Romania

Political situation:

• political platform presented in Parliament through their investment in June.
• A legislative bill on hydrofracking drilling initiated in Parliament by a group of ten MPs: Rejected by Senate in Chamber (final vote), Open issue for the present.
• With elections in early December, they might postpone it for the new legislative as well.
• The agency officials responsible with mineral resources, and those academics supporting industry, claims that being the early phase of the research, hydraulic fracturing will not be used in Romania in the case of unconventional gas in the next several years (!).
• The former governing party (PDL- Democrat Liberals) were much in favor of SG, and the President Traian Basescu is well-known as the biggest lobbyist for industry. (Doing the same with cyanides mining projects).
• Parliamentary elections on 9th December: This hot issue seems to be avoided by most politicians, not to lose confidence & votes. Even the claimed moratorium is more about doing nothing until December. The Social Democrats that are in charge now with the Government and have the Prime Minister, have a cautious approach at this time.

Shale Gas activities
Aurelian Oil and Gas Slovakia, headed by Stanislav Benada, a shale gas supporter known also in the Czech republic, has been exploring for conventional oil and gas since 2006.
2000 km2 had been explored by 2D seismic measurements and airplane gravitometry.
Mobilisation
No real mobilisation so far, as no official shale gas exploration plans are known.
The only group that expressed concerned is Vlk, an environmental organisation led by Juraj Lukac.