Miners from Kakanj, Breza, and Zenica mines have been unable to validate health insurance booklets since yesterday. The Health Insurance Institute of Zenica-Doboj Canton has reactivated the Decision on the Inability to Validate Health Insurance Booklets for Miners, as the mine’s debts in Kakanj, Breza, and Zenica on the basis of unpaid health insurance contributions have exceeded 175 million BAM. Because of this, miners in Kakanj stopped working and are hoping for an urgent solution.
Miners Seek Health Insurance
Miners from Kakanj are at their workplaces, but, as they said, they cannot work until their health insurance is secured.
“We are ready to work, we want to work, and there is no compromise there. The rest is not up to us,” said Kenan Mehinagić, an employee at RMU Kakanj.
“I am taking medication for high blood pressure and cholesterol, and my family doctor won’t see me because my health insurance booklet is not validated. The medication has not been released at the pharmacy, and there is no way for me to pick up my prescription,” said Mevludin Gadžun, an employee at RMU Kakanj.
The Contract Doesn’t Solve a Problem
Miners in Kakanj and Breza tried to resolve this issue through an agreement with the Institute, but due to multi-million BAM debt, they still cannot validate their booklets. The situation is even more difficult in Zenica, as there has been no production over the last few years.
“I think the talk we had with the Director of the Institute was cooperative and that we will find a systematic solution so that we no longer have issues regarding health insurance. The Kakanj and Breza mines complied with the agreement signed on August 6th, but funds are still being sought,” said Abdel Fazlić, president of the RMU Kakanj Union.
Debt of 175 Million BAM
The Institute said they are aware of the miners’ position, but that a debt of 175 million BAM is a serious threat to the stability of the healthcare system. They added they are ready for cooperation, but that one of the minimum requirements is amending the Decision on Miners’ Retirement, which would also include payment of contributions for health insurance.
Through these decisions alone, we have been deprived of over 2.5 million BAM. We expect the Government of the Federation to state its position, for these decisions to be amended, and for the Institute to meet the conditions to collect these claims. We also asked them to clarify what the minimum amount is that the Government of the Federation can immediately transfer to the account of the Institute on account of past debts, which amount to 175 million BAM,” said Ahmed Kasap, Director of the Health Insurance Institute of Zenica-Doboj Canton.
Miners are expecting an urgent solution to the current situation in order to validate their booklets and, ultimately, continue working.
