When: Thursday 24 January 2013 @ 10.30 - 11.00

Where: Room 5G2, Altiero Spinelli (ASP) Building

Who: Nick Chrysogelos, Greens-EFA MEP, and local activists Papageorgiou Apostolos, Tzoumpas Giorgos and Krommydas Thanasis

MEP Nick Chrysogelos of the Greens/EFA group will be holding a press conference this Thursday in the European Parliament on gold mining activities and public land expropriation in Chalkidiki, Greece.  Speakers include representatives from local grassroots citizen groups.

The efforts to impose gold mining in the region have several environmental, political and financial aspects which will have a huge impact on the region and many citizen groups already oppose the government plans. The expected environmental degradation and natural resource depletion, the disorganized and corrupt political system, along with this project's questionable and unsustainable financial aspects pose serious threats to local populations.

The severe consequences will include the loss of many local jobs in tourism, beekeeping, agriculture, livestock, fisheries and other professions, not to mention the severe impact on the area's natural capital.