The Cultural Minister of România Bogdan Gheorghiu announced that the country will resume the procedure for Rosia Montana site in the list of UNESCO World Heritage on January 31st. The deadline was on the 1st of February.
The move comes as NGOs petitioned against gold mining projects in the area which is riddled with complications with respect to the environmental permit. If UNESCO declares it a naturally protected area, gold exploration will be impossible. Canadian group Gabriel Resources, the majority shareholder of Roşia Montană Gold Corporation (RMGC), is asking the state USD 4.4 billion in compensations from the Romanian state for not allowing the project.
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