Former NATO Deputy Secretary General Mircea Geoană officially announced yesterday his candidacy for the presidential elections in Romania, and then made a round of TV appearances, culminating in a colossal blunder.
Interviewed on ProTV, Mircea Geoană wished good health to King Michael, referring to his last speech in the Romanian Parliament.
However, King Michael I passed away in 2017.
"I return to what King Michael said in 2011 when he turned 90, God keep him healthy, I was also in the Senate when he delivered his last speech. He gave a speech and said something very important: The country needs upright and competent leaders. Today, Romania has neither upright nor competent leaders," is the exact quote.
Later, Geoană realized his mistake and wrote on Facebook that it was "a slip of the tongue."
"During the ProTV show, I made a slip of the tongue when referring to King Michael, which I regret.
King Michael is one of the nation's landmarks and will forever remain in our memory for his example of decency, sacrifice, and love for the country.
Rest in peace!" is the message posted by Geoană.