Đukanović "warns" Russian mine owner

Montenegrin PM Milo Djukanovic today weighed in on a strike organized by miners employed at a bauxite mine in northern Montenegro. The miners, demanding payment of overdue wages and a "restart of production", have spent the past week in the pits. Djukanovic "warns" Russian mine owner Now Djukanovic called upon the owners – Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska's En+ Group's Central European Aluminum Company (CEAC) – to "assume responsibility for the situation in the company". According to reports from Podgorica, he "warned" the owner that they had an obligation to respect the law and the state. “It is unbelievable that the most important representatives of the majority owner, except the executive director, did not think it was appropriate to stop their vacation while the workers are striking for days in the pits,” Djukanovic told Podgorica daily Pobjeda and accused the owner of the mine of “ruining the government’s efforts which tried to substitute the role of the irresponsible owner.” “I would not appreciate being in a situation once again of having to explain that the state institutions must be respected and that this is an obligation of both domestic and foreign investors,” Djukanovic said and warned that “neither security nor unfounded arrogance would help if that line was crossed.” Deripaska's operation also owns Montenegro's aluminum processing company KAP, and the government in Podgorica recently signed a settlement contract, providing EUR 135mn "for the survival of the aluminum industry in Montenegro". Meanwhile in the mine near the town of Niksic, more than 80 miners on strike have threatened that they would not come out of the pits until their demands have been met. Montenegrin Minister of Health Miodrag Radunovic visited them last night, along with Minister of Labor and Social Care Suad Numanovic and Niksic Hospital Director Ilija Asanin and stated that the miners were "in a serious condition". Radunovic called on the mine’s administration to settle its debts as soon as possible. He stated that he had tried to convince the miners to come and negotiate with the government once again, but that they were demanding to receive guarantees first.

Đukanović "warns" Russian mine owner

Now Đukanović called upon the owners – Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska's En+ Group's Central European Aluminum Company (CEAC) – to "assume responsibility for the situation in the company".

According to reports from Podgorica, he "warned" the owner that they had an obligation to respect the law and the state.

“It is unbelievable that the most important representatives of the majority owner, except the executive director, did not think it was appropriate to stop their vacation while the workers are striking for days in the pits,” Đukanović told Podgorica daily Pobjeda and accused the owner of the mine of “ruining the government’s efforts which tried to substitute the role of the irresponsible owner.”

“I would not appreciate being in a situation once again of having to explain that the state institutions must be respected and that this is an obligation of both domestic and foreign investors,” Đukanović said and warned that “neither security nor unfounded arrogance would help if that line was crossed.”

Deripaska's operation also owns Montenegro's aluminum processing company KAP, and the government in Podgorica recently signed a settlement contract, providing EUR 135mn "for the survival of the aluminum industry in Montenegro".

Meanwhile in the mine near the town of Nikšić, more than 80 miners on strike have threatened that they would not come out of the pits until their demands have been met.

Montenegrin Minister of Health Miodrag Radunović visited them last night, along with Minister of Labor and Social Care Suad Numanović and Nikšić Hospital Director Ilija Ašanin and stated that the miners were "in a serious condition".

Radunović called on the mine’s administration to settle its debts as soon as possible. He stated that he had tried to convince the miners to come and negotiate with the government once again, but that they were demanding to receive guarantees first.