Nova Željezara Zenica rejected for extraordinary administration and offered free lease to Bosnian Federation

The Municipal Court in Zenica dismissed the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina's proposal to place Nova Željezara Zenica under extraordinary administration and to appoint Sena Šaranović as administrator. The court's decision halted the government's plan to intervene in the steel plant, which critics say was intended to prevent owner Gordan Pavlović from liquidating the facility.

Separately, the plant announced a second offer to lease the entire factory and its production infrastructure to the Federation at no cost, provided the government secures all jobs and restarts integral steel production. The offer, addressed to Prime Minister Nermin Nikšić and Energy Minister Vedran Lakić, reiterates conditions that workers be retained and that the lease lasts as long as production continues. Economic analyst Svetlana Cenić described the entire process of introducing extraordinary administration as a public spectacle, questioning why the government failed to exercise pre‑emptive purchase rights before Pavlović acquired the assets.