In the cafes of Krumovgrad, Bulgaria, young and old debate the proposed opening of a large open-pit gold mine by a Canadian company, a project that could increase jobs—but also contaminate the water.
Spurred by the rising worldwide demand for gold, a Canadian mining company, Dundee Precious Metals, and its Bulgarian subsidiary, Balkan Mineral & Mining, have made plans to open a big open-pit gold mine on the hill of Ada Tepe, near the town of Krumovgrad, in southeast Bulgaria.
The Bulgarian government says gold mining will bring jobs and wealth to the impoverished town of Krumovgrad. But local residents fear the project might pollute their real treasure: water.
The end of November. Sofia, Bulgaria. I should be wearing a sweater underneath a zipped-up parka. A woolen hat, mittens perhaps. It used to snow here in November – a few centimeters, no more, the pleasant foreplay of winter, but enough for all the horned up skiers and snowboarders to start waxing their toys, glancing up occasionally at the white, diaphanous lingerie of nearby Mount Vitosha (2290 m).
Georgi Stoev’s Gangster Pulp
Липсата на социални връзки, на връзки между нас самите и заобикалящата ни среда, е най-сериозният проблем в България. (In Bulgarian)
Among the Roma of Bulgaria