The manipulation of collective emotion through a false concern for nature was also exposed from within the “ecological movement” by a biologist with an impeccable reputation. Dr. Peter Lengyel warned, long before the events at Râul Alb, that environmentalism had been hijacked for the benefit of mafia-type interests. On his nature blog, “probably the best in Romania” (assessment: România Liberă), Dr. Peter Lengyel noted: “I believe that the non-governmental environmental movement in this country is becoming more and more pathetic. In the beginning there was a short period of enthusiasm, lasting perhaps 5–7 years, when people genuinely put their hearts into what was being done, when there was a sincere and wholehearted involvement in the actions of most of those who were part of this movement. Then came the period of ever larger and more bureaucratic projects, of consortiums, of coalitions at the mercy of people implanted by various mafias. Money talks, and it talks loudly” (video 2.1).
In the autumn of 2014, when we began the works at the Coroieşti construction site, the activists filed several complaints and criminal denunciations accusing us of having illegally obtained the building permits for two micro-hydropower plants, of having illegally cut down the forest in the area, and of having begun the destruction of Râul Alb. The complaints were filed under the cover of environmental NGOs: Efectul Fluture, Agent Green, Coaliţia Natură 2000, the Society for Non-formal and Social Education (SENS), and the Romanian Academic Society (romaniacurata.ro). The accusations are in fact aggressive lies, crudely camouflaged behind beautiful ideals about nature. In time, it was proven that the members of these NGOs are, in fact, mercenaries protected by certain interest groups with influence reaching to the very top of the “state.” The law under which NGOs operate in our country allows the financing of these agents of influence without anyone knowing who really pays them. To appear credible, they pose as representatives of civil society under various covers: NGO members, environmentalists, #REZIST, saviors of the planet, progressives, politicians, etc.
For the first time in Romania, the #REZIST movement was claimed by the members of the NGO Efectul Fluture in Cluj (currently Declic), known since 2013, after the “Save Roşia Montană” protests. In the meantime, we have come to understand that these “saviors” are, in reality, professional protesters, agitators, and provocateurs used to remove political and economic “targets,” as the journalist Ion Spînu reports in the newspaper Cotidianul: “#REZIST manipulates for money and politics” (art.1).
How did some agitators come to “make the law” on the public stage? The answer comes from the secret Protocols concluded by the General Prosecutor’s Office with these NGOs. Even though, apparently and formally, the protocols were declassified, the “protocol” collusion continues to produce serious deviations in the administration of justice. We all saw that most of the #Rezist actions turned into outright harassment and incitement to violence. Each time, however, the prosecutors “laundered” their deeds through notorious unmotivated case dismissals. In return, the members of the group protested hysterically in defense of the prosecutors when it came to amendments to the justice laws that would have eliminated the “loopholes” intended for prosecutors who commit abuses. Few people know that the #Rezist visual identity was created by one of the members of Declic.ro. It is about Luminiţa Dejeu, who presents herself as follows: “She is a graphic designer by profession and a Declic campaigner. Involved in good-governance campaigns, Luminița is the author of Declic’s first viral petition. In January 2017, she created the #Rezist visual, which became the symbol of the protests in Romania. When she is not at the office, Luminița likes to cook and to post her culinary successes on Facebook” (video 2.2).
Challenges Filed Out of Gang Interest
The first petitions against the investments at Râul Alb failed because the approvals and the building permit were in full legality. The so-called environmentalists knew this because, as early as 2014, they had received answers that clearly showed the projects were being carried out within a legal framework (doc.1). Despite this, they continued the smear campaign on the grounds that the public institutions had not “responded” to their demands. The activist Dejeu Călin says that in August 2014 he learned, from the website of the APM Hunedoara (Environmental Protection Agency), about decision no.1327/26.08.2013, regarding the micro-hydropower plants at Râul Alb, but he felt ignored. Therefore, he confirms that he challenged the act together with Roxana Pencea Brădățan, as founding members of the NGO Efectul Fluture (currently Declic), well after the legal deadline of the public debate (doc.2). This detail is extremely important because, as you will see, the challenges came packaged with the interest of a close associate of Dejeu in getting his hands on our projects. Likewise, Andrioni Alin (the perpetrator of the attempted murder) admitted that he was dissatisfied with the answers received from the institutions, which is why he continued his harassment actions with his team of about 10 people. In fact, the “activists” had been informed about the legality of the projects at Râul Alb long before the day on which they committed the attempted murder, and they lie when they claim they were ignored by the authorities. The proof lies in the documents that were sent to them by the very institutions that Andrioni invokes. Here is what the APM Hunedoara letter no. 3357 / 29.04.2015 states:
“Context data – and in this paragraph as well, the signatories of the petition generalize that ‘the project is based on an accumulation of flagrantly illegal approvals,’ without, however, being able to specify even one, let alone the entire accumulation. Likewise, the signatories of the petition undervalue the natural heritage of Hunedoara County, claiming that Râul Alb is the last almost perfectly preserved valley, because at any time we can point to at least 20 valleys just as beautiful and well preserved over which no threat looms, as the petitioners try to demonstrate apocalyptically, but without any legal or technical arguments” (doc.3).
Against the Law and the Constitutional Order
At Râul Alb, the provocateurs acted on command, with a double standard, against the laws and the constitutional order. If they had been in good faith concerned with the problems of nature, they could not have ignored the European Union’s determination regarding environmental protection measures, which are carried out in parallel with the promotion and support of sustainable development. It is known that Romania committed itself to the promotion, financial support, and increase of alternative energies, establishing that renewable energies are a priority, and micro-hydropower plants fall into this category. This is the reason why, as a country, we aligned our legislation with the new international requirements regarding environmental protection. That is why the actions directed against the projects at Râul Alb cannot be legitimate! We had all the approvals and authorizations obtained legally, and the projects were carried out on the basis of specialized studies, which demonstrated that these investments produce no negative impact on the environment. The adequate assessment study, registered with the APM Hunedoara under no. 5664/2013, for the purpose of obtaining the Classification Stage Decision1, shows that the natural area is not affected as a result of the implementation of the project: “Consequently, it can be stated that the integrity of the natural area of community interest is affected only to a very low degree as a result of the implementation of the project.” Following the environmental impact assessment, the APM Hunedoara issued the Natura 2000 approval no. 3/2013, and the administrator of the natural area, the Hațeg Country Dinosaur Geopark, issued approval no. 17/21.08.2013.
The raids of the agents of influence at Râul Alb were not “documentation,” but commando units formed with the precise mission of stopping our projects by any means. In the following episodes you will see how #Activism, in our country, was hijacked into a mega clientelist-type business.
Next episodes
Episode 3 – Follow the money! Track where the money goes!
Is it normal and legal to receive funding from the Government through the Ministry of European Funds and, at the same time, to block projects and investments classified by law as being of public utility and national interest?
Episode 4 – Recruiting “Followers.” Mobilization and Scandal
The attack at Râul Alb did not fall from the sky as an unfortunate event appearing out of the blue in the middle of a Sunday in May 2015.
Episode 5 – In the Village They Called Me “the Wanderer”
Those who know me know that I have always been an active man. In the village they called me “the Wanderer” because I took advantage of every day spent at Coroiești to walk along the valley of Râul Alb.