Adriean Videanu, approved as Economy minister: I want to renegotiate the state's participation in Rosia Montana project

Adriean Videanu was proposed for the role of Economy, Commerce and Business minister. He was approved, with 39 votes in favour and 17 against. During the hearings, environment organisation used the moment to protest against the enforcement of the Rosia Montana project. They came with banners reading „Rosia Montana nu e de Vi(n)deanu”, meaning Videanu is not good enough for Rosia Montana and implying he would sell a country’s asset.

Adrian Videanu did not seem intimidated by the NGO’s presence and stated that a re-evaluation of the project was necessary because „it represents an opportunity for Romania”. According to him, the project’s asset will be negotiated in the favour of the Romanian state.

Adrian Videanu’s main statements:

• Romania has 18 gold fields, which can represent a huge opportunity.

• The re-evaluation of the project can represent an opportunity if we bear in mind the environmental requests.

• We will consider all suggestions made during public debate, including all the court verdicts ruled, but it is a mineral resource potential from which Romania doesn’t benefit from.   

• Romania imports tens of billions, which means mineral resources.

• The project for developing this deposit faces a technical issue. From the moment of obtaining the environmental approval, around 1 million dollars a day will be spent here’ this money means jobs – the peak activity might need 6,000 staff. It means taxes and duties, both for the local budget and for the state budget.

• We intend to re-negotiate the Romanian state assets as soon as the matter progresses.

Videanu also said the Romanian state needed to have word to say in regards to the way the project developed. He stated it was a very important project for Romania and the political partied would have a serious debate on then issue. According to Videanu, no mine will be close, but all of them will go through an economic check.