Water from Šikulje will be pumped out by foreigners, we cannot manage on our own

Foreign companies specialized in pumping water, from several European countries, should start pumping water from the „Šikulje“ mine in Tuzla in about ten days, reports the Bosnian news agency Patria (NAP).

Enver Omazić, director of the „Kreka“ mine, which includes the „Šikulje“ mine, confirmed for Patria that the mine management is in negotiations with several foreign companies whose experts are expected to start pumping water from the mine in about ten days. The mine was flooded with over 20 million cubic meters of water during the floods in Bosnia and Herzegovina last month, resulting in direct damage to equipment exceeding 25 million KM.

- I cannot say exactly which company will help with pumping water, as we are negotiating with multiple parties. But I can confirm that the negotiations will be concluded in the next few days, and pumping will begin in about ten days – Omazić said.

During the catastrophic floods in Bosnia and Herzegovina last month, the „Šikulje“ mine, which employs about 800 workers, was flooded with over 20 million cubic meters of water. Although the mine management made enormous efforts to drain the water after the floods, beneath which valuable machinery is located, they concluded that it was not possible to achieve this without the help of foreign companies.

- According to the offers submitted by foreign companies, we could drain the water from the mine in two months, but if we were to do it ourselves, it would take us much longer – Omazić said.

- And that is not profitable for us at all, because we suffer millions in losses every month due to standing idle, i.e., not producing – Omazić added.

Some workers from the „Šikulje“ mine have been reassigned to other jobs, some are on annual leave, or are on standby. However, all of them will receive 80 percent of their regular salary in the coming period, as employees of the entire „Kreka“ collective have renounced part of their income in favor of colleagues whose workplaces were affected, writes Patria.