Romania’s Powder Keg: Mine Project Launches Protest Movement

Author (Person)
Series Title
Series Details 20.09.13
Publication Date 20/09/2013
Content Type

Article reported on the situation of the Rosia Montana mine of gold deposits in Romania seen in September 2013 as one of Europe's most controversial projects. Plans by the Romanian government to push through approval for the large-scale mining that would eliminate an entire town had sparked mass protests. The planned mine would be amongst the largest open cast mines in Europe and would use cyanide to extract the gold.

Despite the legal system in Romania declaring that the project was unlawful on three counts -- under environmental law, international mining laws and the Aarhus convention for transparency in decision-making, the government had proposed a law that would annul all of the legal barriers standing in the way of the Rosia Montana project and get the mine underway by the beginning of 2014.

The proposed law was meant to give the project a definitive green light after over 14 years in which RMGC had not been able to secure all necessary permits.

The proposed law was awaiting parliamentary approval in the autumn of 2013. If approved the project was due to begin before a legal challenge could be mounted at the European Court of Justice.

The government in Romania was seen as threatened by the level of protests in Romania and further afield on the issue.

Source Link Link to Main Source http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/romanian-mining-plan-sparks-mass-national-protests-a-923625.html
Related Links
Wikipedia: Roșia Montană http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ro%C8%99ia_Montan%C4%83
Website: Save Rosia Montana http://saverosiamontana.com/
The Guardian, 17.09.13: Romanians mobilise in protest against gold mine plans http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2013/sep/17/romanians-mobilise-gold-mine
ESO: Background information: Tensions run high over Romanian gold http://www.europeansources.info/record/tensions-run-high-over-romanian-gold/
Wikipedia: Alburnus Maior (organization) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alburnus_Maior_%28organization%29
Website: Alburnus Maior http://www.rosiamontana.org/
Website: Roşia Montană Gold Corporation (RMGC) http://en.rmgc.ro/
BBC News, 28.08.13: Romania gold project at Rosia Montana back on track http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-23865805
The Huffington Post, 12.09.13: Saving Roşia Montana from International Trade Law http://www.huffingtonpost.com/adam-cernea-clark/saving-roia-montana-from-_b_3915754.html
Deutsche Welle, 04.09.13: Protests erupt in Romania over gold mine http://dw.de/p/19cB7
EUObserver, 04.09.13: Romania gold mine referendum possible during EU elections http://euobserver.com/environment/121306
Blog: LSE EuroppBlog, 21.10.13: The EU should intervene in the debate over Romania’s controversial Rosia Montana mining project http://bit.ly/18CdwyO
Blog: LSE EuroppBlog, 28.11.13: The dispute over the Rosia Montana mining project represents an opportunity to reshape Romania’s sustainable development policy http://bit.ly/1b6KJiL

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