Romania's new Mining Law promises full transparency ahead of final Parliament vote

Mining companies in Romania will not be allowed to use methods which harm the environment and will have to use the most advanced technologies, according to a draft law on the Parliament's voting roll on Tuesday, December 10. However, should Parliament pass the law, it could mean a green light for the controversial Rosia Montana gold mining project in central Romania. The media was not allowed in during the preliminary vote on Monday evening, and MPs received printed copies of the law and its amendments. With the voting session on the mining law scheduled to happen on Tuesday, a group of anti-gold mining protesters gathered outside the Romanian parliament, asking to take part in the debates. This happened a day after 50 Greenpeace activists entered the yard of the Parliament Palace and started 'digging for gold', trying to raise awareness on Romania's plans to allow cyanide – based gold mining. According to the Mining Law, mining in Romania can only start after the state publishes all the stages of the project, after having already organized a transparent bid, and after having gathered all observations from the public. The state is also obliged to make sure the technology used for mining does not affect the environment, does not affect the population, and does not endanger communities and regions, said Iulian Iancu, the president of the Industries Commission and a Social democrat MP. He added that the law guarantees total transparency about all mining projects, but activists argue that it was debated and will be voted with a total lack of transparency. The form of this law has been discussed by the Industries and Administration Commissions in the Chambers of Deputies, and differs from the one rejected earlier this year by the Romanian Senate. The Chamber of Deputies vote will be decisive. editor@romania-insider.com