U Bugarskoj se protive DANDIJU (Borani brane jezero)
Sofija, Bugarska – 20. januar, 2005. Bukarske ekoloske organizacije organizuju proteste protiv zataskavanih procedura koje se desavaju oko uvodjenja cijanidnog spiranja u bugarsku industriju proizvodnje zlata. Upravo kada je EU odobrila nove zakone za poostreno upravljanje rudarskim otpadom [1], Kanadska firma "Dandi-plemeniti metali" i njihovo predstavnistvo u Bugarskoj, "Celopek rudarsko preduzece", nameravaju da prosire svoju proizvodnju u Celopek rudniku zlata i bakra putem tehnologije upotrebe cijanida bez adekvatnih i sveobuhvatnih konsultacija sa lokalnim stanovnistvom koje je smesteno nizvodno od ovog rudnika. "Celopek rudarsko preduzece" je primilo 10 miliona americkih dolara od Evropske Banke za Obnovu i Razvoj (EBRD) za svoje operacije u Celopek rudniku zlata i bakra. Plan koji bi povecao zastitu zivotne sredine i obavljanje delatnosti u Celopek rudniku bi bio projekat vredan primanja novca poreskih obveznika iz EU putem EBRD.
Medjutim, vest da ovo preduzece namerava da koristi cijanid, sto se moglo cuti krajem prosle godine, je izazvala uzbunu medju lokalnim stanovnistvom i nevladinim organizacijama i sumnju o opravdanosti same banke (EBRD) za ucesce u ovom projektu.
U smislu opasnosti koje idu zduzeno sa koriscenjem cijanida u rudarstvu, informisanje javnosti i proces konsultacija u vezi projekta je bilo svedeno na naselja neposredno u okolini samog rudnika, bez obaziranja na naselja smestena nizvodno reke Maritse. O buducnosti ovog projekta odlucice iduceg utorka (24 januara 2006), Vrhovni Ekspertni Ekoloski Savet Ministarstva zastite zivotne sredine i vodoprivrede Bugarske.
Konstantin Ditchev iz organizacije Green Balkans, iz Plovdiv-a, kaze: “Vise od milion ljudi u Bugarskoj zavisi od vode reke Martitse koja se koristi za pijenje i navodnjavanje. Ako dodje do izlivanja cijanida na lokalitetu Celopek, rezervoar Topolnitza je jedina barijera na putu zagadjenja koje ce dopreti do regija Pazardjik, Plovdiv i Haskovo. Isti ovaj rezervoar je bio prepunjen ovog leta, i poplavio je Ihtiman preteci da poplavi i Plovdiv, drugi po velicini grad Bugarske. "Celopek rudarsko preduzece" treba da izdvoji svoje planove u slucaju vanrednih situacija i da ih prezentira javnosti i nadleznim institucijama pre dobijanja bilo kakve dozvole.”
Fidanka Bacheva, iz organizacije Za Zemiata/CEE Bankwatch Network, dodaje: “Zacudjujuce je da EBRD smatra da je ovde bilo ‘intenzivne javne konsultacije’ a ipak se skriva iza zareza bugarskog zakona. Nezahvalno je da banka pokusava da oboji ovu investiciju kao ekoloski pozitivnu studioznim izbegavanjem pomena cijanida u svojoj projektnoj dokumentaciji za Celopek.”
Lokalno stanovnistvo iz obliznjeg sela Chavdar su izrazili svoju zabrinutost i prikupili vise od 1000 potpisa protiv ovog projekta. Ekoloske organizacije ce takodje prikupljati potpise gradjana duz reke narednog vikenda.
"Dandi-plemeniti metali" je takodje trazio priblizno 50 miliona eura od EBRD za projekat razvoja otvorenog rudnika zlata blizu mesta Krumovgrad na Istocnim Rodopima u Bugarskoj. Ovaj projekat je nedavno dobio ‘pritajeno odbijanje’ od strane Ministarstva zastite zivotne sredine i vodoprivrede Bugarske zbog jakog protivljenja javnosti.
Koalicija “Od cijanida slobodna Bugarska” ce odrzati konferenciju za novinare u Sofiji u nedelju, 22-og januara. [2]
Za vise informacija se obratiti:
Fidanka Bacheva
Za Zemiata/CEE Bankwatch Network
Tel/fax: +359 2 951 53 18
Email: fidankab@bankwatch.org
http://cyanidefreerhodopi.org
For immediate release: January 20, 2005
Canadian mining company using public money to foist cyanide leaching on an unsuspecting public
Sofia, Bulgaria – Bulgarian environmental organisations are mobilising protests against the hushed procedures surrounding the introduction of cyanide leaching in the country's gold extraction industry. Just as the EU has passed new legislation tightening up the management of mining waste [1], the Canadian firm Dundee Precious Metals and its Bulgarian branch, Chelopech Mining, are planning to expand their production at the Chelopech gold and copper mine through cyanide technology without properly and fully consulting the potentially affected public downstream of the mining development.
Chelopech Mining has received USD 10 million support from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) for its operations in the Chelopech gold and copper mine. The plan to increase the environmental performance of the Chelopech mine had been viewed by environmentalists as a project worthy of receiving EU taxpayers’ money via the EBRD. However, the news that Chelopech Mining plans to use cyanides, which emerged at the end of last year, has provoked alarm among local people and NGOs and doubts about the EBRD’s justification for its involvement in the project.
In spite of the dangers involved in mining with cyanide, the public information and consultation process on the project has been limited to the villages in the immediate environs of the mine, with the cities downstream of the Maritsa river overlooked by the company. Next Tuesday (January 24) in Sofia, the Supreme Environmental Expert Council of the Bulgarian Ministry of Environment and Waters will decide on the future of the project.
Konstantin Ditchev from Green Balkans, Plovdiv, said: “More than a million people in Bulgaria rely on Maritsa water for drinking and irrigation. If a cyanide spill took place at Chelopech, the Topolnitza water reservoir is the only barrier before the pollution would reach the regions of Pazardjik, Plovdiv and Haskovo. The same reservoir overflowed this summer, flooded Ihtiman and threatened to flood Plovdiv, the second city of Bulgaria. Chelopech Mining needs to sort out its emergency action plans and present them to the public and to the responsible institutions before any permit is granted.”
Fidanka Bacheva, of Za Zemiata/CEE Bankwatch Network, added: “Amazingly the EBRD considers this to have been an ‘extensive public consultation’ yet it is hiding behind the commas of Bulgarian law. It’s disgraceful that the EBRD tried to paint this investment as an environmentally positive one by studiously avoiding the mention of cyanides in its project documentation for Chelopech.”
Local people from the neighbouring village of Chavdar have raised concerns and have collected more than 1,000 signatures against the project. Environmental organisations will be collecting signatures from citizens along the Maritsa river this coming weekend.
Dundee Precious Metals' is also seeking approximately EUR 50 million from the EBRD for a project to develop an open-pit gold mine near Krumovgrad in the East Rhodopi mountains in Bulgaria. This project recently received a ‘silent denial’ from the Ministry of Environment and Water due to strong public opposition.
The “Cyanide-free Bulgaria” coalition will hold a press conference in Sofia on Sunday, January 22. [2]
For more information contact:
Fidanka Bacheva
Za Zemiata/CEE Bankwatch Network
Tel/fax: +359 2 951 53 18
Email: fidankab@bankwatch.org
http://cyanidefreerhodopi.org
Notes for editors:
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On Wednesday this week the European parliament approved a strict new environmental directive covering the licensing, operation and after-care of mining waste. The directive applies to mining in Bulgaria, see: http://www.eupolitix.com/EN/News/200601/07e4a027-b69c-4e30-9fbd- 339505bcdaa0.htm
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Press conference venue:
Sofia Press, 1000 Sofia, 29 Slavyanska Street
Time: 11:00 am