Bulgarian NGOs to Appeal Gold Mining Concession for Krumovgrad Deposit at EC

Civic associations plan to appeal the gold mining concession for a deposit located near the southern Bulgarian city of Krumovgrad at the European Commission.

Vasil Kadrinov from the Agricultural and Environmental Projects Association GEO explained Friday that the complaint would be filed in a week.

He said that the Association would appeal the decision of Bulgaria's former center-right GERB government to grant the gold mining concession without holding a tender.

Kadrinov suggested that the Association expected Asen Vasilev, Bulgaria's caretaker Minister of Economy, Energy and Tourism to cancel the concession as soon as possible, having in mind that his CV showed that he was no lobbyist for "the mining mafia."

"We will not wait for him to undo the concession and we will file a complaint with the EC within a week. If the EC fails to respond fast enough, the deadline being 3 months, we will file a complaint against the EC at the European Court in Luxembourg" Kadrinov said.

He emphasized the efforts the Association had invested in appealing the environmental impact assessment (EIA) from September 2010 approved by former Environment Minister Nona Karadzhova.

Kadrinov specified that the EIA had been upheld by a five-judge panel of the Supreme Administrative Court (VAS) with a note of dissent of one of the judges.

He said that the Association called on caretaker Environment Minister Yulian Popov to revoke the EIA in the shortest time possible.

Maria Damyanova of the association "Life for Krumovgrad" made clear that the locals had serious concerns about the impact of the gold mining concession, most notably air and water pollution.