Cyanide pollution fears: Thousands of Romanians protest ‘biggest in Europe’ gold mine

Massive protests are gripping Romania against the government’s controversial decision to pave the way for a Canadian firm to build Europe’s largest opencast gold mine – which many fear may lead to an environmental disaster.

Some 15,000 people, including students and young parents, rallied across the country on Sunday in the eighth day of protests against a draft law issued by the leftist government, which would allow a Canadian miner to dig for gold and silver in the small town of Rosia Montana in Transylvania, northern Romania.

Eight thousand protesters marched to the government headquarters in Bucharest, carrying signs reading “I love nature, not cyanide” and “Corruption equals cyanide.” According to police, 6,000 demonstrators also rallied in the major Transylvanian city of Cluj and 900 people gathered in Brasov.