Željezara workers spoke with the owner: Alkaj will not change the decision, but we will not give up on the request either

Representatives of the workers of the Nikšić Željezata Tosčelik, who have been staying around the factory for four days, spoke today with the management regarding their demands not to give them notices and to start production.

As Ljubiša Đurković said, the meeting with CEO Erkut Alkaj was short.

"His decision is firm and he will not change it. I also said that our position is firm, that we are not giving up on our request to start production. I asked for the decision of the competent board and he said that they told him verbally. I asked for a decision in writing because we do not recognize the decision to fire the worker, which will be checked by the inspectorate," Đurković said.

According to him, Alkaja said that the owners are ready to sell Željezar, that he is not in the negotiating team, and that the owners have informed the Minister of Economy at what price they intend to sell the factory.

A member of the workers' negotiation team, Ljubiša Đikanović, said that today they have a meeting with the Minister of Economy where they will finally "find out the famous price at which the owner is ready to sell the factory.

"We are still staying here, and we have an announcement that the workers of other failed companies who have remained or remain without work will join us," said Đikanović.

Last week, the director of Toscelik told the trade union that they do not intend to start production, and that in the next three months all 229 workers from production will lose their jobs, while only twenty workers from management will be retained.

After that, the workers locked themselves in the factory, and were visited by the Minister of Economy Goran Đurović and the President of the Municipality of Nikšić, Marko Kovačević, who promised them help within the limits of legal possibilities and powers.

Businessman Miodrag Daka Davidović said that he is ready to buy Željezara under the same conditions under which the Turkish company Tosjali Holding bought it in 2012. They then bought the former industrial giant for 15,1 million euros.

Production at the Ironworks was stopped in March last year, and workers received 90 percent of their wages.