Minister's Foreign Language Struggles Mocked in Romania

Romania's Labour Minister is in trouble over her foreign language skills - or lack of them - after two speeches by her in English and French at a UN event on women's rights went viral.

Lia Olguta Vasilescu, the former mayor of the southern city of Craiova, was taking part in the 61st session of the UN Commission of Women's Rights on Tuesday and Wednesday, when she read out two speeches, in English and French, on how Romanian women had become integrated into the labour market.

After the first speech, in English on Tuesday night, was posted on YouTube, it was widely mocked on social media and in satirical publications like Times New Roman.

"Olguta Vasilescu spoke English with such a Soviet accent that the Deveselu anti-missile shield was activated," it snickered, referring to the shield designed to protect NATO-member Romania against possible threats from Russia.

Another satirical publication, Kamikaze, giggled that the minister had vowed "to start speaking English every night in the centre of Craiova to attract more tourists to the area."

The minister replied with some dignity on Facebook, noting that "For someone who has never taken any English class in school ... I think I was pretty decent. I don't believe there was anyone in the room who did not understand what I said."

Her ventures into French also drew caustic laughter, however. Times New Roman wrote that "hundreds of people gathered early in the morning in front of the UN headquarters in New York after organizers announced that Romania's representative, Lia Olguta Vasilescu, will speak again in a foreign language. The curious audience brought cameras, recorders and por-corn to witness a great show."

"Comedy Central showed interest in...