Reporter: Who are you and how would you characterize yourself from the perspective of public office?
Paul Kuttesch: Hello. I am Paul Kuttesch, the father of two children, I was born in Sibiu and I graduated here, at the “Lucian Blaga” University in Sibiu, majoring in Management and Marketing. I ended up working in this field of activity and currently I am the export manager for South-Eastern Europe of a company whose main field of activity is the production and sale of hand tools and special automotive devices. I gained my administrative experience from the position of local councilor on behalf of the Democratic Forum of Germans in Romania in the Local Council of the Municipality of Sibiu. I consider myself a man of integrity, dedicated, very concerned about the future of the city and the county of Sibiu, and I want nothing more than for all of us to be better. That’s why I’m running.
Rep.: What motivated you to run for the position of president of the Sibiu County Council from the Democratic Forum of Germans in Romania?
PK: I decided to run primarily out of civic duty. Sibiu is one of the blessed areas of the country, centrally positioned, with quick access to the main access routes to and from Europe, with a perfect geography for tourism but also for various economic activities. It is a challenge in itself to refine and perfect this county, to get the most out of its enormous potential. And, last but not least, I decided to run also out of local pride, the pride of having the chance to represent the county where I was born and grew up, and of which I am proud everywhere, together with a team of county councilors FDGR with a lot of experience in managing the problems of Sibiu county.
Rep.: What do you think the Sibiu County Council should develop in the next four years?
PK: I want, first of all, to communicate differently with the citizens of the county but also with those who represent the private sector. I want to open new lines of communication, to create another way of doing administration, together with those we serve, the people who live in Sibiu county. More effective communication will lead to the remediation of many problems in transportation, health, environmental protection and even the local economy. And the first concrete measure will be the construction of an application, based on the Sibiu City App model, through which any resident of the county can tell us what to do or report various problems to us. You will see how many problems we can solve through a different communication.
Representative: How do you intend to approach the collaboration with the other political actors in the county to promote the interests of the community?
PK: The Democratic Forum of Germans in Romania has a tradition of good collaboration with all those who have in mind the interest of the county and the municipality of Sibiu. Nothing will change here. My collaboration with the other parties and organizations will only put forward the needs of the citizens and the interests of the communities. The best example I can give you is how Mr. Martin Bottesch collaborated with all the actors involved, not just political parties, during his time at the head of the County Council. The seriousness of the Saxons remained the same. And take into account the experience of my colleagues, who are part of the county council for 3-4 terms.
Rep.: What do you think are the most effective solutions to stimulate local economic development?
PK: Any entrepreneur will tell you that, right after the lack of fiscal predictability, the workforce is the biggest problem, especially in economically developed areas, such as Sibiu. Before looking for labor overseas and countries we need to look more carefully at the labor resource that we have available in the rural area and that we cannot access due to the lack of an efficient transportation system. The improvement of this transport system, by uniting all resources, public and private, is one of the main directions towards which the FDGR team will aim. Then, the air infrastructure, which is an essential factor for the economic development not only of Sibiu county but also of the neighboring counties, with which the development of this sector has been discussed too few times. We are talking about a multidirectional air transport, which will transform the Sibiu Airport into an important air connection node and which will contain a multipurpose, integrated exhibition center, just like in countries that have a very well developed business tourism. So that we expand the air traffic at the airport, with multiple connections, which will introduce professional tourism in the county and municipality. The development of telemedicine and virtual consultations, especially for the rural area of the county, in order to offer even communities further away from medical centers faster access to specialist advice. The implementation together with the town halls of municipalities, cities and localities of some private regional polyclinics. Providing support and ideas to county mayors for diversifying the economic, tourist and agricultural potential, depending on the region. There are many projects that we can implement, which would lead to what I was telling you above: that we would all be better off.
Rep.: How do you see the relationship between the ethnic minorities and the Romanian majority in Sibiu. Can it be improved somehow?
PK: I could say that I am an expert in this chapter because I grew up in such a relationship, my father being of German ethnicity and my mother being Romanian. And they had a harmonious, healthy relationship, based on mutual respect, in this environment I grew up. There are over 100 years in which the various ethnic minorities that make up this special Sibiu community have lived in harmony with the Romanian majority, we just have to follow the good practices inherited and absorb the culture of each ethnic group. For me, the multi-ethnicity of our community is a great source of pride.
Rep.: In which areas do you think there is a need for immediate interventions and what plans do you propose for the coming years?
PK: In the increasingly complex management of waste, I believe that the Voluntary Collection Centers, the CAVs, will be a solution to stop the phenomenon of waste that is now being dumped illegally, on the banks of the river or at the exits of the towns. And another idea for which we are seriously documenting is the establishment of a network of artificial lakes throughout the county. As a source of water for irrigation but also as points of increased tourist potential, for camping, for recreational fishing, there are few lakes in the county where you can take a kayak, for example.
Moreover, tourism in the entire county must be better boosted, through external partnerships, by introducing tourist circuits that cover the entire county of Sibiu, spread over several days. I am returning to business tourism, because I practice it in my private activity and I know the field very well. Through modernly designed exhibition spaces, through conference rooms and seminars, tourism for the business environment can be very simply stimulated. Plus it opens the opportunity for new investments in Sibiu.
Rep.: What message would you send to the people of Sibiu whom you ask to vote in the local elections on June 9?
PK: I tell them to choose responsibly, to choose with their heart the people who represent their interests. Parties come and go, we have always been here, for our Sibiu, and we will stay here, because we love Sibiu!
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