Romania's forest administration agency accused of plowing cycling path ahead of major competition near Bucharest

Update: Romania’s environment minister, Tanczos Barna, weighed in on the issue of the plowed bike path. “It is unacceptable for such a conflict to exist between a state institution and an NGO that ultimately wants a beautiful, fair, sporting competition in the forest. However, those who organize such competitions must understand that certain rules must be respected in the forest, and I am confident that we will find a middle ground. I will personally take care of this. In fact, I specifically asked them last week not to touch the path,” Barna said, cited by News.ro. He also promised to go into the field himself for this case.

Initial story: Romania's forest administration authority, Romsilva, was recently accused by mountaineer and activist Alex Găvan of sabotaging a major cross-country cycling competition by plowing one of the paths in the forests around Bucharest, where the event is set to take place.

According to Găvan, Prima Evadare is "the largest international cross-country cycling competition in Eastern Europe, with thousands of participants."

"Dear Romsilva Ilfov, as you already know, according to your own rules, the forests around the capital primarily have a social and recreational purpose. And Prima Evadare is the largest international cross-country cycling competition in Eastern Europe, with thousands of participants. In its 15 years of existence, it has become one of Bucharest's emblematic events, attracting not only nature and amateur cycling enthusiasts but also big names in the sport, such as a multiple world and Olympic champion," writes Alex Găvan.

"To plow over the paths on which this competition takes place, just before the competition, as you did for about 2 km, intentionally sabotaging the event just before the start and thus threatening its unfolding, is not only an abusive gesture but also something that certainly does not do you credit."

"The forest is not just timber, but infinitely more. We consider that access to the forest for recreation, sports or education, and to all the other gifts that the forest unconditionally and with infinite generosity offers us, is a fundamental right of ours," Găvan concludes.

Daniel Sărdan, an organizer of the Prima Evadare cycling event, says in a post on Facebook that Romsilva Ilfov has long tried to disrupt the event. He also accuses the director of Romsilva Ilfov of corruption.