ELAS calls on Greek government to heed Thrace’s opposition to gold mining
The Coordinating Committees of the Greek Left Alliance (ELAS) in Eastern Macedonia and Thrace have voiced their opposition to planned gold-mining projects in Sapes and Perama, urging the Greek government to take local communities’ concerns into account in decisions on mineral extraction.
In a joint statement, the regional committees linked Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis’s recent remarks during a visit to the Skouries mining project in Halkidiki with the debate over proposed mining activities in Thrace. They raised concerns about environmental protection, the economic benefits retained by Greece and the role of local communities in shaping regional development.
The statement was reported by Paratiritis News.
ENVIRONMENTAL RISKS AND ECONOMIC BENEFITS
ELAS argued that debates over mining should not be reduced to political disagreements, saying they also raise substantive questions about water resources, mining waste management and potential impacts on ecosystems.
The committees also questioned how much economic value from mineral extraction remains in Greece and how environmental costs are distributed across society.
They referred to a 2021 amendment to the relevant mining agreement, arguing that it did not guarantee the construction of a final metallurgical processing facility in Greece.
“How much added value from the country’s mineral wealth remains in Greece, and how much of the environmental cost is borne by society?” the committees asked in their statement.
These concerns form part of the wider debate over the balance between mining investment, environmental safeguards and the domestic economic benefits of mineral extraction.
SAPIES AND PERAMA PROJECTS UNDER SCRUTINY
The statement places particular emphasis on proposed gold-mining activities in Sapes and Perama in Thrace.
According to ELAS, the municipalities concerned and the Regional Council of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace have unanimously expressed opposition to gold mining in the two areas. The committees argue that these positions should be taken into account by the national government.
“Thrace has already spoken. The government must listen,” the statement says.
The group maintains that regional development plans should not proceed without taking local communities’ views into consideration, particularly where agricultural production, water resources and the environment could be affected.
CALL FOR SUSTAINABLE REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT
ELAS argued that the development of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace should not come at the expense of local communities, agricultural activity, natural resources or the region’s long-term prospects.
In its statement, the alliance said development should be assessed not only through investment figures and short-term business profits, but also through the value retained locally, the creation of sustainable jobs and the environmental legacy left to future generations.
The statement adds to the ongoing debate over gold mining in Thrace, where questions about investment, environmental protection and local consent remain central to discussions about the region’s economic future.
