Local Kogayon Association announced that the Oltenia de sub Munte region’s candidacy to obtain the UNESCO geopark status had to be put on hold after the town hall of Horezu, one of the area’s communes, decided that it doesn’t want to be part of the project. The region was already in an advanced stage of the process, as two UNESCO experts visited the area last week for a field mission to evaluate the aspiring candidate.

As part of the international evaluation mission, the Kogayon Association organized a meeting on July 9 with partners of the aspiring UNESCO geopark Oltenia de sub Munte. Local authorities, including delegates from the Horezu, Costești, and Vaideeni town halls, also attended the event.

During the meeting, representatives of the national salt company Salrom wanted to clarify the legal framework of geoparks so that there would be no confusion regarding the restrictions that may affect the development of their main economic activity. On the other hand, local entrepreneurs highlighted the added value that the UNESCO Geopark project has already brought to Oltenia de Sub Munte, while members of civil society recalled the importance of the activities already carried out through the project, the non-profit said.

However, the entire process had to be put on hold after delegates of the town hall of Horezu presented a decision of the local council adopted during a meeting in March, which said that “the steps taken by the Kogayon Association to establish a geopark on the territory of UAT Horezu are rejected.”

“The Kogayon Association was not called to that meeting, did not receive requests for clarification regarding the geopark project, and was not informed of this decision until the July 9 meeting,” reads the press release.

“The General Secretary of the National Commission of Romania for UNESCO, present during the evaluation mission, including the meeting on July 9, had a working meeting with the Vâlcea County Prefecture and, following consultation with the central authorities relevant to the matter of the UNESCO procedure, initiated the stage of withdrawing the candidacy of the aspiring UNESCO Geopark Oltenia de sub Munte, at least until the national legislative framework is clarified,” the same source said.

Florin Stoican, the president of the Kogayon Association, also announced the decision and explained the situation in a post on social media. 

“For 4 days, two UNESCO evaluators got to know our team and partners, visited geosites and historical monuments, checked how we fulfill the 101 criteria to become a UNESCO international geopark. Before, our application was evaluated by experts from the UNESCO Global Geoparks Network (GGN) and the International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS). Our team worked hard, and the evaluation was a recognition both for us and for the territory of Oltenia sub Munte,” Stoican said.

He noted, however, that, considering Horezu town hall’s decision to halt the project, last week’s validation is not enough. 

“[…] the procedure for obtaining the UNESCO status was suspended because this status is not mandatory but only voluntary,” he mentioned.

"Designating Oltenia de sub Munte a UNESCO geopark would have been a huge and concrete step for the sustainable socio-economic development of the area. The fact that, following the immense work of 5+ years and the fulfillment of all 101 evaluation criteria, the project attracted widespread support but was blocked by the local authorities, which also determined the withdrawal of the candidacy, makes me think of Cristian Nemescu's California Dreamin', a film in which a station master from a town in the middle of nowhere stops a NATO train, just because he could," Alex Găvan, conservationist and ambassador of the aspiring UNESCO geopark Oltenia de sub Munte, told Romania-insider.com.

"Those who should have gratefully embraced the initiative of Florin Stoican and the Kogayon Association were the very ones who buried it. But I have faith that not for long. We, who desire the highest good for this area, will ultimately succeed because we do what we do out of love. And this geopark is the concrete manifestation of this love," he added.

In a previous interview with Romania-insider.com, Florin Stoican explained why the path to receiving the UNESCO geopark status is more important for Oltenia de sub Munte than the status itself. 

Should it obtain the status in the future, Oltenia de Sub Munte would become the third UNESCO geopark in Romania after Țara Hațegului and Ținutul Buzăului. 

irina.marica@romania-insider.com

(Photo source: Kogayon Association)