Romania [...] boasts a diverse energy mix. The country produces about a quarter of its energy from coal, compared with almost a third from hydro and 15 percent from other renewables.

Coal producers argue that [...] the carbon-rich material is crucial for ensuring the stability of the energy system...

Romania's coal equipment is old, and European Union pollution standards mean huge investments are necessary to ensure the plants keep working...

Boza, director for Complexul Energetic Oltenia (CEO), the biggest coal company [...] wants Romania to ask the EU for a postponement in implementing the newest standards - an allowance to keep polluting for longer...

According to data from the NGO coalition Beyond Coal [...] in Romania alone [...] coal was responsible for over 1,000 premature deaths in 2015. More than half were estimated to be because of CEO alone...

The negative impacts of coal mining on the environment - destruction of local ecosystems and agricultural land; underground and overground water pollution; contamination of land and dust pollution - have been widely documented...

The Romanian energy ministry, "upon consulting with CEO", denied most of the claims...