The Danube Strategy and the Romanian Cities, the Danube as catalyzer of regional and urban development in Romania: ongoing strategies, policies and promising projects. Pietro Elisei URBASOFIA pietro.elisei@urbasofia.eu Gabriel Pascariu UNIVERSITY ION MINCU (Faculty of Urbanism)
1)STRATEGIC CONCEPT FOR TERRITORIAL DEVELOPMENT IN ROMANIA 2)URBAN ISSUES SHARED BY MANY ROMANIAN CITIES 3)THE URBAN AND RURAL SYSTEM AROUND THE DANUBE
STRATEGIC CONCEPT FOR TERRITORIAL DEVELOPMENT IN ROMANIA
It is worth considering that the Danube is for more than 1/3 of his length on Romanian territory, this has permitted until now to launch cross border territorial cooperation with neighboring countries (the Danube separate Romania from Bulgaria, Serbia and Ukraine). Moreover, there are 19 cities on the Romanian side of the Danube, of which 3 big ones (Drobeta Tr. Severin, Braila and Galati) and Tulcea, (if we consider the channel connecting to Constanta the number is 22). Each of this city is connected to territories presenting different potentialities for regional development ranging from unique natural heritages (like the Danube Delta, Tulcea), until the industrial and logistics (Galati, Costanta, Drobeta) and the cultural ones (the singular urban fabric and history of Braila).
National Physical Development Plan Section IV Settlements network Most of the Danubian urban settlements are small and medium sized towns from 10,000 up to 100,000 inhabitants. Urban network (2001) Braila-Galati urban system of 0.5 mil. inhabit. Constantza, important harbour at the Black Sea 0.3 mil. inhabit
The Romania s Strategic Concept of Territorial Development 2030 was issued for public consultation in 2008 by MDLPL (Ministry of Development, Public Works and Housing) General objective: European integration of Romania by emphasizing its continental-regional identity, increasing spatial cohesion and sustainable spatial development Major guidelines 1. Connecting to the European network of development poles and spatial corridors 2. Structuring of the human settlements network by a balanced development 3. Emphasizing urban-rural cohesion according to the specific types of regions 4. Strengthening the Trans-Carpathian physical infrastructures in support of balanced regional development 5. Protection and valuation of natural and cultural heritage
The Romania s Strategic Concept of Territorial Development 2030 9 strategic objectives: using the peripheral position by developing the role of continental and intercontinental connector connecting to the European network of poles and development corridors balanced and polycentric development of the urban network emphasizing the urban rural solidarity rural development consolidating and developing the inter-regional connections adequate development of the specific territorial categories increase of the territorial competitivity protecting, developing and value the cultural and natural heritage
URBAN ISSUES SHARED BY MANY ROMANIAN CITIES
INTEGRATED DEVELOPMENT PLANS (PIDU) Paradox: A need of an urgent intervention on urban areas, a good number of structure funds available for cities and the absence of capability in linking the opportunity and the need. Axis 1 (ROP) has been refined to facilitate implementation but key concepts like integration and concentration have been sacrificed. PIDUs just hold together lists of projects but not define integration.
URBAN REGENERATION IN ROMANIA IAUS 2009 Conference, Belgrade 7 and 8 /12/2009, The use of ERDF (European Regional Development Fund) through integrated plans in Romania: real needs of urban renewal
1.3 BILLIONS EUROS IN 2007-2013 TO INVEST IN Urban Regeneration
AREA BASED URBAN ACTIONS. THREE MAIN FIELDS OF ACTION: 1) URBAN INFRASTRUCTURE (60% OF RESOURCES) 2) BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT (15% OF RESOURCES) 3) SOCIAL INFRASTRUCTURE (25% OF RESOURCES)
AN URGENT NEED FOR INTEGRATION: 1) AMONG DIFFERENT INSTITUTIONAL LEVELS 2) AMONG FORESEEN PROJECTS 3) AMONG DIFFERENT ACTORS AND SUBJECTS OF THE UR INITIATIVE pietro.elisei@uniroma3.it
TO INDIVIDUATE SUSTAINABLE PROJECTS: 1) LOCAL ROOTED (PARTICPATION, GOOD POLICY DESIGN) 2) AT RIGHT SCALE (BE AWARE OF LOCAL CAPABILITIES) pietro.elisei@uniroma3.it
EUROPEANIZATION OF URBAN POLICIES! The Europeanization of regional and urban policy is a double-edged sword. Most of urban analysts share the vision that there is a mismatch or misfit among national policies and EU institutions (Boerzel e Risse, 2000,; Cowles, Caporaso, Heritier, 2001). However, the process of Europeanization of urban and regional policies can be summarized as follow: Europeanization enriches and transforms the institutions (at all administrative levels) and makes more complex their governance frameworks Europeanization change politics, policies and behaviours of local (of single member states) institutions
WHEN SOFT BECOMES WEAK! In the 2007-2013 programming period the conceptual visibility and the incisiveness of EU intervention in urban areas, especially in the mainstreamed action, seems to be ineffective in terms of outputs, and very weak in terms of conceptual innovations. The soft EU approach is not so helpful when it becomes so weak! The Romanian case is actually demonstrating that Millions and millions of Euros are not going to promote either urban regeneration neither renewal: they just open a number of building sites, with all risks connected to the increase of local corruption, with all disadvantages created to inhabitants without crating relevant benefits, of course an asphalted street is better than one with potholes, but, above all not triggering a shared, at level of planning actors and local communities, and strategic development based on sound, concrete and effective town planning choices and tools. It is just worth remembering that the majority of projects falling into the category of social intervention are surveillance systems!
THE URBAN AND RURAL SYSTEM AROUND THE DANUBE
OPPORTUNITY CONNECTED TO THE DANUBE STRATEGY There have been several attempts in the past and institutions designed to manage the territories adjacent to the Danube. Different European countries have tried to have the economic hegemony of this part of Europe: A very interesting one from the geopolitical point of view, as the gateway to Eastern and Middle Eastern markets. All such attempts have not had it easy, for different reasons, for instance, among the most common: The idea came from outside the Danubian area and expresses the point of view of a great state that, through various means, wanted to extend its influence in the entire region; When conceiving the strategy, none of the parties, effectively interested, were even consulted; The designers of the strategy have not respected the majority idea of equality that must be at the centre of any association of states, which freely decide to get united under the aegis of certain interests.
National Physical Development Plan Section I Communication networks Roads
National Physical Development Plan Section I Communication networks Rails High speed rails Very high speed rails Corridor no. IV Corridor no. IX TEN-T network
National Physical Development Plan Section I Communication networks Navigable routes and harbours (long term projection)
National Physical Development Plan Section III Protected areas Natural areas LEGEND Geographic grouping of natural protected areas Natural reserves of the Biosphere and national parks Natural reserves and monuments Areas of a high complexity of natural resources Agricultural areas
National Physical Development Plan Section III Protected areas Built up areas
National Physical Development Plan Section VI Tourism Preliminary version (2002) Defavouread areas with touristic potential Rural areas underdeveloped with a high touristic potential Areas with very high and complex touristic value Areas with high touristic value Important river territory connections
Bucharest metropolitan area and connections to the Danube Projected communication hub: airport and harbour in the Southern part of the capital Projected fast road and railway connections Projected channel
The urban network around the capital (on a radius of 15, 30, 45, 60 km) Bucureşti - 2 mil. inhab. Neighbouring counties - 2 mil. inhab. 1 big city 1 medium size town 17 small size towns Cca. 500.000 inhab. (of which 100 thou inside the first ring) Giurgiu - 70.000 inhabit Ruse - 150.000 inhabit 7 towns 3 towns 2 towns 7 towns
National /regional /sub-regional / systems and cross-border polarizations Budapest Danube Odessa Beograd Bucureşti Sofia Istanbul CUGUAT Tigris, 2007 http://www.mdrl.ro/_documente/atlas/index.htm
THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION PIETRO ELISEI pietro.elisei@urbasofia.eu GABRIEL PASCARIU The Danube Strategy and the Romanian Cities, the Danube as catalyzer of regional and urban development in Romania: ongoing strategies, policies and promising projects. Wien 15-05-2012 INTA Workshop at CORP