23 January 2012, 14:25
Mykola Tomenko: "Gold rush" might do harm to Zakarpattia region as the center of recreation and tourism
Mykola Tomenko, Deputy Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, thinks that "gold rush" might do harm to Zakarpattia region as the center of recreation and tourism.
As reported, in the end of 2011, Zakarpattia regional council granted a request of "Nadra Ukrainy" NJSC to use the mineral resources for the purpose of developing Muzhievo gold-base metal deposit in Berehove district of Zakarpattia region for twenty years, and to use the mineral resources of Berehove gold-base metal deposit of national significance in Berehove district for five years.
However, the Deputy Chairman informed that experts, public figures, and scholars from the public board under Zakarpattia regional council warn that this decision is premature and unjustified. They claim that resolutions of Muzhievo village council which permit using the mineral resources for the purpose of developing Muzhievo gold-base metal deposit for twenty years, and using of the mineral resources of Berehove gold-base metal deposit of national significance for five years do not specify the areas and locations of the land plots concerned. Moreover, these resolutions of the village council refer neither to the source information about the requests of "Nadra Ukrainy" NJSC, nor to any public debates concerning these important issues. M. Tomenko said that the draft resolutions submitted to the regional council have no references to the stand of Berehove district council on this matter. Environmental audit of the facilities, which should provide for environmental clean-up, has not been carried out.
Summing up, the Deputy Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine stressed that the resolution in question contradicts the regional strategy of development of Zakarpattia region by the year 2015, as the latter prioritizes development of tourism, recreation, wine growing, horticulture, and other environmentally-friendly activities, not extraction of gold and other mineral resources.
When the parliament starts working, M. Tomenko is going to initiate consideration of the gold-mining issue by the Verkhovna Rada and governmental institutions.