Avideo circulating across social media shows Romanian officials physically fighting with each other on Tuesday during a parliament meeting, as one can be seen trying to bite the other’s face.
According to a video shared by Eastern European media, NEXTA, the two men, Florin Roman, deputy of the National Liberal Party, and Dan Vîlceanu, independent deputy, began tussling.
Roman, a politician affiliated with the National Liberal Party (PNL), has held various positions within the party and government, including being appointed minister of digitalization in the Ciucă Cabinet in November 2021. He resigned in December 2021 amid allegations of plagiarism and discrepancies in his academic credentials, according to Euro News, a Romanian outlet.
Vîlceanu is also a prominent Romanian politician affiliated with PNL, but has faced challenges within his party. According to Observator News, following internal disputes and criticism of the party’s direction under his leadership, the challenges led to his dismissal from the PNL.
Roman, a politician affiliated with the National Liberal Party (PNL), has held various positions within the party and government, including being appointed minister of digitalization in the Ciucă Cabinet in November 2021. He resigned in December 2021 amid allegations of plagiarism and discrepancies in his academic credentials, according to Euro News, a Romanian outlet.
Vîlceanu is also a prominent Romanian politician affiliated with PNL, but has faced challenges within his party. According to Observator News, following internal disputes and criticism of the party’s direction under his leadership, the challenges led to his dismissal from the PNL.
According to Spot Media, another Romanian news outlet, the two men were involved in a verbal disagreement that allegedly escalated when Vîlceanu pushed Roman “towards the exit from the plenary.”
Shortly after the altercation on Tuesday, Roman took to his Facebook to share his account of the incident, as he stated that his opponent tried to bite his face, then hit him in the nose with his knee.
“Today, I experienced a moment that I never thought I would go through in a civilized world. I reproached the unaffiliated deputy, Dan Vilceanu, for violating the rules by being present in the PNL group benches. (…) A verbal altercation followed, after which I was physically pushed towards the exit from the plenary. Outside the plenary hall, I was physically assaulted again, in a barbaric manner, with a knee blow to the nose area,” a translation of Roman’s post reads.
According to G4Meida, Vîlceanu admitted there was an “exchange of words,” but denied it escalated to a physical altercation.
“It wasn’t a fight, I just grabbed him by the shoulders and escorted him out of the plenary hall after we had an exchange of words. It all started with his provocation, he began using harsh words when I was in the bench in the plenary hall next to a colleague. I responded, the situation escalated, and I escorted him out. But we didn’t fight,” Vîlceanu told G4Media.
Newsweek has reached out to Vîlceanu and Roman via email for comment on Tuesday.
Following the incident, Roman said that “he avoided any retaliation” out of respect for parliamentary etiquette and that he would be lodging a criminal complaint against Vîlceanu.
PNL President Nicolae Ciucă took to Facebook to condemn the altercation, calling for action to be taken against Vîlceanu.
“Physical violence is unacceptable, especially since it is happening here, in the Palace of the Parliament. We were sent here by the people to work for them and for the common good of society. We have a moral duty to set an example of decent and civilized behavior by following the rules. How can we do better for the country and for the Romanians if we cannot respect basic rules?” a translated post on Ciucă’s Facebook said.
“The attack on Mr. Florin Roman shows the measure of a lack of character and moral conduct from the deputy Dan Vîlceanu, condemnable and unacceptable. I ask the leadership of the Chamber of Deputies to take the necessary measures in this situation,” Ciucă added.
According to Euro News, after the altercation, the Legal Commission of the Chamber of Deputies approved a maximum sanction for Vîlceanu. According to the rules of the Chamber of Deputies, Vîlceanu could find himself with a reduced allowance for the next six months. But there are several steps in the process, including viewing all the materials in the case, with two hearings in the Legal Commission of the Chamber of Deputies, and a final decision will follow.
