Protesting miners in Bosnia on Monday won promises from authorities to give them back pay and to work towards missing pension contributions, as the country winds down their coal mine.
The accord was struck in 鈥榙ifficult negotiations鈥� between a delegation of miners and officials in the Muslim-Croat federation, one of the two entities governing Bosnia since its 1990s war, union boss Sinan Husic said.
Authorities pledged to make good missing May and June salaries by the end of this month, and to find a solution by mid-August so that 24 miners unpaid since 2024 can retire, Husic said.
Earlier, around 400 miners staged a protest in Bosnia鈥檚 capital Sarajevo.
Bosnia is heavily reliant on a dozen state-managed coal mines for its energy needs, even as it faces pressure to seek cleaner energy while it courts European Union membership.
The sector has long been plagued by poor management, failure to pay pensions, and a spotty record on environmental stewardship.
Most of the protesters were employed at the Zenica coal mine, which since March 2024 has been in the process of being shut down, ending 144 years of operation.
The mine has more than 500 workers, who are owed more than $83 million in unpaid pension contributions and taxes.
A loan has been negotiated with the World Bank to cover the debt.
Several other mines face similar problems and the sector鈥檚 debt is estimated to exceed $580 million.
Bosnia has committed to transitioning its economy to renewable energy sources by 2050.
Roughly two-thirds of the electricity produced in the Balkan nation is generated by 聽mostly ageing coal-fuelled power plants.
