The strike by miners at Kosovo's Trepca complex over unpaid salaries has entered its fourth week, with no resolution in sight. The miners have been on strike since the beginning of July, demanding payment for June and July wages.
The government has announced that it is reviewing a work plan submitted by the Trepca enterprise and will decide on financial support based on the plan and a commitment to reduce costs and increase production. However, the miners feel abandoned and neglected, as expressed by Ibrahim Januzi, head of the Independent Union of Trepca Miners.
This is not the first time the miners have resorted to strikes due to unpaid wages. In November 2023, a similar strike lasted ten days and ended after an agreement was reached with the government, including promises of timely salary payments, improved working conditions, and job security. However, these promises appear to have been unfulfilled.
The Trepca mine complex, once Kosovo's most profitable conglomerate during the Yugoslav era, is currently operating at a low capacity due to a long-standing ownership dispute. The complex is divided along ethnic lines, with the northern part employing workers from the Serb-majority north of Kosovo and being run by Belgrade, while the southern part employs Kosovo Albanian workers and is under the control of the Kosovo authorities.
