Bulgarian parliament hears the anti-cyanide concerns of thousands

January 21, 2010

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.

Two of the petitions - one of 14 400 signatures supporting a legally binding cyanide ban across Bulgaria, the other 'For a clean Maritza River' aiming to prevent industrial pollution from mining - had been overlooked for two years, but following re-submission to the Petitions Committee in November last year were finally granted a hearing in the committee. Daniel Popov, Bankwatch national coordinator in Bulgaria and member of the Cyanide Free Bulgaria coalition, said: The fact that these petitions have been heard in the Bulgarian parliament's committee at all represents good progress for the thousands of people and hundreds of communities across Bulgaria that face the prospect of mining involving lethal chemicals taking place in their areas, next to their water sources, and usually without consultation.

There is growing momentum for a cyanide ban, such as the ban now in place in Hungary, and the Petition Committee will hopefully take on board the arguments presented today and issue a report that will back a cyanide ban in Bulgaria.

The third petition to receive a hearing today was submitted against the granting of a permit to Canadian mining firm Dundee Precious Metals for drilling and investigating gold deposits in the Rhodope mountains. The petition was submitted by an Initiative Committee from neighbouring villages, the biggest of which Chepelare is a small-scale ski resort.

Dundee Precious Metals is the promoter of several major mining investments in Bulgaria that seek to use cyanide technology. The approval of the environmental impact assessment for Dundee's mining project at Chelopech was cancelled in November last year by the Supreme Administrative Court following a complaint submitted by the Cyanide Free Bulgaria coalition, although currently Bulgaria's Ministry of Environment is appealing this decision. [1]