The sitting was chaired by Committee Chairman Milorad Buha and attended by representatives of the Initiative Committee of former workers, management representatives, as well as representatives of the Ministry of Economy and Regional Development, Serbian Chamber of Commerce and Serbian Union of Employers.

The Holding management said that the obligation toward their former employees according to the contract should be met by 31 December 2011, but the workers have on several occasions blocked the entrance into the factory and harbour in Prahovo thus preventing their functioning and production of strategic products for the agriculture and chemical industry. In addition, the work of several companies whose production depends on the Holding’s products or those who use Prahovo harbour to deliver their products or bring in raw materials was also blocked, such as RTB Bor, Holcim, Victoria Group, Zorka Sabac, Agrovojvodina etc.

The former workers believed that they had no other recourse, except blocking the entrance, in fighting for the outstanding salaries taken over by the buyer of Holding as an obligation when they signed the privatisation contract, as they have on several occasions requested dialogue, successive payment, as well as guarantees that their salaries would be paid on time. As their attempts were rebuffed they resorted to the blockade well aware that it also damages the remaining employees and other users of Holding products.

Committee Chairman Milorad Buha proposed that the blockade should not happen again, that Holding should be enabled to function normally and the management, which is in financial straits, should attempt come up with a payment dynamics and inform the Committee which would in turn contact the former employees.