A commission won’t cut it: more mass protests in Romania

Protests in Romania against Gabriel Resources’ plan to create Europe’s largest gold mine in Rosia Montana, Transylvania, entered a fourth week, as thousands took to the streets on Sunday.

This latest mass demonstration follows a string of lively public appearances, including last week’s human chain around the Romanian Parliament.

On September 18, the Romanian parliament created a commission tasked with reporting on a legislative bill that currently paves the way for Gabriel Resources’ project.

The commission has until the 20th of October to produce the report, which will then be passed along to the parliament for a final vote.

But Sunday’s protests indicate that a strong portion of the public has not been placated by the new parliamentary plans.

The protest movement grew out of claims that the project would require up to 12,000 tonnes of cyanide (12 times more than what is currently used in all of the European Union) and that four mountain tops in the picturesque Rosia Montana would be chopped off.

Rosia Montana (Credit: travelforacause.eu)