Romanian PM says he voted against cyanide mining, local media contradicts him

Prime Minister Mihai Tudose said earlier this week that he was among the local MPs who voted ‘for’ when the idea of banning cyanide mining technologies was brought up. However, according to the transcript of the Chamber of Deputies’ meeting organized for the final vote on the Mining Law, Tudose appears as being one of the MPs who voted against the amendment banning the use of cyanide in mining, reports local TVR. The Prime Minister brought back into public attention the situation at Rosia Montana, a local site that was nominated for inclusion in the UNESCO World Heritage List, which would forbid any mining in the area. At the end of August, Tudose said that the Romanian state could no longer exploit the deposits at Rosia Montana given that the previous Government led by Dacian Ciolos sent the necessary documents to UNESCO to declare the site a protected area. Thus, the Romanian authorities may try to revoke Rosia Montana’s nomination to the UNESCO World Heritage List. Then, earlier this week, he said that the option to exploit the mineral resources at Rosia Montana shouldn’t be blocked by declaring the site a protected area by UNESCO, but should remain open for the period when new technologies will allow safe exploitation. He also said that he voted “with two hands” for the cyanide ban. However, local TVR reported that, back in December 2013 when the Chamber of Deputies gave the final vote on the amendments to the Mining Law, amendments concerning new rules of exploitation of mineral resources, Mihai Tudose was among the MPs who voted against the amendment banning cyanide mining. The amendment had been proposed by the independent deputy Remus Cernea, and was banning the use of cyanide “at any stage of the exploitation of gold and silver.” Irina Marica, irina.marica@romania-insider.com