A live Romanian TV interview about the local effects of the conflict in Ukraine went off the rails after the agriculture minister, Petre Daea, apparently fell asleep while the host was asking a question.
Video clips posted on social media on Saturday show a snippet of the interview, which appeared on Antena 3 CNN, the Romanian news partner of US cable news giant CNN. With two co-hosts looking on, the anchor purportedly asks Daea by telephone about the negative consequences of the Ukraine crisis for Romanian farmers. As she pauses to hear his answer, apparent snoring can be heard on the other end of the line.
The interviewer quickly tries to adjust on the fly, saying that she will try to reconnect with the agriculture minister, as though their phone call had been cut off. The two in-studio co-hosts appear to suppress laughter, as one covers her mouth and the other smiles awkwardly and looks down.
Daea, 73, was appointed as agriculture minister last July, after his predecessor resigned amid corruption allegations. He had two previous stints in the job, in 2004 and from 2017 to 2019.
While any humor in his latest television interview was likely unintentional, Daea has a reputation for colorful comments and quips. For instance, he spoke out against efforts to promote edible insects by saying, “Don’t eat cricket flour. Let them sing wherever they are. We eat what we eat: sarmale, sausages, and eggs. You’re not going to replace chicken eggs with worms.” He also likened himself to a photovoltaic panel, saying he charges from the Sun, “and at night... has energy from the day.”