Environment Minister requests the cancellation of Certej project
Environment Minister Rovana Plumb confirms that the environmental approval for Certej project issued by the Regional Environmental Protection Agency Timisoara "is illegal".
Articol de Nicoleta Stoian, 19 Septembrie 2012, 18:11
Minister of Environment, Rovana Plumb, requested the justice the cancellation of the environmental approval granted to mining in Certej, Hunedoara county, following complaints from some NGOs.
Certej Mine is a gold and silver exploitation and is 80 percent owned by Canadian company Eldorado Gold and the rest by the Romanian state.
"The environmental approval for Certej Project, issued by the Regional Environmental Protection Agency Timisoara, is illegal and irresponsible because it violates the Romanian legislation and also European legislation. It violates the international convention on environmental border impact, meaning that, after the border consultation, one of the two Member States that were consulted gave a negative response, which was not taken into account, "said Rovana Plumb.
The Environment Minister announced that an internal investigation is underway at the Ministry.
Depending on its results, would be sanctioned persons that issued the environmental approval.
The Minister’s announcement on the request for cancellation within the court of this agreement, accorded to the company that intends to exploit the deposit of Certej, currently blocks any activity.
The Director of the Environment Agency Timis, Gabriela Labrino, said that the approval issued by the Institute he leads does not mean starting the work.
"I communicated that the environmental approval does not mean running the business, but is just paving the way to achieve further construction," said Gabriela Lambrino.
In a recent press release from the Canadian company that owns most of the operation of the Certej, it is shown that the environmental approval was obtained after six years of public debate and in compliance with all legislation.
Moreover, the joint company manager "Deva Gold", Nicolae Stanca, sustains that the company has resolved any request from the authorities.
"Everything that was requested we've done, and I achieved in such a modality, that all the study and the whole project to be in compliance with the law," said Nicolae Stanca.
The mine from Certej is an open mining exploitation. According to forecasts, from Certej could be extracted, within 10-15 years, approximately 60 tons of gold and more than 350 tons of silver.
Trannslated by Alexandra-Diana Mircea
MTTLC, Bucharest University
