Protest with dozens of Greenpeace activists on the beach in Vama Veche against Black Sea drilling
Press release: Greenpeace Romania and Greenpeace Bulgaria organized an awareness campaign on the beach in Vama Veche regarding the urgency of protecting the vulnerable ecosystems of the Black Sea.
Vama Veche, September 22, 2025 – On September 21, 2025, over 50 activists from Romania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Slovenia, and Slovakia placed a giant lifebuoy with a diameter of 12 meters on the beach. The activists also displayed messages such as: “THEIR EXPLOITATION, OUR SUFFERING,” “TOGETHER FOR THE BLACK SEA,” and “BLACK SEA WITHOUT DRILLING.” Through this symbolic intervention, Greenpeace draws attention to the major threats to the Black Sea, from pollution caused by war, spills, and commercial fishing to the opening of new offshore fossil fuel exploitation.
Dr. Sofia Sadogurska, a marine biologist from Ukraine, was also present at the action and stated: “The Black Sea is a fragile ecosystem under enormous pressure from pollution and climate change. Russia’s war in Ukraine has already put enormous additional pressure on this ecosystem. New fossil fuel extraction projects could push it to the brink. Every drill, every spill, every oversight has consequences for biodiversity and, ultimately, for people.”
From fossil fuel corporate projects to wars and oil spills, the Black Sea and the lives that depend on it face constant threats. The Neptun Deep project risks adding to the pressures on the Black Sea, an already vulnerable ecosystem. Offshore drilling endangers marine species, habitats, and the balance of the entire ecosystem, and the experience of rusty platforms left behind by the same company shows how little responsibility there is in managing these risks. We cannot sacrifice the biodiversity of the Black Sea for short-term gains,” said Alin Tănase, Campaign Coordinator, Greenpeace Romania.
Meglena Antonova, Executive Director, Greenpeace Bulgaria, emphasized: “The Black Sea is a shared resource. We cannot talk about protecting it in just one country or another. Pollution and excessive exploitation affect us all, and solutions must be regional and based on international cooperation.”
Through this joint action, Greenpeace Romania and Greenpeace Bulgaria are launching a strong appeal to the authorities to stop the expansion of oil and gas exploitation projects in the region, in order to protect the biodiversity of the Black Sea and prevent the worsening of the climate crisis and the extreme weather phenomena associated with it.
Photo: (source: Greenpeace Romania)
Subscribe to Cross-border Talks’ YouTube channel! Follow the project’s Facebook and Twitter page! And here are the podcast’s Telegram channel and its Substack newsletter!
Like our work? Donate to Cross-Border Talks or buy us a coffee!
About The Author
