Cluj Court of Appeal Revokes Environmental Permit for Rovina Gold Project

01/05/2024

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In a significant legal development, the Cluj Court of Appeal has permanently revoked the environmental permit for the Rovina gold project, operated by Canada-based Euro Sun Mining. The decision was based on deficiencies noted in the permit, including missing chapters and uncertified experts among the signatories. Following challenges from various NGOs regarding flaws in the environmental impact assessment, the Cluj-Napoca ordinary court nullified the permit in December. This recent ruling by the Cluj Court of Appeal, issued in April of this year, definitively halts any mining activities by Euro Sun at the Rovina site. Roxana Pencea Brădățan of local non-profit Declic hailed the decision as a victory for local communities and environmental protection in Romania, emphasizing its significance in the ongoing battle for environmental preservation. Despite the setback, Euro Sun Mining expressed intentions to reinitiate procedures and secure another environmental permit following the lower court’s ruling. CEO Grant Sboros reiterated the company’s commitment to resubmitting necessary documentation and expressed confidence in obtaining timely certification. Euro Sun asserts that the Rovina project ranks among the largest developing gold deposits globally, and the second largest in Europe, with substantial gold and copper resources estimated at 286 gold equivalent tonnes. The initial gold mining license for Rovina was granted to Euro Sun’s subsidiary, Samax Romania, in 2015 for a duration of 20 years, with governmental ratification occurring three years later.

Source and Credit: romania-insider.com