Halkidiki miners stage protests after order to leave sites

Workers at the Halkidiki gold mines said on Monday that they would stage sit-in protests at all the sites managed by Hellas Gold after authorities asked for the miners to leave the work areas following a recent government decision to suspend the technical study for the project’s processing plant.

Mine inspectors delivered an order to the company on Monday asking for the workers to be removed pending the outcome of the dispute between Hellas Gold and the Greek state.

Representatives of the company and the caretaker government may meet to discuss the issue.

The Council of State ruled in favor of Hellas Gold last week following action brought by the company against attempts to stop the project.

The legal appeal was brought by the mining firm before ex-Energy Minister Panos Skourletis rejected the technical study.