Kakanj coal miners stop work over health insurance dispute

"It is unacceptable that people who perform one of the hardest and most essential jobs cannot have their health insurance cards validated and therefore cannot access healthcare. The reason is the non-payment of health insurance contributions. Last month, the Zenica-Doboj Canton Health Insurance Institute allowed the validation of health insurance cards for employees of the Breza, Kakanj and Zenica coal mines, on the condition that a meeting on the issue be held within 15 days, by July 27, to find a solution. However, that meeting never took place, which means we are once again unable to validate the cards, prompting workers on the morning shift to resume industrial action today,'' Fazlić said.

He announced that, in light of the latest developments, a meeting has already been scheduled for 2 p.m. today at the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina Ministry of Energy, Mining and Industry. The meeting will be attended by the directors of the Zenica-Doboj Canton Health Insurance Institute, the three coal mines, the state-owned power utility Elektroprivreda BiH, and a representative of the ministry.