Word count: 1868 Oh lord, where to begin? Today, as I was working one of my three jobs (it’s complicated), I came across this story from Craig Turp of Bucharest Life and I simply had to respond. But first, a lot of necessary disclaimers! Disclaimer Time I have nothing but admiration for Bucharest Life. They are hands down the best source for English-language news and … Continue reading Soros v. Romania
Roșia Montană is a highly controversial, inactive gold mine in Transylvania’s Apuseni Mountains that’s been written about extensively over the years. Sam has expounded quite a bit on the topic already, so rather than beat a dead horse, I’ll refer you to a few of his articles. What little I can add to the palimpsest of Roșia Montană content is an account of my own experience there with … Continue reading Do-It-Yourself Romania: Exploring Mines at Roșia Montană
When it comes to Romania, trips to the countryside are do-it-yourself ventures. How much fun you have depends on how willing you are to forego convenience in exchange for some shockingly wild experiences. For example, there’s Geamăna: once a sleepy little mountain town, it now resides deep beneath a slurry of toxic mine drainage thanks to communist-era vicissitudes. Today, only the church remains above the noxious sludge, as it was the highest … Continue reading Do-It-Yourself Romania: Geamăna’s Sunken Church
Word Count: 3843 Let’s start off with the good news. The Romanian Ministry of Culture, in conjunction with the Ministry of the Environment, Forests, and Water, officially added the Rosia Montana area to the list of sites to be considered by the United Nations as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Should this go all the way to the finish (which will take a few years) … Continue reading The Saga of Rosia Montana
It’s perfectly fine to use cyanide to mine gold in Romania, just as long as you don’t do it anywhere near Rosia Montana: “Rosia Montana village has been designated a place of historic site of national interest which has a radius of two kilometres [just over a mile],” said Adrian Balteanu, the Romanian culture ministry’s adviser on cultural heritage. “At such a site, all mining … Continue reading Rosia Montana Stymied Yet Again
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