After the epic battle against the Rosia Montana gold mine in Romania ended in success, many people still don't know that Romania and other countries in the region such as Bulgaria are still threatened by several gold mining proposals, some of which would involve the use of cyanide leaching.
Environmental organisations have today criticised Commissioner Janez Potocnik for heeding mining industry lobbyists over a democratically elected European Parliament, in failing to open public discussions and rejecting a resolution to ban the use of cyanide in mining processes throughout the European Union.
Today at the Bulgarian parliament's Petitions Committee three public petitions related to controversial mining initiatives were heard, in a process described by 'Cyanide Free Bulgaria' campaigners as encouraging and not before time.
A ban on all cyanide-based mining technologies on Hungarian territory that was passed by 356 votes in favour to one vote against in Hungary's parliament earlier this month has strengthened hopes of other national bans - even a Europe-wide ban - ahead of the tenth anniversary of the Baia Mare disaster next month.
Two Bankwatch groups and the members of the Cyanide Free Bulgaria coalition outlined today at a press conference in Sofia the ongoing problematic issues hanging over the proposed introduction of controversial cyanide leaching at the Chelopech mining project and with the Bulgarian government's handling of the environmental procedures for wider use of cyanide in mining projects across the country.
Residents of the Bulgarian village of Poibrene have today taken their long-standing concerns about the potential introduction of controversial cyanide technology at the Chelopech gold mine – led by Canadian firm Dundee Precious Metals – directly to the Bulgarian ministries of environment and health and to the Sofia office of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), the publicly-owned development bank that is a potential funder of a USD 150 million project that could see cyanide leaching introduced at the gold mine without inclusive public consultation.
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