Hellas Gold takes action against ex-minister Skourletis

Hellas Gold and four unions representing workers at the Halkidiki mines it manages on behalf of Canadian giant Eldorado took legal action on Friday against the recent ministerial decision that led to the suspension of work at the sites.

Hellas Gold argues in the complaint filed at the Council of State that the decision taken on August 19 by then energy minister Panos Skourletis (photo) to suspend the technical study for the mines’ processing plant went against the Greek Constitution.

The company says the Greek government’s decision to put the project on ice violated the principles of good administration and the separation of the judicial and executive powers.

The firm and the unions, which represent some 2,000 miners, argue that Skourletis’s decision should be suspended, allowing work at the Skouries and Olympiada sites to continue.