...jobs, increased living standard versus environmental issues without a clear settlement.

The public debate regarding the project on mining operations and drilling in Rosia Montana region, required by “Gabriel Resources” company is no where near to providing a solution able to please the two parts which have emerged in Apuseni Mountains.

The first evidence of the divergences among the two parts took place on Monday evening, when during the debates on stadium “Minerul” in Rosia Montana, the 500 participants started to hoot and to whistle. The meeting was meant to be a debate on ideas and solutions. The two major arguments brought upfront by the “fighters” are: on one side, need for business investments able to bring the region at least at a minimal level of normality, because here poverty is obvious; on the other side, are those thinking of a possible environmental disaster in the region, entailed by mining drilling based on cyanide.

Most of the opinions expressed by the supporters of the investment were argued with aspects such as improved living standards and new jobs. The representatives of ‘Gabriel Resources’ approached the advantages of a project addressing investments worth USD 185 M until now. They specified that other USD 638 M will be invested until the end and the revenues generated by the project are expected to amount to USD 2.4 bln, which would represent direct and indirect benefits for Romania. Jobs either were discussed, which in fact is a sensible issue in the region, and it is expected that 1,200 jobs will be provided during the construction stage and other 600 during the operational stage. Also, for each direct job, the company assured, based on experiences from other countries, that other 10 indirect jobs would result for each direct newly created job, both in the region and within the country. Regarding environment protection, the company representatives assured that this was a priority for them, allotting significant resources for catching and cleaning acid waters in Rosia Montana, and for making the area environmental friendly.

Those opposing the project asked for details related both to the environment protection side and to the project itself, as well as to the changes that it may undergo through in case that various landowners would refuse to sell the lands. Something that could not be overlooked was that those grouped around the association “Alburnus Maior”, which opposes the project, consisted mostly of persons who have no connection to the locality, coming from Hungary or from other regions of Romania, claiming their membership to “Greenpeace”. These, in spite of not exceeding 30, were the noisiest, being equipped with loud speaking devices and with billboards, accusing the local authorities of having allowed to be traded by the Canadian company. Also, those who have accepted to sell their houses or their assets, were regarded as traitors.

At the question raised by the president of Alba Ecologist Party, Utiu Ioan, which is the distance from the operational spot where environmental friendly biological products may result, nobody provided an answer. A serious alarm signal was raised by EugenCornea, President of “Alburnus Maior”, who specified that for the 300 tonnes of gold to be drilled in the region, 240 tonnes of cyanide are required. “This quantity could kill the whole population of the world six times, not only the one from the region. Cyanide neutralisation that Gabriel Resources representatives speak about is something at a small scale because currently, there is no equipment available to provide 100 per cent efficiency rate,” Cornea declared. He also approached a very sensible topic: the cleaning place, accusing the representatives of the Canadian company of having lied when they had affirmed that the material to be used for this place would consist of safe materials: “They lied, this would be made from the materials taken from quarries, and they produce sulphur based substances when coming into contact with the environment. This will lead to acid waters which will pollute the place, and which will flow into Abrudel, hence into Aries, and then into Mures and to Tisa eventually”.

He specified that the bottom of the place should have been fully isolated and this did not happen because of the high costs. Eugen Cornea asked, at the end, what would happen if those opposing the project refuse to leave. The answer was provided by John Ashton, vice president of the company, who declared that the project would be reconceived as not to affect the locals. He also admitted that the company he was representing could not provide guarantees about what would follow after closing the mine down but he specified that the area could become profitable in tourist terms.

The whole debate was mediated by Ministry of Environment and Water Management (MMGA), which monitored all the opinions and requirements, remaining for clear positions to be expressed, over the forthcoming time, by the parts involved in this process. Ministry of Environment needs to be careful as any project alternative it chooses, those who decide to stay to be protected, not just bypassed by the mine, should this be authorised.

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