The huge amounts of zeolite that exist in the Evros region in northeastern Greece remain unexploited. Zeolite may add to the regional economy approximately 25 billion euros as a raw material and tens of billion as a processed material, according to estimates by the Regional Governor (of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace), George Pavlidis.
The Regional Governor of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace, in the workshop held in Alexandroupolis on the exploitation of zeolite of Evros, pointed out the urgent need of amendment of the mining legislation, since huge problems have been generated through almost colonial processes and through bureaucracy that is often insurmountable.
The deputy general director of development of the Region of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace, Dimitris Mananas, referred in his presentation to the distortions of the current legal framework on the exploitation of mineral wealth in Greece and the need to change the mining code and mining legislation. “The adventure of zeolite in Petrota of the northern Evros lasts 10 years. This means that 10 years have passed since the initial request and the process has not yet been completed. This is due to the distortions of the legal framework, the separation of the mineral wealth in many categories in our country, mainly in ores as well as industrial and construction minerals. The laws are similar, are not completely different, but unfortunately have the same distortions that result in delays and many others”.
From his part, the President of the Technical Chamber of Greece, branch of Thrace, talked about negligence of the respective governments, “which have turned a deaf ear and keep the mining of the precious ore stagnant”.
AGGELIOFOROS, 24/06/2015
