"Certej proposal blocked: Cluj Tribunal cancels urban plan for the mine", 15 Jan 2019

The Cluj Tribunal has cancelled the zonal urban plan (“Planul Urbanistic Zonal – PUZ”) required for permitting the mine site. In the absence of a valid PUZ, construction permits for the mine site can no longer be issued.

The Certej gold mine proposal also known as Deva Gold S.A. is a joint venture between Canadian-based Eldorado Gold (80%) and state-owned Minvest Deva (20%)... However, the mine proposal has been beleaguered by scandals, operational problems, setbacks and national, and international opposition due to the use of very large amounts of cyanide and the destruction of pastures, forests and even protected forests. The tailings dams [...] would be located in the close vicinity of several densely populated villages...

The Cluj Tribunal acknowledged that the environmental permit for the Zonal Urban Plan was issued in breach of environmental legislation, and thus cancelled Decision 11/2010 issued by the Certeju de Sus’ Local Council...

[Note: See also Romania: El Dorado Gold responds to allegations of intimidation at site around planned mining project]