state secretary struck down disinformation that he carried a gun in his pocket that recently appeared on social media.
He said the only things he carried on him were his cell phone and a walkie-talkie, or a portable, two-way radio transceiver.
„The pistol I wear on my belt, according to disinformation, which unfortunately many have shared, is in fact a telephone and a walkie-talkie.”
He said he was aware of a photo showing him with something bulky in his pocket. He spoke publicly after „a friend told me about this fake news which had gone viral after it was posted on a regional site.”
“For your information, I don’t have a gun license to be able to carry a pistol with me as misinformers claim,” Dr. Arafat said on Facebook.
The disinformation was posted by Catalin Berenghi, a semi-public figure who regularly targets Raed Arafat, President Klaus Iohannis and others.
Who is Catalin Berenghi?
His name may sound unusual,but he has a degree of public notoriety after he tried to run for president in 2019 elections. He failed to get enough people to endorse him.
He describes himself as a former Legionnaire (fascist group), a member of the French Foreign Legion, a sniper and a Dacian, the forefathers to Romanians.
His social media profile has the Romanian flag as background.
