MINERS FROM BULGARIA’S OBROCHISHTE MINE ON HUNGER STRIKE

Miners complain that the payment of their wages was delayed and that food vouchers were not paid on time. They say that for 10 years there has been no change in the size of their wages. Some of them receive a basic salary of 460 BGN (230 euros), which at the moment is the size of the monimum wage. For some time, the free-of-charge transport to the mine has been stopped. At present, they say they no longer demand higher wages, but a revision of the concession contract of the mine. Manganese deposit near Obrochishte (North-East Bulgaria) is the fourth largest in the world.

The miners from the night shift of Obrochishte mining pit and their colleagues from the first shift, about 50 people altogether, initiated a hunger strike on 22nd of March.

The protest started a week ago with demands for increase in the salaries and restoring the payment of social allowances. According to the miners however those demands are no longer relevant and now the question is how to save the mine.

The pumps that drain water from the galleries have been shut off and if they are not swithched on within three days, the mine will be flooded. This means that the miners remain will remain without work. Now they are demanding the government to intervene and review the concession contract. They want the mining concession to be granted to another company.

Today, the workers in Obrochiste mine filed a complaint in the prosecutor’s office in Balchik becuase their employer does not allow them to galleries. They said they would sue the company "Evromangan" for delayed wages and food vouchers.