Greek Council of State cancels Govt recall of Hellas Gold Mining Study Permit

The controversy over mining projects in northern Greece continues as the Greek Council of State cancelled the Productive Reconstruction, Environment and Energy Ministry’s decision to recall the permits for Hellas Gold‘s technical mining studies in northern Greece.

The country’s supreme court argued that the recall of the permit is baseless.

On August 19, Productive Reconstruction, Environment and Energy Minister Panos Skourletis had announced the recall of Hellas Gold’s technical study as well as the reconsideration of the company’s permit.

However, on August 14, the Council of State had ruled that Hellas Gold’s operations and plans should proceed after the company had sought legal approval in response to the Greek government’s intention to recall the company’s permits back in April.

The Council of State’s announcement on Thursday stirred the response of the Greek Ministry.

“The decision of the Council of State neither concerns nor cancels the decision of the Productive Reconstruction, Environment and Energy Ministry over the recall of the decision to permit technical studies in Skouries and partly in Olympias,” the Ministry’s announcement said and further noted that it concerns the previous action taken by the former Energy Minister back in April.

By Anastassios Adamopoulos – Aug 27, 2015/ greekreporter.com