Romanian Shale Gas: Protests Mount as Chevron to Proceed

Protesters took to the streets in Barlad, Vaslui County on Wednesday to express concern with the Ponta government's views on shale gas exploration and development.

A crowd estimated at upwards of 7,000 protesters carried placards bearing messages including "Chevron GO HOME", 'Do not destroy our future', 'Chevron is the worst American dream. Citizens, wake up!', and 'Barladeni save the future of your children!'

The march organized by the Civil Society Initiative Group Barlad (GISC), which saw participation of local politiciana and environmental activists from the immediate area, as well as from Galati, Iasi, Constanta, Buzau, Bihor, Timisoara, and Vrancea. This is the fourth protest held in Barlad since 2012. A secondary protest was also organised in University Square in Bucharest by environmental organizations.

Since the beginning of this year, Chevron has received three certificates from Vaslui County Council for exploration works in the county in order to exploit shale gas.

GISC has been leading a campaign traveling through villages and towns in Vaslui County, conducting outreach activities in churches and community centers, aimed at informing local citizens about shale gas activities.

 Ovidiu Tiron, member of GISC Barlad, urged citizens to follow the successful course of Bulgarian activists and to increase their agitation.

"How can they give green light to shale gas exploitation, as far as there is no legislation in place for that?" said Tiron as quoted by the Vaslui Journal.

"By this protest, we request to be consulted, as civil society, on the subject so important such as exploration and exploitation of shale gas through hydraulic fracturing method. the leader of GISC Bârlad, Neculai Rotaru.

 "That is why we cannot accept to become victims of Chevron, which is so determined to begin work."

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