Over 10,000 People Protest In Bucharest Against Rosia Montana Gold Mining Project
The miners in Rosia Montana who barricaded themselves underground in protest over lawmakers’ plan to block a local gold mining project decided to end protests Sunday evening after Prime Minister Victor Ponta reached them for talks.
On the other hand, over 10,000 people took to the streets in Bucharest Sunday for the 15th straight day, demonstrating against the Rosia Montana gold mining project.
Protest to block the project were also staged in several other cities countrywide, including Alba-Iulia, Cluj-Napoca, Iasi, Craiova, Suceava, Buzau, Constanta, Timisoara, Sibiu, Targu Mures and Brasov.
The gold mining project has been on and off for the past 14 years because of environmental concerns entailed by cyanide mining. (Adevarul)
Banks’ Fear Of Resuming Lending Cramps Economic Growth
Adrian Vasilescu, adviser to Romanian central bank governor Mugur Isarescu, said in an interview for Digi24 that the beginning of the international economic crisis is not September 15, 2008, but August 9, 2007, when the U.S. real estate market collapsed.
In Romania, the international economic crisis lay over a 50-year internal crisis, Vasilescu added.
According to Vasilescu, Romania is at a crossroad, as it exited recession but has yet to overcome the crisis.
Romania didn’t have to use public money to save banks. On the other hand, one of the reasons the country’s economy is stagnating is banks’ fear of resuming lending, Vasilescu explained. (Curentul)
Romania’s Roads Authority Might Block Works On Lugoj-Deva Highway
Romania’s national roads authority CNADNR might stop the construction of the highway linking Lugoj to Deva as the project needs special investments to protect the fauna in the Apuseni Mountains.
CNADNR representatives said they are not responsible for any delay in developing the project.
Also, CNADNR general manager Narcis Neaga told Mediafax Sunday the authority would terminate a contract with firm Romstrade, which failed to complete the construction of the country’s highest paved road Transalpina (2,145 m), located in the Parang Mountains. (Evenimentul Zilei)
Romanian Lawmaker Proposes Bill Setting Up Registry Of Owned Dogs
Romanian liberal lawmaker Nechita Adrian Oros said Sunday he has drawn up a bill setting up a national registry of owned dogs.
The registry targets to provide clear data on anti-rabies vaccination and reduce the number of stray dogs by punishing people who abandon their pets.
The Romanian Parliament has recently approved a bill allowing for stray dogs to be euthanized if they are not adopted in 14 days after being sent to pounds.
Some 64,000 stray dogs walk the Bucharest streets undisturbed. About 4,100 children and adults were bitten by dogs in the first four months of the year, according to the National Infectious Disease Institute in Bucharest. (Gandul)