09 Jul 2002,
Corna (RO), Andrea Eberl
Golden Tragedy in ROSIA MONTANA
 
She put up her arms, covered her face and said with a determined voice: “I do not want to move”. The old woman has been living in the village Corna since ever. After  almost 78 years it seems that they will destroy her roots, make them invisible forever, make her move to another part of the provinz Alba. The house of the old woman is just at the beginning of the village where the huge dam should be built. No more colourful gardens and old wooden houses, but a concrete wall with a height between 70 or 180 m (there are different informations about the final height of the dam). But it is just one out of hundreds of houses that should disappear  within the next 2 years if the plans of a Canadian company for the giant gold mine “Rosia Montania Corporation” should be carried out.
 
Fact finding missing in Rosia Montana, a village in one of the most beautiful parts of the Carpathians mountains in North West Romania. This village as well as the neighbouring village Corna at the other side of a mountain are endangered to disappear completely because of the planned construction of the largest gold mine in whole Europe. Therefore an area of more than 2000 hectares to be destroyed and the historical and picturesque village Corna should be overfloaded, after the resettlement of 2000 people. Little 7 lakes in Eastern Europe... This giant project is one of the most destructive undertakings in terms of ecological, social and cultural impacts. Rosia Montana and surrounding is not only one of the most beautiful parts that I have seen until now in Romania – it is also an important archaeological site. The oldest Roman settlement in the country can be found in this area. Stephanie, an energetic Swiss woman who fought already successfully against the Dracula Park project in Sighisoara, has shown us the area the whole day. After talking to the general manager of the Gold mining company and to several local people, we have got 2 different pictures and lots of contradictory informations of the giant project. And we are quite sure that we will come back -  to fight on the side of the local people. Save Rosia Montana and the surrounding!

 

 
>> Back to Tour Overview