Stéphanie Danielle Roth

Following weeks of uncertainty in which the Bucharest government considered withdrawing its application for UNESCO protection for Rosia Montana, a former gold mine dating from Roman times, the UN cultural heritage agency declared it a World Heritage site on Tuesday.

The move came as a relief to conservation groups who oppose the resumption of mining in the area.

Eight years after civil society groups in Romania thwarted a plan to extract gold from the former Roman mine of Rosia Montana, battle has resumed over the question of UNESCO protection.