Anti-gold mine protests heat up in Romania with tango flash mob in Bucharest

A troop of tango dancers joined protesters in Bucharest last night, organizing a tango flash mob as part of demonstrations to stop Europe’s biggest gold mine being created in Rosia Montana. With last week’s demonstrations featuring a classical music concert, around 50 dancers decided to lend their talents to the anti-mining movement on the 17th day of protests. Organized on Facebook, the flash mob in Universitate Square involved dancers from several tango communities in Bucharest, who together promoted the message: “Save Rosia Montana. Tango is in UNESCO. We want Rosia Montana in UNESCO.” Dancing to music performed by four other protesters, including a soloist and three instrument players, group tangoed for about half an hour. Some dancers returned later for an encore performance, this time accompanied by protesters shaking bottles filled with pebbles and chanting: “United we save Rosia Montana.” Protests against plans to mine gold at Rosia Montana in central Romania began in early September after the Romanian Government approved a law giving Canadian firm Gabriel Resources permission to begin extracting from the site. Critics of the project say the use of cyanide in the mining process as well as the destruction of four mountains in the area are unacceptable environmental consequences of allowing Rosia Montana Gold Corporation (RMGC), majority owned by Gabriel, to mine the site. However, proponents of the project say it will bring jobs and money to Romania, which has 20 per cent stake in RMGC. The draft law needs approval by the Romanian Parliament. Some of the banners displayed at the rally yesterday (September 18) read “ Rosia Montana, Romania's Fukushima”, “The environment needs decontamination” and “Treason against the country is measured in gold.” Protesters have also called for the dismissal of the four politicians who initiated the law including ministers Dan Sova, Rovana Plumb and Daniel Barbu, and head of the National Mineral Resources Agency Gheorghe Duţu. editor@romania-insider.com (photo source: Cristian Vasile on Facebook)