In Skouries, Chalkidiki and several other sites in northern Greece, there are plans for gigantic ore mining projects with severe consequences for these regions’ environment, economy and society.
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SKOURIES
- - Rich primary forest
- - Source of clean water
- - Aristotle’s homeland
- - Agriculture and tourism-based economy
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MINING
- - Destruction of the forest
- - Water depletion and contamination
- - Toxic dust and waste
- - An activity that preempts all others
It is often claimed that mining companies generate tax revenues and jobs.
Canadian company Eldorado Gold has mining plans of pharaonic proportions in Northern Greece. Its direct parent is a Dutch mailbox company. This triggered an investigation by Amsterdam-based research centre SOMO into possible tax avoidance by Eldorado Gold and subsidies it receives from the state. This is a common issue in other parts of the world. In Zambia, campaigners have exposed that only two of eight foreign mining companies have reported any profits for years.
The preliminary findings of SOMO’s report, titled Eldorado Gold: The role of Dutch mailbox companies in tax avoidance and human rights violations in Greece will be presented in this Public Meeting.*
The presentation will be followed by workshops.
* The full report will be published in December.