danube connects – the magazine for the danube countries, 1/2024
connects danube
DANUBE CONFLUENCEWHERE A RIVER CONNECTS YOUNG PEOPLE Youth camps in nature............................3
PARTNERS SHOWING SOLIDARITY FOR RECONSTRUCTION Ulm and Neu-Ulm support Bilhorod-Dnistrovsky in the Ukraine..........................................7
PERSPEKTIVE DONAU Commitment to the Danube region........8
A MARKETPLACE OF THE DANUBE COUNTRIES, WHERE EVERYONE UNDERSTANDS EACH OTHER VIMA – the online platform... 11
A CIVIL SOCIETY STRATEGY FOR THE EU MAKRO-REGIONS
Looking ahead to the year 2024..........12
HIGH SEASON FOR CIVIL SOCIETY What do we mean by this? ...................13
OPENING DOORS ON THE WAY TO THE EU How Baden-Württemberg is strengthening civil society...................14
DANUBE CIVILISATION - WHAT IS IT? An advanced civilisation in ancient Europe................................16
CONFERENCE ON 08 JULY 2024 RENEWABLE ENERGIES The Danube region at the turn of times..19
THE DANUBE REGION AFTER THE 2024 EUROPEAN ELECTIONS: Perspectives for civil society...................19
FROM PERSECUTION TO RECOGNITION Minorities in Romania...........................20
SPONGECITY - INTERREG PROJECT If there are floods, just soak them up................................21
FIGHT AGAINST BUREAUCRATIC WINDMILLS Mothers demonstrate in Hungary.......22
LEAP STEP - Exhibition United against energy poverty in Europe...................
Dear readers,
We are all civil society, and that is what makes it is colourful. Why are we dedicating an entire issue to it? Because we want to show how important an active civil society is. Many people in our country volunteer in sports clubs, with the volunteer fire brigade, in nature conservation, at the food bank or simply in neighbourhood help. This is important because it strengthens society. The state can't do everything!
We spoke to the Baden-Württemberg Foundation, which explained why it supports civil society projects in the Danube region. We also spoke to the State Ministry of Baden-Württemberg to find out why strengthening civil society is important to them.
It is an important building block in liberal democratic states. Not only do we have a voice in elections, but we can also be part of a committed civil society ourselves.
"Freedom and responsibility belong together!" These wise words come from Baden-Württemberg's Minister-President Winfried Kretschmann. He spoke them on the occasion of awarding the Order of Merit to Carmen Stadelhofer, the founder of the "danube networkers". He is right!
We must take responsibility for our environment and society!
As civil society in our part of the world is rooted in history, we immerse ourselves in the past world of the Danube civilisation and try to decipher the traces that people left behind along the Danube thousands of years ago.
An exciting story that we hope future citizens will be able to tell with a happy ending!
danube connects is on Facebook, twitter and Instagram!
We offer information and images from the international press on politics, tourism and culture in the Danube region. Furthermore, we keep you on track about the Danube Strategy and the various events alongside the Danube. Come and take a look!
You want to share interesting information on the Danube region?
How do you make young people more appreciative of the Danube’s beauty?
The Danube Youth Network, an important flagship project of the EU Danube Region Strategy, has the perfect answer. This network of different organisations from the Danube countries that work together and promote youth exchange has created “Danube Confluence”!
his project organises four cool camps in four different countries where young people can experience and get to know Europe's second longest river in a creative way!
“Friends of the Danube” kicked things off in the Serbian city of Belgrade with an informative and musical festival. We were there!
CAMP 1 - BELGRADE
Srdjan Stankovic, the boss himself, sits in a clearing next to a large cauldron over a fire and patiently stirs a Serbian bean soup. He cooked it himself. "The home-baked bread was a gift. Try it! It tastes fantastic!" I can’t refuse that and dip a piece into the hot, bubbling national dish of the Balkans. We wait for the schoolchildren, who are
exploring the regional flora and fauna of the Danube and its tributaries with biologists in the nearby forests of the town of Pancevo. This educational camp is an absolute highlight for the children. Local wild animals such as a turtle or a freshly caught water snake can be observed up close. Of course, all animals are released again
after close observation. The children are excited, curious and eager to get down to business. And hungry after their work is done!
DANUBE DAY + MUSIC FESTIVAL BELGRADE
Danube Confluence 2023 - 2024: There's no better name for a European project.
The Danube is the second longest river in Europe and flows through ten European countries over a length of 2,857 kilometres.
The two source rivers Brigach and Breg, which originate in the Black Forest, form the beginning of this flowing body of water, which grows ever larger through tributaries such as the Sava, which flows into the Danube near Belgrade, until it flows into the natural wonder of the Danube Delta. As one of the oldest trade routes, the Danubelike no other river – connects different cultures that flow into one another.
Danube Confluence now continues this millennia-old intertwining. The aim is to showcase the richness of the Danube region and its people through interaction in various project activities. To this end, a series of educational camps have been developed and linked to campaigns. The kick-off event took place in the Serbian capital Belgrade during an ecological and cultural festival on International Danube Day on 29 June 2023. The project, funded by the BadenWürttemberg Foundation, was launched in cooperation with the following partners:
n Agapedia is a children's aid organisation set up by Jürgen Klinsmann, a German football manager and former player. It has been running projects in Baden-Württemberg, Romania, Bulgaria, Moldova and Georgia since 1995.
n The Danube Youth Network, founded by Agapedia, the Liebenau Foundation and the civil society network EUSDR, is a network of various organisations from the Danube countries that work together and promote youth exchange.
n Supernatural is a Serbian NGO for environmental protection with a focus on the Danube.
n danube connects, based in Ulm, is a bilingual magazine for the Danube region that connects people across borders with its stories and articles.
n The Centre for Europe (Europa Zentrum) Baden-Württemberg is an association based in Stuttgart whose aim is to promote European unification.
But how can you combine educational camps with impact events and influencers? Can a kick-off event be informative, educational and still cool? Our days in Belgrade prove that it can! Srdjan Stankovic, founder of the Serbian NGO Supernatural, showed us how it's done with his team!
The sportsman and business economist organised the festival for the first time on 22 April 2007 to create an entertaining atmosphere for young people to learn about the environment in an unforgettable way on this day celebrating Mother Earth. "This concept, called "edutainment", proved to be very successful because the young people were enthusiastic and the festival had a wide media reach," says Srdjan, who worked for a long time as an event and product manager for major international brands. He now brings this knowledge and important experience to his NGO – and with great success.
Srdjan is a visionary. In 2011, he transformed the Ada Huja peninsula, just four kilometres from Belgrade city centre, into a “supernatural park”. The area had been used as a landfill site since 1960. Today it is a green space that is used as a green classroom. It has won many international awards - and rightly so: Srdjan knows how to properly market such a valuable project.
He also uses his contacts to organise informative and, above all, interesting panel discussions. This is where he brings politics and business together. "We have to go hand in hand, otherwise we won't get anywhere on our own as an NGO," Srdjan explains to me. The get-together takes place in the middle of nature. Both the panellists and the guests sit on
CAMP 2
The Danube’s source, Germany Danube Youth Network (DYN) meets Danube Youth Council (DYC)! An intensive exchange between the Danube Youth Networkers and the young representatives of the Danube Youth Council of the EUSDR takes place at the source of the Danube in the Black Forest of Baden-Württemberg. Various organisations from different Danube countries can thus bring their interests into the political arena via the official youth representatives.
simple chairs. Surrounded by birdsong and the buzzing of bees, the discussions with managers and ambassadors make more sense.
The planned kayak trip to clean up the Danube does not take place - the weather puts a stop to these plans. However, the sun shines again just in time for the legendary open-air concert. In 2023, the now renowned music festival will take place in the silos on the banks of the Danube, which have been converted into art halls. Bands and DJs are already heating things up. Including the well-known Croatian singer Ida Prester. A "smallˮ village of tipis is set up where various NGOs report on their projects. Everything has to do with water. Not just that of the Danube. And there is also Serbian bean soup here. You can get a large portion for little money. Cool tshirts and bags are sold at a stand - the new fashion label "Friends of the Danube", founded by Srdjan, of course. The guests are already making themselves comfortable in the deckchairs by the Danube. The bar is very busy. Everyone wants to get something in time to enjoy the sunset with a drink in their hand. Guests young and old dance late into the night.
CAMP 3
Tutrakan, Bulgarien
Tutrakan is a fishing village in northeastern Bulgaria. It was founded by the Romans and is located on the right bank of the Danube right on the border with Romania. This youth project is all about fishing. The participants learn about the everyday life of fishermen, their traditions and the nature along the Danube. Their task: photographing and filming for a digital exhibition and interviews with the fishermen.
Belgrade has made the start. And it will continue in 2024 with three more youth and educational camps. “From Black (Forest) to Black (Sea)” - the project covers a total of five countries along the Danube and focuses on Europe's second longest river and its surroundings. The experiences and results of all the camps will be presented at the EUSDR Annual Forum 2024 in Vienna and some parts of it at the International Danube Festival 2024 in Ulm.
Mirella Sidro, Sarajevo
CAMP 4
Donaudelta, Rumänien
The Danube Delta in Romania is the perfect backdrop for living diversity in flora and fauna! The focus here is on nature and getting to know the fishing tradition. Young people from Romania, Ukraine and other Danube countries can experience how full of life the river is, discover its birdlife and its surroundings and capture their impressions in films and photos for a digital exhibition.
Ulm/Neu-Ulm and Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi (Ukraine)
Solidarity partners for reconstruction
The solidarity partnership between the cities of Ulm, Neu-Ulm and Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi in Ukraine is an anticipation of the time after the Russian war of aggression. The first aid supplies for reconstruction have already arrived in Ukraine. The Danube Office Ulm/NeuUlm is where all the different pieces of this project come together.
Ulm and Neu-Ulm have been sending signs of solidarity and support to Ukraine since the beginning of the war. One example is the weekly vigils for Ukraine that have been held since February 2022. Both cities also do a lot to welcome and integrate refugees, hand in hand with civil society organisations.
In the spring of 2023, Ulm and Neu-Ulm finally established a solidarity partnership with Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi. The town is located south of Odessa on the banks of the Dniester estuary, 20 kilometres inland from the Black Sea. It has around 50,000 inhabitants, belongs to the historical region of Bessarabia and today forms the centre of an administrative district of 16 united territorial communities. Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi currently offers refuge to more than 2,000 Ukrainian war refugees.
In the summer of 2023, a delegation from Ukraine led by Mayor Vitalii Grazhdan travelled to Ulm and NeuUlm. The highlight of this visit was the handover of three refurbished articulated buses donated by Stadtwerke Ulm (SWU). The Danube Office played a key role in the organisation together with the Association of Municipal Enterprises (VKU) and the German Association for International Cooperation (giz).
In addition to the buses, two further transports with donated equipment, machinery and vehicles were sent to Ukraine over the course of the year. In mid-November, the Danube Office Ulm/Neu-Ulm and BilhorodDnistrovskyi had the opportunity to meet again in person - at the 6th German-Ukrainian municipal partnership conference in Leipzig. The conference offered German and Ukrainian cities a platform for dialogue.
Sebastian Rihm and Kathinka Leyhr from the Danube Office Ulm/Neu-Ulm spoke personally with their Ukrainian partners from Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi about the upcoming joint projects (see info box).
INFO
THIS IS HOW IT CONTINUES
Danube Festival: Invitation of Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi to the 13th International Danube Festival.
Project partner: Since 2024, Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi has been an associated partner of the EU project 'Active2Public Transport' and a full partner of the Danube Guides Action 2 project funded by the State Ministry of Baden-Württemberg.
Youth exchange: Young Ukrainians will take part in the Danube Youth Camp 2024.
Contacts between experts: The cities of Ulm and Neu-Ulm want to initiate professional contacts for Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi. The focus is on education, business and technology.
Commitment to the Danube region PERSPECTIVE DANUBE
Baden-Württemberg has always cultivated diverse relationships in the Danube region. The Baden-Württemberg Foundation plays a key role in this. With its "Perspective Danube" programme, it primarily supports the development of civil society and provides funding for educational, cultural and youth projects, among other things. Dr Andreas Weber, who has been responsible for the "Perspective Danube" programme since 2012, takes stock in an interview with danube connects editor Sabine Geller.
How did the Perspektive Donau programme come about and what are its objectives?
The Perspective Danube programme goes back to a tradition of the Baden Württemberg Foundation, which has implemented projects in the Danube region from the very beginning. In the early years, it was mainly aid transports. In 2012, I took over the programme, it was incorporated into the Education department and, as with all other programmes, calls for proposals were issued. The Perspective Danube programme focuses on culture, civil society and education.
Did the EU Strategy for the Danube Region encourage you to continue this programme?
The Danube Region Strategy was launched in parallel in 2011 and it was always said that a macro-regional strategy would be created, but without additional funding. The projects that we had previously supported formed a good basis for further developing this programme. The term "perspective" was deliberately introduced in order to look far into the future.
With a group of experts, it was also possible to decide more competitively which projects were suitable for the programme.
If you look at it today after more than ten years, we can justifiably say: "Yes, we have succeeded in building a strong and sustainable network."
Which networks have emerged from your programmes?
The network consists of many small networks, for example the Danube Youth Network with Stefan Barth (Agapedia). Others are active in the field of youth art or are intergenerational, such as the network promoted by Carmen Stadelhofer (ILEU).
We also endeavoured to organise events such as the Donaufest Ulm/Neu-Ulm in order to connect the players in the network. We were very successful in this because we worked in a good partnership with the Baden-Württemberg State Ministry.
These networks helped us a lot after Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Well-functioning structures and contacts were utilised by the state of Baden-Württemberg and State Secretary Florian Hassler
as the state's representative to the EU when considering where and how we could provide support in Ukraine.
"Without the Perspektive Danube programme, the development of the Danube Youth Network would not have been possible."
Stefan Barth, Agapedia
What are the priorities for the future or what else would you like to see?
For the future, I hope that the networks will continue to develop and that the positive momentum that was noticeable at the civil society meeting at the Ministry of State in January 2024 will prevail against the somewhat depressing zeitgeist.
The Baden-Württemberg Stiftung will continue to help with regional priorities, including in countries that are not yet EU members but are part of the Danube Region Strategy. I think it would be good to make a difference there.
The Perspective Danube proved its worth during the pandemic because we were able to continue many programmes and projects online during the lockdown thanks to good structures, including technical ones, and a
common will. One example is Carmen Stadelhofer's network - she started an initiative (DANET) at the beginning of the lockdown, which still brings generations from the Danube countries together on a regular basis, which is exemplary. We have many youth and nature conservation projects, but also projects at mothers' centres. In my view, this breadth is also our strength.
The situation of civil society has become very difficult in some countries, especially if you look at Serbia and Hungary. Freedom of expression is also coming under pressure. How can civil society be strengthened there?
We definitely need to keep working on strengthening civil society, because it's a long road to building a civil society and the traditional gap between West and East still exists. The further west you go in Europe, the more organised civil society is. And the further east you go, the less organised it is.
That's why the youth projects and the study opportunities at Andrássy University are of course very important for young people and shape them.
Are youth in the Danube region, climate change and the environment important topics for you in the Perspective Danube programme? Have there been any outstanding projects in this regard? It makes sense to take up the Danube as a theme, as a connecting lifeline that is emotionally important for many people. Water is an important element that ultimately feeds the people in the Danube region and used to be important as a transport route.
The campaign by professor Andreas Fath, who swam the whole length of the Danube, is of course a highlight. We also had the Danube Nature Guides and various other projects focussing on the environment along the Danube, youth encounters with specific naturerelated projects. These projects help to ensure that young people do not mi-
grate and instead take care of their own living space.
The topic of environmental protection is indeed a focal point. We only have one intergenerational project, but many cultural and art projects or Roma projects, for example, and they have existed for over ten years.
The number of nature conservation projects has increased significantly in recent years, which can only be seen as a positive development.
How important is it to the BW Foundation to improve the living conditions of minorities such as the Sinti and Roma?
This is an issue for Europe as a whole and we are seeing the rise of racist reflexes relatively quickly.
The level of education is simply very low and for me, this is not a question of integrating a population group, but of social inequality, which starts with such basic needs as nutrition. Mr Zell's commitment with the BuKi Haus is a good example of this. Despite numerous frustrations, he continues to campaign for children to be given something to eat so that they can learn and read in the first place.
With projects like this, we can set the tone in various places and bring about change - whether on a smaller or sometimes larger scale.
"Helping people to help themselves, that's what we were able to achieve in small for Roma women."
Monika Heitmann, Liebenau Foundation
In September 2023, you received the Grand Medal of Andrássy University in Budapest. Congratulations on this. Why is this collaboration with Andrássy University important for Baden-Württemberg?
The Baden-Württemberg Foundation contributed to the establishment of the university back in 2002. Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, Austria and Hungary agreed to strengthen the traditional connection in the Danube region as a southern rail in Germany, to provide academic support and to take up the tradition of a German-speaking university in Budapest.
We have supported this financially for many years, supported student exchanges and financed scholarships. We have organised conferences and kept the exchange alive, resulting in a lively relationship. European topics, research on the Danube region and the role of civil society are at the centre of education there.
Award of the Andrássy Grand Medal
Andrássy University's annual opening ceremony
Aid to Ukraine has also been included in your programme since the beginning of the war of aggression. Are there enough applications in this area or could the country be supported even better in the long term with meaningful projects?
We currently have over 20 projects and more are being added all the time. Ukraine has always been represented in the Danube Region Strategy with four regions. With regard to emergency aid in Ukraine, we have now decided that it doesn't matter where we provide support - whether in Ukraine or here on the spot. If the aim is to alleviate the consequences of war, at least for children and women, then that is what we want to do.
Because we were already represented locally through our networks, we were able to support Amica in Mariupol, for example. This organisation helps women affected and traumatised by violence. I am very satisfied with what we have been able to do and I hope that we can continue to work on these im-
What conclusions do you draw from these years of work and how important is it to continue the programme? The programme must be continued and is important. We can look back on ten years of successful work and be satisfied with the structure we have built up. With your magazine, you ensure that these ideas are communicated. You therefore also have an important function, namely that those involved realise that they are making things happen together here, even if the topics are different. The solidarity among the Danube countries is important.
You will be retiring in the foreseeable future. Can you tell us anything else about yourself or your plans for the future? Do you still have plans to travel to the Danube region, for example?
I am a child of the Rhine-Neckar region. Just as the Danube is an emotional bond for others, so is the Rhine for me. Rivers are points of reference, a place that has always been there and that you go to. The first thing I'm going to do in March is go skiing in the Engadin. The Inn, an
portant projects with the support of the Supervisory Board.
important river that supplies the Danube with water, has its source there.
I have been to Budapest quite often, and to Bosnia and Herzegovina in 2019. I was able to experience many things
there that I only knew in theory. On the one hand, I experienced the social divisions, but on the other, I also got to know the very strong historical culture. You can feel it in Sarajevo. You learn from stories there that people have actually always lived together well with different religions. Nowadays, it's sad that students are quite strictly segregated according to ethnic groups there. I hope that this will be overcome at some point. After all, we are all human beings and we should treat each other as such.
Interview by Sabine Geller, Ulm
PERSPEKTIVE DONAU
Facts, figures and data
Since 2012, over 150 projects in the Danube region have been funded and implemented by the project partners. In addition a lot of projects with an emergency aid character/relation to Ukraine have been funded. The total funding volume amounts to approx. 6 million euros. The available budget amounts to 300,000-400,000 euros per year.
Delegationsreise nach Bosnien
Dr Andreas Weber, Baden-Württemberg Foundation in conversation with Sabine Geller
A marketplace for the Danube countries where everyone understands
each other
"In some Eastern European countries, Europe is disappearing," says Carmen Stadelhofer, who coordinates various European projects from Ulm. She is thinking of examples such as European policy in Bulgaria and Serbia.
"Our goal: Europe bottom up. Making people feel Europe, bringing them together." She adds that some people in these countries don't really have a feeling for Europe. So far. Stadelhofer thinks she knows why: "Because they haven’t experienced the EU. Nor do they have the experience of travelling in Europe. Some may have been on holiday nearby, for example in Greece. But not further west." But these different people can be interesting for each other. What makes their lives and cultures different? Might they even have something in common in the end?
Virtuell.Mitmachen.Aktiv
They can easily find out: on the virtual marketplace "VIMA danube". The abbreviation stands for "Virtuell.Mitmachen.Aktiv!" (German for “Virtual. Participate.Active!”). People from the Danube countries exchange ideas there. Carmen Stadelhofer: "It's a tremendous opportunity to get in touch with people you wouldn't otherwise get in touch with." Even if you don't speak the same language? Sure, no problem. In concrete terms, it looks like this: There are different areas on the VIMA danube website. For example, "Search/ Offer".
For example, "Search/Offer". Stadelhofer explains: "I might be travelling to Cluj-Napoca in Romania and looking for someone to walk through the city with me so that I can get a personal impression." Someone else is looking for people who can tell them tricks for growing avocados. Another person is looking for like-minded people who want to accompany them to the Munich Opera Festival.
There is also a group of fairy tale fans. Angelouise asks the group in Serbo-Croatian how others experienced "Hansel and Gretel" as children. What did they think of it? Were they afraid or did it teach them a great moral lesson? No problem if you don't speak Serbo-Croatian. Just click on the globe symbol and the text is translated into your own language. In another group, someone is collecting quick recipes. Lemon rice and lemon spaghetti have already been posted. But also "Soul-warming solyanka" - a soup with smoked sausages - or "Swabian Riebel/ Stopfer" with apple sauce. The "News" section is also interesting. There you can find out how the journalist and German teacher Karina Beigelzimer, who lives in the Ukrainian harbour city of Odessa, is experiencing the war.
The "Danubius Young Scientist Award" and the photo competition "Traces of Europe in my city" also deserve of mention/should also be mentioned.
Carmen Stadelhofer and the creators of the VIMA danube website hope that people who come to the Ulm Danube Festival in summer will meet up with people they have got to know on the platform. And maybe even find a sofa to sleep on.
VIMA danube's big sister is called "danect" - which stands for "connecting danube neighbours by culture". Every fortnight there is a meeting on Sunday evenings to which people from all the Danube countries join in via video to listen to poems or songs. Or to get tips for city trips. People from the Danube countries have already presented a number of their cultural treasures on www.danect.eu
Carmen Stadelhofer explains: "We realised that there are people in many countries who are interested in carnival, baking bread, recipes or very specific literature." That's how the younger sister, VIMA danube, came about. The aim is to create networks for specific topics.
Refugees from Ukraine are an important target group for the special Ulm VIMA branch "https://vima-ulm.de/". It aims to make it easier for Ukrainians to arrive and settle in Ulm: one page bundles what events there are in Ulm, what people talk about here and what people are looking for or offering.
Isabella Hafner, Ulm
www.vima-danube.eu www.vima-ulm.de www.danect.eu
A civil strategy for the EU macro-regions
2024 – an important year for civil society
Civil society can play a vital role in the development of macro-regions –the Danube area is a perfect example for the importance and the influence of civil society organisations. At the First Macro-Regional Citizen Agora hosted by European House Budapest in December 2023 a proposal for an “EU macro-regional civil strategy” was adopted, aiming to unite efforts from civil society organisations and stakeholders from all the four macroregions of the European Union.
Talking about EU macro-regions we mean 27 countries with more than 340 million people! As countries and regions face challenges that know no borders – like pollution, climate change, unemployment, lack of connectivity etc. – macro-regional strategies were established to identify cooperation potentials and to look for common answers.
Four macro-regional strategies have been adopted by the European Union: n the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region (2009) n the Danube Region (2010) n the Adriatic and Ionian Region (2014) n the Alpine Region (2015)
Civil society organisations (CSOs) have already proved to play an essential role in developing EU policies and safeguarding basic European values. A civil strategy will now strengthen the ownership feeling in every participating Member State.
Where did this proposal for a civil strategy come from?
In 2020, European House Budapest, together with 8 other CSOs, reflected on the European Commission’s 3rd Report on the implementation of macroregional strategies. Its result, the “Shadow Report – An alternative positive voice” was born in 2022, after broad consultations. It was the first
time that CSOs from the four macroregions combined their efforts and worked together for a commonly defined objective.
The positive reception of the Shadow Report was referred to in the European Commission’s Report on macroregional strategies; the Commission’s 4th implementation Report emphasised the need to involve local and regional communities, encouraging European House Budapest to take another significant initiative – elaborating a proposal for an EU macro-regional strategy. This civil strategy is a great example of the bottom-up approach, demonstrating the benefits of citizens’ involvement in shaping European policies and practicing participatory democracy.
Following a series of preparatory meetings in Vienna, Rome, Lyon and Stockholm in 2023, the First Macro-Regional Citizen Agora in Budapest adopted the proposal for a strategy in December.
A macro-regional civil network is born
The Agora also approved a forwardlooking workplan for 2024, including the establishment of a macro-regional civil network. Unlike other private networks it is an open and inclusive proEuropean collaborative arrangement, with the participation of CSOs, local and regional communities and other interested stakeholders, aiming to assist the implementation of the EU macroregional idea.
The primary intention is to bring together CSOs and like-minded groups across the four macro-regions and even beyond to tackle common challenges like climate change, the energy crisis, digital transformation, or social transition. This can be done through common actions, study trips, seminars, volunteer exchanges, or training. An additional test during the first half of 2024 is to increase citizens’ turnout with special attention to first-time voters at the forthcoming European Parliamentary elections. The macro-regional idea carries a definite pro-European message in this context as well.
A macro-regional civil strategy, promoting the European project on the local and regional level, will also help to build a bridge between civil society organisations and EU institutions. Plenty of meaningful goals to work for in 2024. Because we are #Stronger. Together.
Contact: Miklos Barabas, European House Budapest
High season for civil society
“Civil society” is on everyone's lips these days. But are we really all on the same page when it comes to the actual meaning of this term?
Civil society is an ever-changing concept. Its definition will differ according to specific social environments, a specific actor’s position vis-à-vis the state, or a specific situation.
In the English-speaking world, for example, it has long referred to organisations that were privately founded and were associated with volunteering work. When research at universities started looking into the term, civil society as a “third sector” was taking centre stage for the rest of Europe, too. This “third sector” is what can be called intermediate and dependent on its perception by the state and the economy. It is also autonomous, insofar as civil society organisations are self-responsible, self-obligated and self-determined.
The term "civil society” generally refers to citizens and groups founded by them, who stand up for other people, voluntarily assume responsibility for social tasks, are committed to global causes or pursue public interests on a voluntary basis. The term “organised civil society” refers to private nonprofit organisations, self-help groups and citizens' initiatives.
The roots of civil society
The roots of European civil society lie in the Enlightenment period of the 18th/19th century, when, for the first time, people organised themselves into associations. They wanted to do something (good) together and speak out against conditions they deemed unacceptable.
After the two World Wars, the sector underwent major changes. In some countries, civil society associations became highly dependent on the state – because of the welfare state that existed there. The Cold War, the developing United Nations and the universities' focus on the Third Sector also contributed to the change. The “big three” were established: the associations for development cooperation, social policy and the environment. Lastly, it was the founding and the steady expansion of the European Union which helped civil society gain increasing importance and new funding opportunities for transnational co-operation.
Significance for everyday political culture
Today, the importance of civil society lies not only in the work of associations and voluntary work, but above all in the involvement of citizens in decisionmaking processes. This “participation” (participare = participate and allow to participate) is concerned with people or groups being able to influence relevant decisions and the decision-making process on the part of the state and the economy.
Citizens actively participating aim for the involvement and the codetermination of an interested public, with a view to revitalising everyday politic culture.
The following three-stage model shows the different opportunities of citizens’ participation:
1. Purely informative – the public is informed about a project on a website or by other means such as postal mailings.
2. Selective consultation – relevant organisations are specifically asked for their opinion.
3. Real cooperation – a project is planned jointly with the participation of civil society and/or the specific expertise of organisations is used to optimise planning and provide feedback during implementation.
Civil dialogue: spotlight on civil society
These efforts have led to the development of “civil dialogue”, which refers to the communication and consultation of the state and its institutions with affected or interested civil society organisations. In contrast to “social dialogue” regulating labour relations between employees and employers and determining the dialogue partners, civil dialogue must take place through many different channels to do justice to the diversity of civil society:
n consultation at a European level with defined “minimum standards”
n public hearing of interested organisations
n written statements on socially relevant topics
n internet portals for communication with the interested public, the unlimited circle of people outside of state organisations
In conclusion: civil society has many faces – and this is demonstrated even more clearly by the many examples that are found within the Danube countries.
Christiana Pordes Weidel, Vienna Director of The World of NGOs, www.ngo.at
gion. I myself have only been responsible for the Danube and Alpine regions since July 2023, but until the end of 2014 I was head of the State Councillor's staff unit for civic participation and civil society. So it was a nice reunion for me too.
As a Ministry of State, we want to make personal dialogue at events like this a regular occurrence. The response to our meeting on 24 January was consistently positive.
We in Baden-Württemberg are aware of the great privilege and the influence of an active civil society for and in the Danube region.
Opening doors on the way to the EU
Bosnia-Herzegovina, Serbia, Moldova and Ukraine are not yet members of the European Union. Baden-Württemberg sees itself as a door opener on the path to EU membership for these countries. Under the umbrella of the EU Strategy for the Danube Region (EUSDR), the German region wants to drive forward EU accession and strengthen civil society. The publisher of danube connects, Sabine Geller, spoke to Niombo Lomba from the Baden-Württemberg State Ministry about these topics.
As a member state, Baden-Württemberg has been committed to the Danube Region Strategy from the very beginning. What do you want to focus on in the future?
The Danube region is of particular concern to the state government. State Secretary Florian Hassler is promoting the issue as Special Envoy for the Danube Region.
For the state government of BadenWürttemberg, the economy remains a core area in implementing the Danube Region Strategy. The coronavirus pandemic and the Russian war of aggression have recently focussed our attention on the resilience of value chains. We are also contributing important expertise to the implementation of the European Green Deal.
The country has been just as committed to civil society in the Danube region as it has been to economic issues from the very beginning. Capacity building for
non-governmental organisations and local initiatives is and will remain a focus of our commitment.
We will also support the EU accession candidates that are members of the strategy on their path to the EU. We now plan to intensify this commitment for Bosnia-Herzegovina, Montenegro, the Republic of Moldova, Ukraine and Serbia.
In January, a network meeting for Baden-Württemberg's civil society in the Danube region took place at the State Ministry with the participation of State Secretary for Europe Florian Hassler.
How do you assess the representation of civil society in the EUSDR and what role should it play in the future?
We were very pleased to see such a broad spectrum of civil society players. It ranges from large charitable organisations to voluntary associations, all of which are involved in the Danube re-
We are repeatedly told that the awareness of EUSDR stakeholders of civil society’s importance has steadily increased over the years. Unfortunately, this is not a matter of course in all Danube countries. On the contrary, in some countries, independent NGOs face ever greater obstacles. Baden-Württemberg is seen as a positive example. We want to show that cooperation with civil society is an enrichment.
We know that we must continue to work on capacity building for civil society organisations and networks in the Danube region. Especially in view of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine. This has once again shown how much strength there is in civil society. The state's Danube Region Project Fund and the Baden-Württemberg Foundation's "Perspective Danube" programme, including the Ukraine Emergency Aid, are also helping us here.
What does the Danube Region Strategy do to protect national and cultural minorities? Where do you still see a need for action?
First and foremost, the Danube Region Strategy raises awareness of the concerns of national and cultural minorities. In Baden-Württemberg, we sup-
Niombo Lomba, Coordination of the EUSDR in BW with Sabine Geller
port minorities such as the Roma very specifically, for example through project funding from the BW Foundation.
In some countries, independent NGOs are facing ever greater obstacles. Baden-Württemberg is perceived as a positive example of commitment.
In addition to the Danube Region Strategy (EUSDR), you are also responsible for coordinating and steering the EU Strategy for the Alpine
working together with my Bavarian colleagues in both the Danube and Alpine regions.
I'm looking forward to getting to know
The EUSDR hardly gets any media coverage, even within Germany; communication mainly takes place within closed working groups. How do you want to improve communication and (re)awaken citizens' interest in the EUSDR?
Communicating the function and added value of macro-regional strategies such as the EUSDR is indeed often a challenge. At the Ministry of State, we have set ourselves the goal for the coming year of focussing more on communication and revising existing means of communication.
In addition to the political presence of our State Secretary for Europe and EUSDR Special Envoy Florian Hassler and the targeted communication of project successes, we are present as EUSDR coordinators at events such as the European Action Day or the International Danube Festival in Ulm.
This year is no exception. To this end, we work together with institutions such as the Danube Office Ulm/NeuUlm, the Baden-Württemberg Foundation, the Centre for Europe (EuropaZentrum) and the Europe Directs. In my experience, we reach out to the general public about the EUSDR in a very low-threshold way - for example via the Danube Cycle Path or through personal connections in the region.
from committed civil society visit the BW State Ministry
Region (EUSALP). Does this result in synergy effects or is it more a case of competition?
The fact that the Danube literally starts in Baden-Württemberg has increased the focus on the Danube region. Nevertheless, there is no sense of competition between the strategies. We are represented in both strategies together with Bavaria, Austria and Slovenia. On the contrary, both strategies are unique in their own way. Compared to the EUSDR, the EUSALP is much more strongly supported and implemented by the regions. The EUSALP is also ahead of the EUSDR in terms of youth participation. The EUSALP has had a Youth Council since July 2021.
Which Danube countries have you already travelled to or which country would you like to visit?
I know our direct neighbours best because I studied and worked in Bavaria. That's why I'm looking forward to
all the countries in the Danube region better, including those I've already been to, such as Austria, the Czech Republic, Croatia, Slovenia and Romania. Of course, I'm curious about all the countries I haven't had the chance to get to know yet, such as Slovakia, Hungary, Montenegro, Bulgaria, the Republic of Moldova and hopefully Ukraine at some point.
I am particularly pleased that BosniaHerzegovina will take over the EUSDR presidency from Austria next year as the second EU accession candidate. That will also close a gap.
Interview by Sabine Geller, Ulm
Stakeholders
Danube civilisation
what is it?
The Danube civilisation: many discoveries, unclear interpretation
Was there an advanced civilisation along the Danube that can be considered the oldest in human history? Yes and no! Scientists don’t yet agree about this. But they do know one thing for sure: there was a civilisation, known today as the Danube Civilisation, which shaped the history of our region and which began back around 7000 BC.
Ancient Europe or Danube civilisation are terms used to describe a historical epoch in the south-eastern Danube region during the transition to the Bronze Age. Today, this geographical area is characterised by a multitude of languages, cultures, religions and national identities, which the European Union holds together politically. Today's geographical area includes Serbia, Kosovo, Romania, Bulgaria, northern Greece, Hungary and south-western Ukraine. What we know is mainly due to the
scientists Marija Gimbutas (1991) and Harald Haarmann (2021), who have researched and written about it.
We are talking about the time before the immigration of eastern steppe peoples, who brought a new culture and language to Europe. The way of life of these people is documented by numerous archaeological finds from around 6000 to 3000 BC. They tell of a cultural area with many similarities,which, as the Danube civilisation, people defend with as much commitment as they oppose it. But why is this civilisation so controversial? Because it could challenge dispute Mesopotamia's status as the first advanced civilisation and history would have to be rewritten.
“Ancient Europe" comprises archaeological sites of various prehistoric cultures and regions between the Mediterranean, the Black Sea and the Carpathians.
When nomads became sedentary
At this time, Homo sapiens was in transition from a hunter-gatherer society to an agrarian sedentary lifestyle. Archaeological finds show that possession of the basic necessities of housing and life was evenly distributed. There are no manorial palaces or tombs. Nor do the grave goods indicate that men were dominant.
The clay figurines, cult artefacts and everyday objects convey an impressive aesthetic to the observer, whose design, variety and ornamentation still amaze us today.
The people of that time established a lively trading network along the Danube and its tributaries all the way to the Mediterranean coast. This trade across the closer settlement borders guaranteed peaceful coexistence. A key feature of the Danube civilisation is its shared intercultural and religious beliefs. Female deities dominated. This was less about matriarchal rule and more about the glorification of fertility and life in general.
Danube script - yes or no?
The greatest controversy centres on the Danube script. If it were recognised as a developed writing system, Ancient Europe would be the world's first advanced civilisation. Many historians consider the existence of writing to be an essential characteristic of advanced civilisations and civilisations. To this day, there are no usable translations of texts written in the Danube script. One reason why it has been impossible to understand the Danube script is that no "Rosetta Stone" has yet been found, as was the case when the hieroglyphs were deciphered. Such finds will probably never be made, as the culture was replaced by the immigration of other peoples from the East in too short a time. Linguistic comparisons with later writing systems, such as Greek, contributed only little to the translation.
Their signs, interpreted as written elements, are widespread in many settlements and can be found on objects for everyday life. As these are often profane everyday objects or mystically interpreted figures, it can be assumed that they meant something to most "ancient Europeans", i.e. they were able to "read" them. The writing system, which was in use from 5200 BC to 3200 BC, consists of more than 700 signs and symbols. Ultimately, some scientists have come to the conclusion that the question of whether it is a script or not is irrelevant, as the existence of the complex sign system is decisive.
Baroness Zsófia Torma (German: Sofie von Torma, 1832 to 1899) from Hungary was the first to collect clay objects in her home country and later also in the wider Danube region. This prompted her to speak of a previously unknown culture in the Danube region.
Marija Gimbutas started the empirical research and archaeological collection of Ancient Europe. She was an archaeologist and polymath who combined her archaeological expertise with knowledge of linguistics, ethnology, and religious history. Shortly after completing her doctorate in Tübingen, Gimbutas was appointed to Harvard University in 1950 due to her extensive knowledge of 13 European languages and her excavation expertise. Her scientific topics focussed on the Neolithic cultures of the Balkans before the radical cultural immigration from the East. She introduced the term Ancient Europe, which in recent years has taken on a life of its own as the Danubian Civilisation.
Parts of the collection of Zsófia of Torma with clay shards of various origins and ornamental patterns and signs.
The vinca signs on the clay tablets from Tartaria discovered in 1961 are dated to around 5500-5300 BC. They are a controversial testimony to the Danube script.
Marija Gimbutas and her "one-sided feminist" theories
According to Gimbutas, Kurgan peoples invaded the Danube region in the first half of the fourth millennium BC (the so-called Kurgan hypothesis). She described the culture of ancient Europe as largely peaceful, egalitarian, matrifocal and existing for several millennia. With this thesis, she found an enormous following among feminists and
Impressum/imprint
danube connects das magazin für die donauländer/ the magazine for the danube countries Tel. +49 / (0)731 / 153 75 05 Fax +49 / (0)731 / 153 75 06 info@danube-connects.eu
Herausgeber/publisher: European Journalists Association, Sektion Ulm (section of Ulm)
an equally determined rejection from the academic world of early historians, who thought Gimbutas lacked critical distance from her theories. According to Gimbutas, under the influence of a Great Goddess, women played an outstanding role in social, societal and religious matters. She herself called her scientific methodology an archaeomythology, with which she questioned the prevailing interpretations of archaeology.
The Danube civilisation as a model for a peaceful Europe
If we consider the cultures of the Danube region in the period from around 6000 to 3500 BC as a large geopolitical area, there are good reasons to speak of a Danube civilisation. Through the division of labour, people became accustomed to the advantages of sedentariness with more leisure time and started a unique heyday of cultural, social and artistic-aesthetic creativity.
If one were to look for a historical epoch in which power, property and quality of life were equally or at least similarly distributed, and in which people did not exploit or kill each other, Ancient Europe or the Danube civilisation would be an attractive candidate. Men and women had the same social status, but it seems that women were seen more as life-givers. Ultimately, Gimbuta's hypothesis of the Danube civilisations being displaced by "aggressive hordes" from the East is not a far-fetched one, but is ideologically distorted by her living conditions during the Second World War. Recent genetic studies point to a long period of more than a thousand years which centered on peaceful interrelationships rather than displacement.
Prof. Harald Traue, Ulm
Verlag/publishing house: Neue Süddeutsche Verlagsdruckerei Nicolaus-Otto-Str. 14, 89079 Ulm
Konzept und Gestaltung/ concept and design: Sabine Geller info@danube-connects.eu
Redaktion/editor: Daniel Hirsch, Thomas Zehender
Social Media: Thomas Zehender danube@profitextulm.de
Miklos Barabas, Sabine Geller, Isabella Hafner, Daniel Hirsch, Mirella Sidro, Christiana Weidel, Harald Traue, Monica Vlad
Heavy ornamental painting of a female clay figurine from the Cucuteni culture, Romania 4000 BC.
„The
Danube Region in Changing Times“
Conference on "Green" Hydrogen at the Danube Festival on 08 July 2024
"Green" hydrogen produced from renewable energy is intended to support the energy transition and reduce CO2 emissions. How Germany and the Danube countries can make progress in technology transfer, infrastructure development and research is the topic of a conference on 8 July 2024 at the Chambre of Industry and Commerce (IHK) during the Danube Festival Ulm/Neu-Ulm.
The conference will bring together leading experts, decision makers and interest groups from the Danube countries to discuss the strategic importance of "green" hydrogen as a driving force for sustainable development. For the Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Economic Affairs and the Ulm Chamber of Industry and Commerce, this is the fourth event in the series "The Danube Region at the Turning Point", which will
focus on the topic of hydrogen in the economy.
In the morning, several experts will exchange their views on the topic, including Prof Dr Markus Hölzle, University of Ulm and Head of the Electrochemical Energy Technologies Division in Ulm (ZSW), representatives from politics, business and the Danube countries. In the afternoon, the topic of 'Challenges
and opportunities for cooperation in the Danube region' will be on the agenda.
In the evening, a reception will be held at the Edwin Scharff Haus in Neu-Ulm, providing an opportunity for further dialogue.
The Danube Region after the European Elections 2024: Perspectives for Civil Society
An event part of the International Danube Festival 2024
When? Thursday, 11 July 2024, 9:00 am to 2:30 pm Where? Edwin-Scharff-Haus New-Ulm
The Baden-Württemberg Foundation, together with the State Ministry of Baden-Württemberg, supported by the European Danube Academy and ILEU e.V., invites you to the event "The Danube Region after the European Elections 2024: Perspectives for Civil Society".
Based on the results of the European elections on 9 June 2024, the contributions and discussions will focus on civil society engagement in and for the Danube region. This networking event will take place as part of the International Danube Festival and is aimed at project promoters from the
Baden-Württemberg State Ministry and the Baden-Württemberg Foundation (especially from the Perspektive Donau, Walter Hallstein Programme and Europe on Site - Your Place in Europe programmes), civil society networks from the Danube region (such as the EUSDR Civil Society Network, the Danube Youth Network, etc.), committed citizens, participants of the International Danube Festival and other interested parties.
After greetings and keynote speeches from representatives of the city of Ulm and/or Neu-Ulm, the State Ministry of Baden-Württemberg and the Baden-Württemberg Foundation, there will be a panel discussion focussing on how significant the
election results are for civil society and concrete project work in the region, on facets of civic engagement along the Danube, democracy education and different understandings of democracy and the role of the EU strategy for the Danube region.
The discussion will be followed by interactive exchange and thematic dialogue. Project results and initiatives in the fields of environmental protection and education, media freedom, youth exchange, social cohesion, emergency aid to Ukraine and support for the EU candidate countries will be presented at a reception. This will provide an ideal opportunity to network and enter into dialogue with all participants.
From persecution to recognition –Minorities in Romania
What is the relationship between the Romanian majority and the ethnic minorities in Romania? It is unique and diverse. The relationship has undergone a peculiar dynamic from persecution, extermination and forced assimilation to recognition and political representation. Today, the minorities are more self-confident.
There are 18 ethnic minorities in Romania. The largest of these are the Hungarians with six per cent, followed by the Roma with four per cent. The Banat Swabians and the Transylvanian Saxons are the two largest groups of Romanian Germans. They make up around one per cent of the total population.
According to data from the 2022 census, around 23,000 Germans live in Romania. The remaining 15 groups are Ukr-
ainians, Russians, Jews, Poles, Serbs, Croats, Slovaks, Albanians, Armenians, Greeks, Turks, Tatars, Czechs and Italians. The Romanian majority makes up 89 per cent of the total population.
The party-like associations of all minorities each have a representative in parliament, even if their share of the electorate is less than 5 per cent. This democratic arrangement has made them visible and respected communities since 1990.
Using media channels for intercultural dialogue
The minorities also have their own media channels in which they present their customs and traditions, thereby enriching intercultural dialogue. One example is the German minority's programme "Akzenteˮ, which is broadcast in Hungarian for two hours every week. The interest? Very great! In order to preserve the minority languages, the Romanian government financially supports the respective communities’ education.
The minorities were only recognised after the fall of communism in 1989, before that they were tolerated as "coexisting" nationalities. The communist dictatorship had maintained the fiction of an ethnically "purely homogenous"
Romanian state in which only ethnically pure Romanians were allowed to enjoy rights. Today, things are different. The most active minority are the Hungarians. Their party, the Democratic Union of Hungarians, has been a coalition partner of Romanian governments since the fall of communism. However, there are also demands for autonomy from some Hungarians living in Transylvania. Their voices have become more radical in recent years, which often leads to tensions with the Romanian state.
The Roma are either very poor or very rich. Those who live in very poor living conditions often do not openly show they are Roma for fear of discrimination. This is where an anti-discrimination council in Bucharest comes in, which any citizen can turn to for help. The rich Roma, who despise and ignore their poor relatives, mostly live in Western Europe and travel to their home villages to provide financial support for the families left behind.
Romania's German-speaking population has suffered a great deal over the years. After the Second World War, up to 80,000 Romanian Germans were deported to the former Soviet Union from January 1945. Only 45 per cent survived the years of deportation. During communist rule and in the years following the fall of communism in 1989, many Germans fled or resettled in the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG). Some were even ransomed by the FRG. Today, Germans in Romania make up only one per cent of the total population. Nevertheless, they are very present in political and economic life through their Democratic Forum of Germans in Romania (DFDR).
Romania has taken in around 83,000 refugees from Ukraine since the beginning of the war. Some have settled here, are working and learning the Romanian language. For most of them, Romania
remains a country of transition. They aspire to a life in Western Europe and/ or a return to Ukraine after the end of the war.
Romania's Jews fared no better here than anywhere else. After the Second World War, they emigrated in large numbers to Israel and the USA. However, the current trend towards return migration shows that they have always felt a sense of belonging to Romania. The return to the old homeland is also a consequence of the terrorist attacks against Israel on 7 October 2023.
Peace versus centres of conflict
On the one hand, minorities are a multifaceted factor for peace; on the other hand, they are also centres of conflict. The state must find a lasting balance between the rights and duties of minorities in order to ensure internal peace.
Overall, Romania can be characterised as a regional pole of stability. The country has created a European role model through the German and Hungarian minorities, among others. The Hungarians and Germans are active partners of the government and contribute significantly to the economic and cultural development of the areas in which they live. The minorities are also bridges to the countries in which they form the majority.
In this complicated geopolitical situation, Romania can become a regional peace factor. Everything depends on the course of the war in Ukraine and on the solidarity of democracies in the fight against Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine.
Dr Monica Vlad, Sibiu
SPONGECITY –
Floodwater? Just soak it up!
As a result of climate change, the Danube region also risks having to face increasingly frequent and severe floods.
As part of several Interreg programmes, researchers and experts are working on solutions for managing these sudden large volumes of water. With "Sponge City", a project has been launched at the University of Pécs to research the possibility of storing water with soil. The aim of "Sponge City" is to support scientists and researchers in developing solutions to urban problems related to climate change and flooding in particular.
The project consortium includes 13 partners from 12 countries with different geographical characteristics, and the models can be tested in both densely populated and sparsely populated cities as well as in mountainous, hilly or flat areas. Rain gardens will be set up in four cities and their impact assessed.
The first such project was launched at the end of February in the Botanical Garden of the University of Pécs: five plastic tanks were set up on the 10 x 3 metre lawn, filled with various soil mixtures, dug in and planted with native perennial plants. Underground sensors measure the soil moisture and the faculty's weather station records the data.
"The aim is to ensure that large amounts of rain can be successfully stored and used for irrigation or as extinguishing water," said Balázs Borkovits, the senior project manager responsible for SpongeCity at the University of Pécs. The project is based on the scientific work of Dr Ervin Pirkhoffer and Dr Szabolcs Czigány, who conduct research into flooding at the Faculty of Natural Sciences. The initial data and experience gathered in Pécs will be shared and used in other locations.
campaigning for almost a year against the CATL and Eve Power battery plants being built in neighbouring Debrecen. Vera Csuvarszki, Ilona Oroszné Róka and Éva Kozma told 24.hu that they were repeatedly told that nothing could be changed, but they doubted whether this was really the case and did not give up. Kozma told the portal that the plant was being built virtually at the end of their garden and that it was frightening that the lights of the plant could already be seen after sunset - the
Fighting bureaucratic windmills - and battery factories
Civil society in Hungary has been weak since Viktor Orbán came to power and is even facing harassment from the authorities. But now, local residents in several parts of the country are starting social resistance and demonstrating against battery plants planned relatively close to residential areas.
Audi is already in Győr, Mercedes-Benz in Kecskemét, Suzuki in Esztergom and BMW is currently building a plant in Debrecen. Due to the electric transformation of the industry, car manufacturers need batteries for the electric cars being built in these plants - so more and more battery production and recycling plants are following suit. The government of Prime Minister Viktor Orbán even claims that Audi & Co. have explicitly requested that the mostly Asian companies in the battery industry be allowed to set up in the country - while the German-Hungarian Chamber of Industry and Commerce knows nothing of such a request.
In the literal shadow of these investment decisions, however, civil resistance is stirring: residents in the affected communities are loudly expressing their opposition and demonstrating. The Orbán government likes to use the opportunity in such cases to place the investments under state protection and thus deprive the affected municipalities and districts of any say in the matter. Hence, dramatic scenes have sometimes taken place during public hearings on the projects: in Debrecen, for example, where the
world's largest battery manufacturer CATL wants to build a gigafactory, angry residents shouted their outrage during presentations by the pro-government city leadership in January 2023, calling on the mayor to resign, and one woman was even beaten. A year later, in January 2024, the non-party mayor of Sóskút, where a battery recycling plant is to be built - which was originally planned in Miskolc but failed due to opposition from local residents - cancelled the citizens' forum before it even began in the face of the angry crowd. The head of the city was also loudly asked to resign and had himself escorted home by the police.
Mothers against the plant at the end of the garden
The fact that peaceful resistance is also possible is demonstrated by the civil organisations that have grown out of this resistance and are working their way through court decisions and official approvals in order to fight by taking legal action. The most prominent example is the "Mikepércs Mothers for the Environment" association, which has been
residents of neighbouring Debrecen didn’t know that. And although they are campaigning for their children and their children’s future, they have been accused in the pro-government press of being bad mothers who only protest – out of boredom. The Mikepércs mothers themselves are proud to have publicised their cause nationwide and want to continue.
As part of its economic policy, the Orbán government is pursuing the accelerated establishment of Asian battery industry plants. Germany is also used as an argument: according to government communications, even the German Green Party would welcome the establishment of the CATL plant in Thuringia. However, in contrast to Germany, the environmental authorities in Hungary are weak and, moreover, their only concern is to comply with the government's deliberately businessfriendly regulations. This makes it all the more important for civil society to remain strong and involve as many affected parties as possible in order to make their voices heard.
Daniel Hirsch, Budapest
LEAP-STEP
United against energy poverty in Europe
From 8 to 9 April 2024 in Paris, everything revolved around the topic of energy. Here, at the Maison de l'Europe in the heart of the French capital, the LEAP-STEP project was launched. Funded by the European Commission and led by the Maison de l'Europe Paris and Europe Direct, all partners from eight EU countries met to get to know each other and develop an action plan.
The partners present were:
n Energy Agency of the Province of Avila -ES
n danube connects, Ulm - DE
n The city administration of Alytus - LT
n The Europe House in Budapest - HU
n Inov.org. - Associação para a Inovação Organizacional - PT
n The County Council of Bacau - RO
n The Maison de l'Europe in Paris - FR
n The Vincennes City Council - FR
Objective of the project: presenting ideas for solving energy problems, im-
EVENTS 2024
06. - 09.06. European elections
plementing sustainable concepts to reduce energy costs in municipalities and households, and actions to raise awareness of climate issues.
By May 2025, the project partners will organise exhibitions on this topic in the respective member countries as well as a get-together of the partners to exchange ideas and concepts.
Inspiration has already been gathered at the first conference in Paris – entitled "How Europeans are fighting energy poverty" – already gave participants a lot of inspiration.
In addition to the exchange between the partners, meetings are also planned with people from the region who are connected to the topic. We had the pleasure of meeting Charlotte LibertAlbanel, Mayor of Vincennes, after a walk through the town. Over a cocktail in the town hall, the shared European spirit became even livelier through enthusiastic discussions! The same applied to the meeting with Nerijus Aleksiejunas, Lithuania's ambassador in Paris.
After two days, the partners returned to their respective home countries. With
19. 06. 11th Participation Day of the EU-Danube Strategy 2024, Vienna
20. - 21.06. 13th Annual Forum of the EU Strategy for the Danube Region (EUSDR)
21. - 23.06. Donauinselfest, Vienna
5. - 14. 07. 13. International Danube Festival Ulm/Neu-Ulm
a smile on their faces, because new friendships were made and the enthusiasm for the realisation of this theme travelled with them.
We are looking forward to the opening of the first exhibition in Ulm and in the next month the exhibition tours through seven European countries.
OPENING OF THE EXHIBITION "How to save energy in Europe?"
8 July at the IHK Ulm, Olgastraße 95-101, during the International Danube Festival
