RMGC sends 400 people in structural unemployment over ‘approval delays’ of gold project

Newsroom 03/03/2014 | 16:57

Rosia Montana Gold Corporation (RMGC), the miner aiming to start the gold and silver project at Rosia Montana, has sent almost 400 employees into structural unemployment, citing “repeated delays in the in the evaluation and permitting procedures” of the project, reports daily Adevarul.

According to trade union leader Cristian Alba, the company has suspended the labor contracts for 392 employees through to March 2013. People may return to their jobs if the mining project is approved, but their contracts will be terminated if it is rejected.

‘We want this situation to be temporary and for the evaluation of the mining project to be concluded as fast as possible, so as to build the most modern mine in Romania, which respects the highest European standards and that generates thousands of jobs and wealth both for Rosia Montana at a national level,” said Catalin Hosu, the company’s spokesperson.

The people worked in the patrimony department and restored houses in the protected area. In addition, some of them worked opening the Catalina Monulesti gallery for tourists’ access and other in the communication and relocation departments.

Amendments to the mining law, which would also regulate the Rosia Montana project, have been killed in Parliament in late 2013. The Ministry of Economy was tasked with drawing up another bill that would regulate mining in Romania.

RMGC, majority owned by Canada’s Gabriel Resources, has been seeking to start the Rosia Montana project for 15 years, but successive governments have avoided to make any decision.

Ovidiu Posirca