Romanian media: Rosia Montana Gold Corporation takes 20 journalists and media managers on trip to New Zealand

Mining company Rosia Montana Gold Corporation, which is trying to kick start the gold mining project in Rosia Montana, Romania, has taken 20 journalists on a trip to a gold mine in New Zealand. The local media has already commented on whether the journalists should have accepted the trip. The list of journalist includes top management from media groups in Romania, such as: Emil Hurezeanu (Realitatea Catavencu), Robert Turcescu, Mihai Tatulici (Realitatea TV), Ioan T Morar (Catavencu), Vlad Macovei (Evenimewntul Zilei), Floriana Jucan (Q Magazine), Dragos Nedelcu (Realitatea Catavencu), Dan Apostol (Money Channel), according to Romanian media. Local comments pointed to the fact those invited are no longer active journalists who would write a story upon return – in response to Rosia Montana Gold Corporation's statement that the invitation was due to help journalists research about gold mines. Other journalists in Romania, quoted by local media, commented on the fact that the company is trying to 'buy' the sympathy of media management so as to impose a certain editorial policy towards its project, which has been contested due to its environmental impact. Gabriel Resources, the majority shareholder in Rosia Montana Gold Corporation (RMGC), has spent EUR 11.6 million on the Romanian mining project in the first half of the year, when the company posted a loss of EUR 21 million. The Rosia Montana project budget goes up to EUR 34.3 million, out of which the company still has to spend a remaining EUR 19.8 million. Should the project be restarted, Gabriel Resources could increase the budget by an extra EUR 24.6 million for this year. RMGC is working on the Rosia Montana gold mining project in Apuseni mountains. The project has a total estimated cost of EUR 1 billion. The project has been halted and is currently awaiting the ok from the Environment Ministry on its environment impact study. The environment minister Laszlo Brobely has recently said the ministry could re-start the authorization procedures for the Rosia Montana mining project. The value of the trip is of around EUR 10,000 for each guest, according to a calculation by cotidianul.ro. Media codes in organizations such as the New York Times, the Guardian, the Financial Times forbid journalists to go in trips financially supported by third parties. Instead, the media companies usually pay for the journalists' trips themselves.