A German on the EuroVelo 6 Development Team in Romania?

How does a German get the opportunity to participate in a project like the development of the EuroVelo 6 in Romania as part of the Romanian SB members team? Since 2016, my wife and I have been living in Rasova, a small village in the southeast of Romania. From the very beginning, I made enemies among the local officials by actively getting involved in environmental protection, advocating for the rule of law, and fighting against abuse of office. By 2018, my efforts gained public attention, as local media began to cover my activities, which significantly increased my notoriety.

By coincidence, I met Maria, a cyclist traveling on the EuroVelo 6 route, who was looking for a place to stay. It was through her that I first learned about the EuroVelo 6 project. Together with my wife and Liviu Dinca, I founded the NGO Asociatia Organizatia Pentru Turism Ecologic Dunarea and in 2019, I developed the first project proposal for the EuroVelo 6 in Romania. This led to an invitation to attend a meeting at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs focused on the Danube, where I presented my project. This moment marked the starting point of the EuroVelo 6 initiative in Romania.

A working group was formed to pursue the implementation of the project, though it would take another four years before substantial progress could be made. In that time, laws were adjusted and EU funding became available, which enabled the project to advance. Today, both a Romanian and Bulgarian team, each consisting of 14 voting SB members, work collaboratively on the cross-border Interreg project aimed at bringing EuroVelo 6 to life between Bulgaria and Romania.

While I have reduced my involvement in other activities due to the challenges of fighting a system where fair processes under the law are often impossible, the EuroVelo 6 project remains my focus. My wife and I continue to volunteer, investing much of our own resources into this endeavor. Through our efforts, we’ve not only initiated change in our village but also inspired others to follow our example via platforms like the Comune Fara Penali group, with positive results in several other communities.

Additionally, since 2018, my wife and I have been working as volunteers, and we have invested a lot of our personal funds into our activities. Through our work, we have achieved several positive changes in Rasova. Our long-standing reporting in the Comune Fara Penali Facebook group has inspired others to follow our lead, which has had positive effects in various communities across Romania.