Romanians celebrate the parliament’s decision.
The Romanian Parliament rejected Tuesday revisions to general mining rules that would’ve helped the development of key projects, including Gabriel Resources (TSX: GBU) Rosia Montana gold mine, Europe’s largest open cast gold operation.
According to opposition group Save Rosia, the lower house voted against the new framework 105 to 160, short of the 204 ballots needed to pass amendments to the mining law. These changes would have allowed miners to continue with their projects as far as they used the most advanced technologies to protect the environment.
Several hundreds protesters gathered before the vote outside parliament as well as in the city of Cluj, chanting “Save Rosia Montana” and demanding lawmakers to vote against the revisions to the country’s mining law.
Today’s setback is only one of the many the Canadian company has suffered lately on its flagship gold and silver project in Romania. Only last week, its subsidiary Rosia Montana Gold Corporation (RMGC), made the news because it is being investigated by Romania for alleged money laundering and tax evasion.
For the last year, and with more intensity in the last three months, Romanians have been protesting what they say is an environmentally risky project and a larger problem of political corruption.
Last month a Romanian parliamentary committee rejected the project, forcing Gabriel to push it back several more months, and upping costs to about $1.5 billion.
Meanwhile a group of environmentalists sent Thursday an open letter to Canada’s Foreign Affairs Minister and members of parliament, demanding the prompt introduction of legislation to make local firms, particularly extractive industry corporations, accountable for proposed projects and actual operations abroad. The group has also requested Ottawa to withdraw its support for Gabriel Resources’ project.
The Canadian miner has already spent more than $500 million on the project in a region of Transylvania where mining dates back to the first century, since it first acquired the concession in the late 1990s.
10 Comments
Guest
Go out of Romania RMGC! We do not want cyanide. We love our mountains. It is not just about Rosia Montana, it is about our environment and our life’s. Most of us are against the project, also against Chevron shale gas exploitation, but some people are still manipulated by the corrupt politicians and press.
Alexandru Binescu
We shall fight, we shall never surrender! Does this sound familiar?
What the article doesn’t mention is that today a revolt was under way in Bucharest and Cluj, the most important cities in Romania. Although the Parliament announced only last night that it would vote the law (this is Romania…), hundreds of people occupied this morning the headquaters of PSD and PNL in Cluj and the headquaters of the ombudsman in Bucharest.
So, YES, be afraid Gabriel Resources! Rosia Montana is a symbol of Romania and we would rather die than give up the fight!
MINING.com Editors
The article does mention the issue. See paragraph #3
Norbert
A company who’s business is based on corruption and lies has no place in a modern world. RMGC will fail and the rumour hopefully will spread around, so that fair and straight companies will have a chance.
george
liars!! there is no concession ! the law that was rejectet is about getting people out of their homes for the sake of gold and not out of free will! take your cyanide and go and use it in your own backyard!! RMGC spent money on buying politicians and create a fake image on the project!! They should be in jail for what they are doing in Romania. They are still drilling without approvement!! Get out of Romania!! We are not stupid!!
James241
Why do I get the feeling that all the comments were made by the same person using separate account and different names?
Guest
You have a really bad feeling. Read all the arguments against the project. If you do not want to understand it is your own business. We are saying the true here. Did you know that Rosia Montana was the first village attested in Romania ? Why would we let it be destroyed. It seems ridiculously crazy. We fight for our history and our nature. Romania is a beautiful country and even though our politicians do not represent us, we will fight against the project. It is our right to keep alive our history. Please read again all the strong arguments and if you don’t believe us, better come in here and feel the vibe!
John Edwards
James241 – I agree with your sentiment as all comments follow the same theme. Do these people really understand precious metal recovery. Yes, cyanide is a principle reagent used in the process however is in relative minimal dosages. With correct containment and control measures in place it is less harmful than the cyanide these people pump down their throat from cigarette smoking. I have been involved in gold recovery processing in Australia for over 30 years and not received any illness from the so called dangers expressed by these comments. It is amusing to read these comments about mining in the region when it has been going on at Rosia Montana for over 1000 years. Was the country not prosperous in recent times through the buoyant economy. If corrupt politicians and traders are the problem should you not get rid of them. The people making these comments are more than likely bleeding the welfare system that could be boosted by the revenue gained from the resources produced at Rosia Montana.
MCS
Pretty decent feature here on how the Rosia Montana project is ripping apart local communities:
http://theblacksea.eu/index.php?idT=88&idC=88&idRec=1153&recType=story
ambra blu
rmgc is the epitome of romania going awry, due to the corrupt political system which has been instated in the country since the 1989 revolution. former communist party members who havent yet retired (nor have they been tried or imprisoned, like they should) are still acting as active politicians and decision makers or businessmen. both the president and the pm are strong supporters of this mine, the romanian media still boycott the protests but the people won’t give up. what the pooliticians & rmgc fail to understand is that the population has suffered enough abuse & deprivation at the hands of the corrupt businessmen & politicians. RMGC, just like Chevron, are faced with the biggest street protests since the 1989 revolution. if they keep pushing us, they will have a proper revolution on their hands to deal with. in romania, political parties are gangs, with no ideology but money-making. however, we shall stand united to save rosia montana and rid romania of these csuckers