Irked by the maneuver, Furdui, a member of the ruling Liberal Democrat Party, shot off a letter this summer saying the ministry had no right to propose his town as a heritage site.
A rare move, according to UNESCO, which said some 90 percent of mayors of proposed sites are keen for a heritage listing.
Furdui maintains that his “community as a whole supports the mining project” and does not want the UNESCO listing, but banners displayed in the Old Square show differently, with one saying “We Want Mining,” while another proclaims “Save Rosia Montana.”
“I am against the gold mine. It feels like we are occupied by the Canadians,” said Sorin Jurca, the owner of a grocery store on Old Square.
He pointed to several historical houses bought by RMCG that now display signboards with the company’s logo, promising: “This house will be renovated when the mining project starts.”
“I agree to preserve history, but we cannot block such a colossal gold reserve,” said Valentin Rus, director of the state mining company.
To woo support, RMGC has touted job creation, last year saying 1,200 people would be employed in an initial, two-year construction phase, though the figure has now risen to 2,300. After that, 880 jobs would be created to work the mine, set to last 16 years.
“Everybody used to work in the mine here. We are not trained to do anything else. We desperately need jobs,” said resident Eusebiu Cosa, 37-year-old former miner. “The Gold Corporation project is the best solution.”
Eugen David, 45, a farmer who heads a local non-governmental organization opposed to the mine, however, feels the mine will cause “irreversible environmental damage.”
“I do not believe the company will use explosives on top of four mountains surrounding the village without causing any damage to the Roman galleries and the historical center,” David said.
“We could promote ecotourism and sustainable agriculture instead,” he said, accusing local authorities of “blocking any alternative to the mine” — a charge the mayor denies.
Andrei Gruber, a 26-year-old miner’s son, said he and his girlfriend now make a living from a hostel they opened two years ago despite “the total lack of cooperation from the municipality.”
“We are getting tourists from all around the world, from the US to Korea,” Gruber said. “I think a UNESCO listing would be very good to protect the Roman galleries.”
Even if the mayor wins, the battle may continue. RMGC says that 651 households already “chose resettlement or relocation” out of what local sources close to the project say are a total 750 to 900 households that would need to move, but villagers like David and Ovidiu Plic vow they will never leave their homes or sell their land.
“Even if I am the only one, I will not sell because I want to live here and I believe what I am doing is right,” David said.
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