'No to Gold Mines! Fight Continues!' – Resistance Against Mining Projects in Western Thrace Intensifies
The long-standing resistance against gold mining projects in Western Thrace has flared up once again. The Trakya Gold Mining Company’s renewed efforts to extract gold in the Güreci and Şapçı regions have sparked strong reactions from local residents and various organizations.
The Rodopi-Meriç Intermunicipal Committee released a statement criticizing the company for disregarding the will of the local population, citing donations made to public institutions under the guise of "sponsorship." These donations were made to institutions such as the Dedeağaç Hospital, Trakya Dimokritos University, and local police units. The committee argued that these actions aimed to break the public's conscious opposition to the project.
The committee reminded the public of similar attempts in the past, including the 2008 offer of "large-scale" checks by the company’s managers, which were rejected by both the public and institutions. The statement emphasized, "You cannot buy conscience by distributing trinkets," noting that such actions would, as in the past, remain without consequence.
ANALYSIS OF PUBLIC FUNDING
Another source of concern was the large-scale financial support Trakya Gold Mining received from public resources. The company secured a €200 million loan from the Resilience and Reconstruction Fund, which has drawn criticism from the committee. They pointed out that while small local businesses in the region struggle to find financing, public money is being directed to a private company.
The committee also condemned statements made by the company’s new CEO, Lampros Bakuras, at the Delphi Economic Forum, where he promoted the project as a €400 million investment generating 700 jobs. According to the committee, this project hides behind it environmental disasters on Güreci Hill and its surroundings, including cyanide-filled waste ponds and permanent damage to nature.
The committee concluded its statement by stressing that the fight against the gold mine is now embedded in the DNA of the Thracian people. This struggle, they said, is not a short-term campaign but the result of years of hard work and resistance.
The committee further urged public institutions and individuals accepting donations to immediately reject them, calling on society to demonstrate to future generations that not everything in these lands is for sale.
The statement ended with a call to the government and local authorities to refrain from taking actions contrary to the will of the people.
