Asian workers bathing in Romanian river go viral, sparking debate

Videos capturing foreign workers from Nepal, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, and the Philippines bathing in the Ciorogârla River near Bucharest have gained significant attention online. The footage shows the workers cooling off in the water alongside local residents, sparking numerous reactions across social media platforms.

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We came here to relax and cool off. This place is very good for relaxation. Come to Romania!

One of the workers expressed their enjoyment of the spot, stating, "We came here to relax and cool off. This place is very good for relaxation. Come to Romania!" The images were taken on Sunday, August 16, in the Clinceni-Bragadiru area of Ilfov county.

Photographer Octav Ganea, who captured the images, clarified that his intention was purely humanistic, focusing on people cooling off and coexisting, not to portray the workers negatively or hide local issues. He noted that locals mentioned cleaning the area and that the workers also tidy up after themselves. Ganea pointed out that the problem of litter along riverbanks is widespread in Romania, not exclusive to this location or these workers.

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The river, pretty, but what is around it is from horror stories.

Content creator Ela Nomad visited the site after seeing the online posts and described the surroundings as "horror stories" due to the trash. She criticized some media portrayals for using angles that did not highlight the environmental problems. Online comments often debated whether the issue was the presence of foreign workers or the lack of basic amenities in an area used for recreation, with some humorously suggesting they might play cricket.

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Very nice. Maybe they'll play some cricket too.