Zenica miners remain in Raspotočje jam protesting unpaid wages and health‑insurance delays

Eighteen miners from the Zenica soft‑coal mine entered the Raspotočje underground shaft and, for a second night, stayed there to protest delayed salaries and the inability to have their health‑insurance cards verified. The protest also involves miners from Kakanj and Breza, who face the same problem.

The Health Insurance Institute of the Zenica‑Doboj Canton, which is owed more than 175 million KM in unpaid contributions, extended the verification period for health‑insurance cards by 30 days for three mines, but the miners say the measure does not address their unpaid May and June wages. Union vice‑president Elvedin Alić said workers “show great determination and do not want to leave” and added, “We are all deceived together.”

While the number of miners in the jam fell from 18 to 11 as some were assigned to ventilation and water‑pumping tasks, no serious injuries have been reported; one miner experienced a mild cold. The mines are slated for closure, and equipment extraction is pending. Government officials, including Minister Vedran Lakić, have offered no concrete timetable for resolving the debt or paying the wages, prompting continued distrust among the workers.