EU may give us more money for environment

Waters polluted with ions of heavy metals following the last accident of Novat pool – Baia Borsa mine reached the Hungarian sector of Tisa, but laboratory measurements show that the level of toxic substances dissolved in the water is lower than the maximal admitted level. Measurements carried on the Romanian sector of the river, shortly after the accident that occurred at the beginning of the week, indicated the concentration of heavy metals had been exceeded by 2.7 times, as compared to limits admitted by European norms. On Wednesday, on the Ukrainian sector of Tisa, local authorities banned water consumption and fishing activities. Meanwhile, ecologist organisation Greenpeace announced that it planned to sue two Australian mining companies, one of them being Esmeralda, co-owner of Aurul mine, and the second Dome Resource, which last week caused cyanide pollution in Papua New Guinea. The international work group, made up of representatives of Romanian and Hungarian governments, of the UN, and the International Commission for the protection of the Danube, which investigates pollution in the case of Aurul and Baia Borsa, will finalise by the end of the year a report including the causes of the accident, an assessment of damages, a list of points posing ecological risk of Tisa and a set of measures at the national and international level meant to cut down ecological risks, the head of the group, independent expert Tom Garvey, stated on Wednesday. After the World Bank, the European Union is also willing to grant Romania additional funds for environment protection.