August 15, 2013
In 2005, Stephanie Roth was awarded the Goldman Prize for leading an international campaign to stop construction of Europe’s largest open cast gold mine near the historic Romanian town of Rosia Montana.
Thanks to her efforts, the World Bank’s International Finance Corporation (IFC) withdrew support and the European Union expressed concern over the mining project.
Widespread public opposition led the Romania government to block the Canadian mining company Gabriel Resources from going forward with the project.
In a recent turn of events, however, the government reversed its position and submitted plans to Romanian Parliament that seek to open Rosia Montana to mining concessions- a move that threatens to displace thousands of people and destroy hundreds of homes and historic archeological sites.
Roth is once again a leading voice in the fight to stop the government reversal, appealing to the Romanian Ministry of Environment and Climate Change and raising awareness about the proposed modification to the law.
For more information on the campaign to save Rosia Montana, please visit http://www.rosiamontana.org/
