Senator Ciuca on Rosia Montana: The culprits have to be legally liable

Senate Chairman Nicolae Ciuca on Tuesday said that all the culprits in the case of the Rosia Montana gold mining project must become legally liable because it is "an enormous amount" for Romania to pay.

"We are concerned; it is about the country's budget and how we manage from now on all funding. We estimate that this maximum threshold [USD 6.7 billion] will not be reached because we also trust the team that defended Romania at the Washington Court. (...) All those who will bear the responsibility, and beyond responsibility, this burden on the country's shoulders, must become legally liable," Ciuca told Antena 3 private broadcaster on Wednesday evening.

According to him, leaders have to make sure that those responsible are "held accountable", regardless of where they come from.

"Our role, of leaders, of politicians, is to secure order and accountability of those who are guilty, regardless of the name, party or other structure. I am convinced that they will respond, because we are not talking about something that is absolutely fleeting, we are talking about an enormous amount, we are talking about a resource of Romania that could bring income. (...) We must take into account how much we lose as a penalty and how much we lose as a result of not mining these resources and, before the citizens, we are compelled to come up with this commitment to holding the culprits accountable."

The total updated value of the compensations requested by Gabriel Resources Ltd. and Gabriel Resources (Jersey) in the international arbitration file opened against Romania, related to the Rosia Montana gold mining project amounts to approximately USD 6.7 billion, according to information with the Finance Ministry.