Mining: What is the scope of Cortiz’s announcement?

IN official newspapers Cabinet Resolutions 124 and 125 dated October 29, 2023 were released authorizing the introduction of a bill authorizing a moratorium on metal mining in Panama and a bill calling for referendum opt for Contrate Law 406 of 2023.

Scope of the decision made Cabinet Council on Sunday, which was not strong enough to appease the spirits of Panamanians opposed to mining activities in Panama, he explained Minister of the Environment, Milciades Concepción.

Concepción explained that the draft Law which prohibits the granting of new concessions for the exploration, extraction, transport and benefit from the exploitation of metal ores throughout the state, will be presented by the minister Trade and Industry, Federico Alfaro, to the National Assembly representative this Monday, October 30.

In this sense, there would not be a single metal mine in operation in the country and it would be waiting for a referendum to define the future of the Cobra Panamá project.

“The law that abolishes metal mining in Panama does not include the granting of new ones, nor those that are in the process. The only one that is in order today is Minera Panamá. Cerro Quema does not have a current concession, so it is not “I would give you a concession after this Law bring.”he detailed.

There would be practically none left a metal mine in Panama with this Act in force, pointed out the head of the environment.

Concepción explained that the President of the Republic has the constitutional power to call Extraordinary sessions of the Plenary Session of the National Assembly iWe hope that this law banning metal mining in the country will be Republic law between Thursday and Friday this week, he said.

The above establishes that as of Friday we will have only one mine in Panama orwaiting and what His future will be defined on December 17.

A month and a half until the referendum
In the meantime, government minister will present a draft law calling for December 17, 2023 And binding national consultation to make a decision on the termination or non-termination of the contract on the mining concession approved by Law 406 of 2023

Mining activity is legal in Panama under the Mining Law of 1963. “The activity is not illegal, perhaps the bad thing was the terms that were put into that 1997 contract, which did not have favorable terms for the land. With the Law 406 contract, the State was granted better conditions from a financial, economic, labor, social and environmental point of view,” defended Concepción.

presidential message
Then 8 days of protest and in a message of one and a half minutes, President of the Republic, Laurentino Cortizo Cohenon national radio and television, announced this Sunday that he will ask the Electoral Court to call a public consultation on Sunday, December 17, 2023, so that Panamanians can decide by right to vote whether or not to repeal Law 406 on mining. contract.

He also announced that a ban on metal mining at the national level would be enshrined in law.