An alert issued by our Romanian allies today says that their government is advancing a law that would boost cyanide mining and allow for the destruction of the town of Rosia Montana. The government is apparently modifying an existing law that would essentially mean all private mining companies are in the public interest.
The Canadian company Gabriel Resources Ltd. wants to build a massive open-pit gold mine in the Carpathian mountains. They would use cyanide to mine about 314 tons of ton of gold and 1,500 tons of silver. This would involve destroying mountainsides, displacing about 2,000 villagers, and creating a 300-hectare toxic tailings pond.
Salvati Rosia Montana says, “The law proposal does not omit to stipulate private companies granted exploration or exploitation licenses enjoy the right to expropriate any land or household from their mining perimeter. The modifications brought to the mining law also stipulate that the list of mineral resources includes any kind of mineral, such as peat coal, construction rock, ornamental rocks, mineral waters, sediments and spring waters. The grave infringements on human rights, on the Constitution and on the principles of a state-of-law are apparently justified by the general provision that mining projects are of overriding public interest.”
In terms of a timeline, “These amendments that will be discussed in the next weeks show the Government’s desperation by pressing the Parliament to work also during the holidays, for the profits of foreign mining companies.”
A major day of action is being organized for December 1 in Romania.
Further reading
Vote on mine in Romania to take place under threat of investor-state challenge
Photo: The Rosia Valley, with Rosia Montana Village in foreground. Photo by Andreia Nicoleta Dobritoiu.
