The country of Motzi - free of cyanides

We, the citizens and the environmental non-governmental organizations from Romania, present here, today, 28th of July, 2002, at the public meeting in Rosia Montana, as part of the campaign "The country of Motzi - free of cyanides", agree and sign the following


- DECLARATION -

1. We support the position expressed by "Alburnus Major" Association regarding the proposed project of Rosia Montana - Gold Corporation S.A.
2. We consider that the project does not meet the principles of sustainable development on the following accounts:

* It has overall negative social impact (more than 900 households and more than 2000 people relocated
* It has irreversible effects on all the environmental factors (water, air, soil) and will directly affect all forms of life on a surface of at least 1,600 ha and indirectly on a larger surface which is almost impossible to estimate
* It will quickly exploit to extinction the natural resources
* It will compromise the sustainable development of the locality and several economic activities at regional level (i.e. tourism and agro-tourism) for a very long period of time

3. The project is in contradiction with the European Convention for Landscape Preservation which Romania has ratified.
4. The gold extraction technology proposed by the project is in contradiction with the 2001 Berlin Declaration which has banned cyanide use if the process irreversibly affects ecosystems.
5. The project leads to the destruction of the natural, cultural and historic patrimony of an important area of Apuseni Mountains, and of Romania in general.
6. The project violates the legislation on environment protection and natural protected areas.

Considering all the above, we solicit the Romanian Government to:

1. Immediately withdraw the exploitation license and definitive stop of any activities of Rosia Montana Gold Corporation S.A. in the golden quadrilater of Certej-Brad-Zlatna-Baia de Aries.
2. Respect the international conventions which are applicable in this case, and the Romanian existing legislation.
3. Adopt a strategy for the sustainable development of Rosia Montana and the entire region of Apuseni Mountains.
The signing parties of the present Declaration will sustain any initiative which will ultimately lead to a real sustainable development of the area.

Furthermore, in order to contribute to finding solutions for this area, we will ask the support of the entire Romanian civil society, the international institutions and organizations, and of the European Union and its member states.

Signing organizations (as July 28th, 2002):

1. Asociatia Aurarilor Alburnus Maior, David Eugen - president

2. Asociatia "Sighisoara Durabila", Alexandru Gota - president

3. Asociatia Pro Biciclo Urbo Targu-Mures, Varga Istvan - president

4. Asociatia Alma-Ro, Laura Sanfrancisco - member

5. Fundatia Terra Mileniul III Bucuresti, Lavinia Andrei - president

6. Consortiul "Baia Mare Fara Poluare", Vasile Tatar - Executive director

7. Clubul "Piatra Altarului" Cluj, Mihai Gligan - president

8. Fundatia Judeteana Pentru Tineret Constanta, Andrei Seitan - counsiler

9. ASCOR Cluj, Cristian Onet - member

10. Armedd - Bucuresti, Gheorghe Manea - head of departament

11. Institutul Roman Pentru Pace Cluj-Napoca, Sabin Muresan - Programme coordinator

12. Eco-Alpex 024 Braila, Cornel Apostol - president

13. Asociatia Turistica "Perpetuum Mobile", Galicz Zsolt - member

14. Clubul Ecologic "Transilvania" Cluj-Napoca, Gabriel Parauan - president

15. Clubul de Cicloturism "Napoca", Radu Mititean - executive director

16. CETM Albamont Alba-Iulia, Vasile Moisa - president