One of Romania’s most prestigious and beloved cultural institutions, the Samuel von Brukenthal National Museum in Sibiu, is under fire after Andrew Tate showed up at a private party hosted in the courtyard of the museum’s Casa Altemberger History branch.
Tate, along with his brother Tristan, is currently standing trial in Romania (and other countries) for charges including rape, human trafficking, and the formation of an organized criminal group.
Prosecutors from DIICOT have also charged them with offenses such as unauthorized access to computer systems, but the saga between liberty and persecution for the Tate brothers has been ongoing for years now.
Videos appeared online from the event, showing Andrew Tate smoking a cigar, surrounded by dancers.
Before the event, police confiscated his driver’s license after he was caught — ever the rascal — speeding at 196 km/h in a 50 km/h zone in Vâlcea County.
The museum stated that the event was approved on the final day of the interim tenure of its former manager, Alexandru Chituță.
Interim museum director Dr. Raluca Teodorescu addressed the controversy in a public statement: “These risks are amplified by the fact that the museum has no control over who attends such events. Our duty is to protect our heritage, and while promotion is important, it must not come at the expense of historical values.”
But the incident has drawn sharp criticism. Corina Șuteu, former Minister of Culture and former director of the Romanian Cultural Institute in New York, denounced the museum’s decision as a betrayal of its mission: “The mandate of a major public cultural institution has been seriously compromised. [..]To justify this by saying it helps attract a younger audience is dangerous manipulation. Entertainment doesn’t cultivate a genuine connection with art. And allowing the presence of the Tate brothers at any event is an act of moral and cultural terrorism in a democratic state.”
