The operation of coalmine and thermal power plant (RiTE) Gacko is increasingly uncertain and the survival of large number of jobs is at risk, warned the Confederation of Trade Unions of the Republic of Srpska (RS).
Last week, the management of RiTE Gacko informed its parent company ERS and RS Government that the further operation of this energy giant is endangered. The Confederation of Trade Unions claims that the policy pursued by ERS management, i.e. the restructuring of subsidiaries, is very bad and has led to a situation in which further operation of the two main electricity producers RiTE Gacko and RiTE Ugljevik is at risk. Zeljko Tepavcevic from the Confederation of Trade Unions said that ERS is currently in the process of restructuring. While this has been portrayed as something good, it has not led to improvement, but rather the opposite. All five electricity distribution companies have been put in a difficult financial situation and unable to do business. He pointed out that ERS paid 20 million euros less for the production of electricity for the period from June 2018 to December 2020, and that this contributed to the deteriorating position of coal-based electricity producers. The Unions asked the Government to provide the grant they promised at the beginning of the restructuring in the amount of 12.5 million euros per year for the next three years.
ERS management refuted the claims of the Confederation of Trade Unions, adding that, as electricity producer, RiTE Gacko has all conditions for normal operation.
