Images of several so-called French gendarmes in Bucharest have been distributed on a Facebook account. The Ministry of Internal Affairs announces that the information is false, clearly intended to manipulate citizens.
„30 French gendarmes at the intersection of Biserica Amzei Street with Magheru Blvd. To make sure it’s not just rumors. Bringing foreign police forces against Romanians seems to me a despicable act,” writes the woman sharing the images.
Later, she specified, "Even if it were just firefighters, you should wonder what so many French firefighters are doing in our country during a time of social unrest, when the French Embassy is adding fuel to the fire, with the ambassador's visit to the CCR and congratulations for the coup."
"Do you think they came to exchange experiences with a country where hospitals and nursing homes burn like fireworks and there are so many human victims in fires? Or did they come regarding Macron's bellicose actions, who has repeatedly stated that Russia could attack Moldova and Romania, meaning he put us on the map of war?" the woman further wrote.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs reacted on Friday and stated that the information is false.
"We note that a user of a social media platform account posted a clip showing trainee firefighters from the National Higher School for the Training of Firefighters Rescuers in France, claiming that they are either 'French gendarmes sent to Romania,' insinuating that they have carried out operational missions in Bucharest, or 'firefighters who have come to Romania acting as an armed force.'
We specify that the information transmitted by the respective user is false and clearly intended to manipulate citizens," the Ministry of Internal Affairs mentioned in a press release.
According to the cited document, the individuals captured in the images are part of a French delegation, consisting of 25 trainees and 3 teaching staff from the French educational unit (National Higher School for the Training of Firefighters Rescuers), who carried out a study visit in our country from March 10 to March 14.
During the mentioned period, the delegation participated in a series of activities aimed at providing them with a detailed perspective on the functioning of Romanian intervention structures and professional training of firefighters.
Thus, throughout the current week, the French delegation had the opportunity to visit the dispatch center of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the National Center for Command and Coordination of Intervention in Ciolpani, the integrated 112 Dispatch Center, the Inspectorate for Emergency Situations "Dealul Spirii" Bucharest-Ilfov, the General Aviation Inspectorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Police Academy - Firefighters Faculty, the National Firefighters Museum - Foişorul de Foc, and the Obor Firefighters Unit.
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The Ministry of Internal Affairs specifies that the activities were transparent, being publicized by the Department for Emergency Situations on Facebook.
"We emphasize once again that the members of this delegation are trainee firefighters and have not carried out operational missions in Romania. We reiterate our call to citizens to verify information posted online, to check the accounts disseminating this information, to inform themselves from official sources, and not to distribute messages specifically designed to incite and manipulate," MAI further conveyed.