ROSIA MONTANA: Neue Pressemitteilung von Alburnus Maior

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Rosia Montana, 28. March 2005 – Alburnus Maior has come into the possession of a document that implies ‘APD’ (1), ‘GEC’ (2) and ‘CENTRAS’ (3), three Bucharest-based NGOs, in the monitoring of public participation for the permitting of the Rosia Montana mine development. The reason for drawing attention to this is that Alburnus Maior has clear indicators that this is a flawed monitoring project.

Gabriel Resources (‘Gabriel’), a junior Canadian mining company, intends to realize Europe’s largest opencast mining development in Rosia Montana (RMGC). It entails, amongst other, the involuntary resettlement of over 2000 people as well as the destruction of unique archaeological and natural sites. In December 2004 ‘Gabriel’ initiated the procedure to modify the Zoning Plan for the Rosia Montana Industrial Development area as well as the environmental impact assessment (EIA) procedure to obtain an environmental agreement for its mining project.

Representatives of APD, GEC and CENTRAS first appeared in Rosia Montana in RMGC cars in December 2004. Given that none of them explained their role in the public consultations, Alburnus Maior wrote to APD and CENTRAS to enquire about their mission. Since none of them replied, Alburnus Maior contacted them by phone. Cristian Pirvulescu, APD’s president stated during several conversations that his NGO had no project with regards to the Rosia Montana permitting procedure. Regarding CENTRAS it is interesting to note that Dan Petrescu, a founder of this NGO, now is RMGC’s director for permitting.

In late February 2005, ‘Gabriel’ organized a seminar in Bucharest which amongst others was attended by Dan Manoleli; GEC’s director. Shortly after, a RMGC’s sponsored newspaper featured a sizable quote from Mr. Manoleli where he made remarks about the mining project’s positive impact upon the population and the environment.

Independent observers have in the past successfully monitored controversial mining developments (4). Alburnus Maior believes that this is a flawed monitoring project due to:
· independent monitoring should identify all interested and affected parties, involve them during implementation and assess all means of public participation;
· independent monitoring agents should not speak publicly about the object under debate;
· implementing NGOs should be open and transparent about their project and activities;
· implementing NGOs should not give out false information about their project.

“Two years ago Mr. Manoleli and Mr. Parvulescu nominated Alburnus Maior at the prestigious Civil Society Gala for our exemplary achievements in public participation and civic behavior. To make it easier for these NGOs to continue their ‘exemplary’ monitoring project, we are herewith returning them the price”, says Eugen David, President of Alburnus Maior.

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For more information please contact: Eugen David on +40 (0) 740 280 309 and Alburnus Maior at +40 (0) 258 859 328 and visit www.rosiamontana.org

#1 Asociatia ProDemocratia; see www.apd.ro
#2 Grupul Ecologic pentru Colaborare
#3 Centrul de Asistenta pentru Organizatii Neguvernamentale; see www.centras.ro
#4 See ‘Gold and Land: Democratic Development at Stake Report of the Observation Mission of the Tambogrande Municipal Consultation Process in Peru’ by Stéphanie Rousseau and François Meloche © International Centre for Human Rights and Democratic Development, 2002 at www.ichrdd.ca

The English version of the document can be downloaded here.