UPDATE 1-Eldorado CEO says mining halt in Greece will cost 600 jobs

(Adds quotes, energy minister, background)
ATHENS, Jan 12 (Reuters) - Canadian miner Eldorado Gold
ELD.TO expects the suspension of much of its mining activities
in Greece after confrontation with the country's leftist-led
government will cost more than 600 jobs, its chief executive
said on Tuesday.
The Vancouver-based gold miner had to resort to Greece's top
administrative court to annul a government decision that revoked
its mining permit in northern Greece on environmental concerns.
It won a favourable ruling in November.
The government revoked Eldorado's permit in August,
disputing the miner's tests for a so-called flash-melting
method to ensure against any environmental damage.
"Our investment is treated as a political toy, we never
anticipated this," CEO Paul Wright told reporters in Athens.
"Failure to receive timely licenses and permits has proved very
expensive.
"It's bad for Greece because it is seen as such from
off-shore," he said.
Wright will meet with leaders of opposition political
parties and Energy Minister Panos Skourletis in the next days.
Skourletis told Parapolitika radio earlier on Tuesday the
government would not be blackmailed.
"Judging from the behaviour of the company, it is another
attempt at creating blackmailing situations. No company, Greek
or foreign can blackmail the Greek state," he said.
On Monday, Eldorado said it would suspend construction at
its Skouries project in northern Greece and warned that it would
do the same at its Olympias project if it did not receive a
permit by the end of March. ID:nL2N14V2OF
Eldorado has said it has created around 2,000 direct jobs in
Greece, which suffers from a jobless rate of 25 percent, the
highest in the euro zone.
Its Greek assets make up about 30 to 40 percent of the
company's net asset value, according to analysts' estimates.
Eldorado's shares have shed 40 percent in the last 12 months,
largely due to its problems in Greece.
Wright said the treatment of Eldorado by the Greek
government would be seen as a litmus test by other potential
investors in the country.
Asked whether the company was considering pulling out,
Eldorado's CEO said the miner is not considering giving up on
its investment.
"No, we are here for a long haul," Wright said.