Romania to be sued for $4.4 billion over unbuilt gold mine

BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) - Canadian mining company Gabriel Resources says it will sue Romania for $4.4 billion in losses over a gold mine that Romania's government scrapped following protests.

A press release said a suit would be filed Friday with a World Bank tribunal, arguing Romania had violated the "investment treaty... by licensing and then blocking the implementation" of projects "without due process and without compensation."

Jonathan Henry, Gabriel's CEO, said the company had "operated in good faith and.... complied with all applicable Romanian and European Union legal and regulatory requirements," to obtain permits for the mine.

The open mine project would have been Europe's largest gold mine.

But it provoked huge environmental protests. The government withdrew its support for the project in 2014.

Romania has to respond to the suit by Feb. 2018.