Brown bear row: Activists accuse Romanian deputy PM of ignoring real solutions

Environmental activists are strongly contesting a proposal by Romania's interim Deputy Prime Minister Tanczos Barna concerning the brown bear population. Organizations like Agent Green accuse Barna of ignoring effective solutions and failing to protect both humans and the species, stating, "Romania's problem is not that the law protects the bear too much. The problem is that the state has protected people too little and the bear too little."

Agent Green reacted critically to Barna's statements advocating for changes to European legislation on brown bears. The environmental group believes that removing the species from protected lists would not resolve human-bear conflicts but would instead perpetuate the neglect of recommended preventative measures. "Be careful what brilliant idea Tánczos Barna has come up with now. After spending years fueling anti-bear hysteria, blocking the implementation of the National Action Plan for the Conservation of the Brown Bear and promoting the death penalty as a universal solution, he now wants to remove the brown bear from the list of strictly protected species in the European Union," Agent Green stated on Facebook.

“

The problem of Romania is not that the law protects the bear too much. The problem of Romania is that the state has protected people too little and the bear too little.

The activists further criticized Barna's approach, labeling him a "moral idiot" whose concerns lie with trophy hunters rather than public safety. They argue that his initiative lacks logic, comparing it to refusing treatment for a sick patient and then concluding the thermometer should be shot. Experts, they emphasize, have long recommended solutions such as waste management, protecting farms with electric fences, rapid interventions, education, and identifying problematic individuals. These measures are effective where applied but require rational thought, work, and competence – qualities the activists suggest are lacking in the current approach.

Instead of addressing the root causes of conflict, the activists argue, Barna's proposal simplifies the issue by suggesting the removal of strict protection. They point out that existing European legislation already provides for derogations, interventions, and legal mechanisms to manage conflicts. The core issue, according to Agent Green, is the state's abandonment of local communities, prevention efforts, education, and the enforcement of its own regulations, leading to inadequate protection for both people and bears.

“

Be careful what brilliant idea Tánczos Barna has come up with now. After spending years fueling anti-bear hysteria, blocking the implementation of the National Action Plan for the Conservation of the Brown Bear and promoting the death penalty as a universal solution, he now wants to remove the brown bear from the list of strictly protected species in the European Union.