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| Rosia Montana, a Controversial Project |
| (2011-08-30) |
| Last updated: 2011-08-31 16:47 EET |
An old and consistent supporter of the exploitation of the gold and silver reserves in Rosia Montana, in the centre-west, president Traian Basescu did not hesitate to voice open support for this project. On Monday, he visited this mining settlement with its estimated 300 tonnes of gold and 1,600 tonnes of silver worth billions of euros.
Last week, the president said the gold reserves of the National Bank must increase in the following years to 200 tonnes from the current 103. He said he supports the Rosia Montana project first and foremost because at a time when national currencies are having stability problems, the price of gold has seen constant growth in the last 5 years. This month, an ounce of gold reached a new high, exceeding the 1,900 dollar ceiling for the first time in history.
Hailing the president’s statements, the miners’ trade union in Rosia Montana says the project will bring about a revival of mining in the area, the reduction of unemployment and economic development and will also improve the environment, which has been seriously affected by the rudimentary exploitation carried out over the last centuries.
The investor in the project, a Canadian company controlled by an expatriate Romanian, says 32 million dollar worth of works have already been carried out involving 134 building companies and 2,300 workers despite the fact that the exploitation of the site has not yet begun.
Traian Basescu criticised politicians for delaying the project: “One of the serious reasons for which this project has been buried since 1997 is the cowardice of politicians, who didn’t want any headaches. If the project had been given green light in 1997, the increase in the gold price would have found us with a fully operational site. How much do you think Romania’s population and economy can afford to lose because of the politicians’ cowardice?”
The so-called cowardice of politicians has been fuelled in fact by the warning of experts and environmental activists. From Romanian Academy members to leaders of non-governmental organisations, many have said the risks implied by the project are bigger than its benefits.
These risks are linked to the use of an exploitation technology based on cyanides, which can have a potentially devastating impact on the environment, and to the predictable destruction of the ancient remains in the area dating back to the Roman Empire. Although the president’s explicit support for the Rosia Montana project appears to have settled the issue, the controversy around the project is sure to continue.
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