Trepca miners go on strike

They are also seeking the dismissal of the general manager, making up their two main demands, which have pushed them on strike.

The chairman of the Trepca Workers' Union, Gani Osmani, has announced to Kosovo that work has been put off Friday, but that they are not gathered because of the pandemic situation.

According to him, workers are determined to solve this problem, otherwise they will take to the streets to protest before the government.

He adds that the request for the dismissal of the chief executive has come as an additional request, as the latter has not responded to the invitation for clarification.

It's been promised that Friday's pay will be paid, not because of the party Tuesday, it wasn't made Tuesday or today... Every month we have trouble, let's set up the plan, but we have trouble with our salaries... the employees have decided and made decisions that today's wage problem will be solved, otherwise they'll be on the way to Bord, or before the government... The main requirement was once a salary, called the chief chief to come in front of the workers to provide clarification, but has not come, then another request for the dismissal of chief-in-chief” is born, Osmani said.

Mahit Emini, miner, blaming the wages at the management, said that if this problem is not solved today, then there will be no more production.

We've recently reached everything. We are forced to extract our sweat with violence every month... The fault is at the management... we've solved this month's issue of this salary, or not a single gram of production can be given to me for this management”, Amy said.

Meanwhile, Fatmir Sadiku, a member of the Trepca Board, has appealed to the government and management to help the miners.

I appeal and request from management, but also from the government to come up with this situation of miners in support of these getting salaries and returning to work”, Syla said.

On the other hand, Trepca's chief executive, Basri Ibrahimi, explained that the new situation created in the world bell with the price of metals and their processing has caused major problems that have reflected everywhere.

He has acknowledged that miners have produced record production during the month of March, but despite this, production has managed to benefit under 600 thousand euros or, as he put it, is not enough, since the net wage required for workers is about 900 thousand euros.

Ibrahim has claimed that he is fully committed to developing Trepca, and that he has met many times with the workers he has tried to clarify the reality, so he says he does not understand the request for dismissal.

He is confident that during today the government will issue subsidies and pay salaries.

“Shams which are only needed for net wages are about 900 thousand euros, while we have benefited from the sale under 600 thousand euros. So from our product we actually don't have enough means for salaries, because prices have hit the world metal market. The miners are real that have worked and released a record output in March. We expect it to go away, actually within this hour to issue government subsidies, as well as the amount that we have sold, to pay salaries. I'm sure the pay will be paid today. I've been contacted many times with the miners, trying to explain what the situation is. Resignment is a matter that I don't know why they're looking for it, because I've done my best to change and develop Trepca, but I'm nothing but one, and I can't do that at this time of the coronary toʹi dictates the prices of the world metal market”, explain Ibrahim for Kosova Pris.