SEEC rejects the preliminary implementation of Dundee’s gold mining concession

During the second session of the Supreme Environmental Expert Council (SEEC) on the gold mining concession near Krumovgrad, granted to Balkan Mineral and Mining – a branch of the Canadian-based company Dundee Precious Metals - documents for the water supply zones, which were missing during the session held on September 19, were presented by the Basin Directorate, announced the Ministry of Environment and Waters (MEW). The missing documents were the formal reason for Minister of Environment and Waters Nona Karadjova to return for revision SEEC’s decision approving the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) of the Ada Tepe gold mining project near Krumovgrad.

Another blunder of which Klassa wrote was also corrected – the surprising decision of September 19 that the project’s implementation can be preliminary – was revoked. The clause for preliminary implementation was contested and subsequently rejected by Minister Nona Karadjova.

The votes in the SEEC were again divided as last time - 5 “against” and 20 “for”. This is not accidental because the Deputy Minister of Environment and Waters Evdokia Maneva, who is presiding the Council, has been acquainted with the gold mining operations of Dundee Precious Metals ever since the company stepped in Bulgaria in 2003, buying the gold mining operations in the Chelopech mine from the Irish company Navan Resources.

Four mayors from the Krumovgrad Municipality voted against the implementation of the project, among them Sebihan Mehmed and Doncho Ivanov, a representative of the non-governmental sector and Coalition for Sustainable Development. Experts commented that the SEEC is dominated by representatives of MEW and, therefore, its decisions can be foretold! Being subordinates of Evdokia Maneva who is responsible for this particular case, they have no choice how to vote despite the fact that they are not impressed with the business practices of Dundee Precious Metals.

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