Mitsotakis: Gold mining in Thrace only with public consent
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis reiterated that gold mining projects in Thrace cannot proceed without the consent of local communities, during a meeting with members of the inter-prefectural committee from Gümülcine on Monday.
The meeting took place outside the Tsanakleio building on November 11, where members of the Meriç and Rhodope Inter-Prefectural Committee Against Gold Mining and Metallurgy expressed their opposition to the planned investment by Metalleia Thrakis.
“We are against gold mining in the region. We support development, but not gold mines,” committee members reportedly told the Prime Minister, according to xronos.gr.
Mitsotakis emphasized the government’s position:
“Nothing can move forward unless public opinion agrees. My stance will not change—without the consent of the local community, there will be no approval.”
Project and Environmental Review in Progress
Despite the firm stance on local consent, the company’s business plan is ongoing, and environmental impact assessments for the Perama site are expected to be submitted for approval by the end of 2025.
Earlier reports indicate that Metalleia Thrakis has received permission from the Alexandroupolis Forest Service for six exploratory drilling sites on the Perama hill. Work on these drills has reportedly begun, though the inter-prefectural committee has filed an appeal against the permit, claiming it is legally invalid.
The Forest Service approval references a 1999 Presidential Decree granting gold mining rights in the Evros region to the company Chrysorycheia Thrakis.
