Tripca in Production Crisis

The metallural Trepca plant has so far failed to produce even half of the products described in its 2024 business plan, mainly due to worker strikes and lack of raw materials.

From January to August, miners have not worked 74 working days.

And their salaries depend on production, respectively.

On August 27th, Trepca's leadership declared a state of emergency because, as it said, major daily losses in production, and decided to temporarily suspend the annual holiday workers for September, October and November of this year.

About Trepca

The Trepca metallural complex, located in the Mitrovica region, is an 80 per cent action society of the Government of Kosovo, and 20 percent are of the employees of the company.

The main products produced there are rushes and concentrations of lead and rust containing silver, gold, and other elements.

Until the 1990s, when the political situation has deteriorated, Trepca has been calculated as one of the largest companies not only in Kosovo, but also in the territory of then Yugoslavia.

The next period has started to drop production and reduce the number of workers -- from about 20,000 then -- today there are about 700 miners.

Old machines over 50 years and lack of maintenance have become constant problems.

Workers' strikes, in search of better conditions and higher wages, have time and again.

The nation operates with 13 business units in different Kosovo territories.

The Stanterg mine is the main source of xehes, followed by the Chisnica and Artana flotilla mine.

Radio Free Europe analysed the 2024 Business Plan for these units, where it was scheduled for this year to produce over 210 thousand tons of xheh and capital of lead and Zinch more than 160 thousand tonnes in the Stanterg Mine and over 41 thousand tonnes in the Kishnica and Artana Mine.

But, the Stanterg Mine, until August, has managed to produce only about 53 thousand tonnes of xheh, or realise 1/3 of the dynamic plan, says flotilla production director Bujar Jashar, for Radio Free Europe.

According to him, the reasons for the sub-production relate to the layoffs due to strikes, the lack of raw materials provided by private companies, as well as mismanagement in the nation.

“Initially, in the months of March-prill, there has been no production for 32 days, because the first item has been missing -- ”, says Jashar.

According to him, miners have not worked for another 35 days in July and August, due to non-realisation of the salary -- similar to seven days in June.

Radio Free Europe received no answer from the leaders of the Artana and Kishnica Mines for the amount of production.

But, in the decision to declare the state of emergency, provided by the REL, it is said that in two flotillas, Stanterg and Kishnica and Artana, from July 10th to August 15th, “has had large daily losses in production and stops in realising the business plan”.

The decision envisions mobilising all capacities to stabilise the company's operational and financial situation.

A day after announcing the state of emergency, Trepca's leadership said via a Facebook post that “over the rest of the year, the company aims to increase production and limit expenditures under an action plan adopted by the Supervision Board”.

The chairman of the Miners' Union, Ibrahim Jonuzi, shows that all miners are in their jobs and that they are working with high intensity.

“Problem, currently, are outdated devices, machines... And it's affecting the amount of production”, he says of Radio Free Europe.

For four years over 28m euros from the government

Due to the failure to realise wages as a result of the sub-production, the Kosovo government has allocated more than fourm euros for miners' salaries on 14 August.

For the same purpose, tools have been divided over the past few years.

For salaries and operational services, the Government, over the past four years, has earmarked over 28m euros”, says a written statement that the Trepca leadership sent to the REL.

“The bulk of the tools have gone to salary and operational spending on production”, according to her.

Bashkim Kurti, who until early August was the chief executive chief of Trepca, tells Radio Free Europe that the company has outdated machinery but expresses confidence that even under such conditions it can provide the necessary revenues for wages and expenses.

“cannot be produced unless [minors] do even three hours of effective work. Here's the main problem and this approach has to change. Trepca products have sufficient markets, but there is no production of”, he says.

The miners' salaries in Trepca range from 700 to 900 euros, depending on professional experience and preparation.

They have neither health nor vital insurance, while incidents in the nation occur constantly.

Free Europe Radio has reported several times how miners, in addition to older machines, face a lack of basic conditions, such as boots or helmets.

Contacted by Radio Free Europe, the Kosovo government did not answer the question of whether there are investment plans.

However, it has demanded several times from the Trepca management to increase production and therefore financial revenues.

Economy Minister Artane Rizvanolli met some of the miners in Stantrg on August 23rd.

She has said that the Government is willing to invest in Trepca, “only when justice is established”, without demonstrating more specifically what justice it is talking about.

Despite the effort, neither has the REL managed to contact him.

How can Trepca be resurrected?

The market, where Trepca currently exports, is European.

According to Trepca's REL leadership statement, in the last five years, its products are sold in Switzerland, England and Bulgaria.

But despite market security, only with the sale of concentrations, Trepca cannot survive, says Izet Ibrahimi, professor at the Faculty of Genocency at the University of Mitrovica “Isa Boletini”.

Trepca's resurrection, according to him, can only happen if it partially passes into the hands of the private sector, because government investments are for survival and not for its development.

All governments in progress, emotionally influenced, want to maintain social ownership that I think is a big mistake. There is a form of public-private partnership or concession to provide a sector, such as metallurgy, processing products...”, says Ibrahimi.

The Kosovo government did not answer even the question of whether Trepca can be privatised in part.

Jashari says the <x0minors work in medieval conditions”.

To have production, there must be technology. Cars are old, maintenance is expensive. You're counting on buying a new one rather than maintaining a car”, according to him. / REL/