“Green Belt” and “Asprete Lives” environmental projects to continue, Romanian minister says

Recently appointed Romanian environment minister Diana Buzoianu underlined that environmental projects focused on creating more green spaces and conserving rare species, like the “Green Belts” initiative, will continue despite recent budgetary constraints.

The statement comes after the official met with mountaineer and conservationist Alex Găvan, founder of the projects “Together for the Green Belt” and “The Asprete Lives,” and with Ciprian Gălușcă, executive director, on Wednesday, July 23.

During the meeting, minister Buzoianu noted that the Ministry of the Environment supports the inclusion of green belts, essentially large green areas surrounding Romania’s cities, in future European funding axes, as well as the completion of the subsequent legislation to facilitate implementation at the national level.

“I believe in partnership with civil society and in the role that active and well-informed people have in accelerating ambitious environmental policies. I’m glad we can continue the work started in Parliament for the Green Belts, a project I have been connected to since the legislative phase, as an initiator alongside civil society. Romania needs clear and coherent legislation, but also a firm commitment to the future of nature and public health,” said Diana Buzoianu.

Earlier this month, the current ruling coalition, comprising the Social Democrats (PSD), Liberals (PNL), USR, the Hungarians' party UDMR, and the national minorities, included "the development and adoption of the methodology for creating green belts at the national level within a 6-month period" in the 2025-2028 government program.

At the same time, the discussion between the two conservationists and minister Buzoianu addressed the issue of saving the asprete (Romanichthys valsanicola), the rarest species of freshwater fish in Europe, found only in a restricted section of the Vâlsan River, in the Făgăraș Mountains. To date, only 154 specimens have been identified in the field.

While the “Green Belts” project enjoys support from across the political spectrum, the situation regarding the asprete “has become dramatic,” Alex Găvan noted. “I requested that the chronic pollution of the Vâlsan River, one of the country’s emblematic waters, be stopped; otherwise, it will not be long before it becomes a dead river,” he added.

The problem is made worse by low water levels, which worsen pollution. To combat that, the conservationist also requested that "the ecological flow be ensured by Hidroelectrica as per the law, at the Vâlsan and Dobroneagu dams, respecting the values resulting from the accredited study we carried out."