Metallurgists from the Lead and Zinc Complex in Kardjali form a human chain against a bank

Just after 8.00 pm on Tuesday, about 40 metallurgists barred the entrance to the third induction furnace in the Lead and Zinc Complex in Kardjali and did not allow their colleagues, who were hired by a creditor bank, to enter and start draining the facility. The electricity supply to the complex will be stopped. The Zashtita (Protection) Trade Union, quoted by BNR, informed that 20 tonnes of melted zinc were planned to be drained from the induction furnace that day. One of the creditor banks – BNP Paribas – wants to take the metal which was pledged as collateral.

Stefan Atanassov, District Chairman of the Trade Union, hired 15 of the smelters, who left the complex, to drain the furnace for a salary of BGN 400. The managers of the Lead and Zinc Complex did not know about the upcoming destruction of the facility. “These 15 smelters have no labour contracts, they have no protective equipment for safe labour conditions and no one came to tell us officially what is going to happen,” Stefan Atanassov, an engineer technologist at the Lead and Zinc Complex, said, quoted by BNR.

Each furnace contains 20 tonnes of zinc worth between $25,000 and $30,000. "Once the furnaces are stopped, there will be no positive scenario left," Duma newspaper cited Atanassov. The trade union is convinced that this move will not only not solve the problem of providing collateral for the loans secured, but it will also result in closing the plant down.

The workers, who prevented their colleagues from entering the facility, wanted to talk with the only member of the management – the Economic Director - Valentin Manev. They demand that proceeds from the sale of the 20 tonnes of zinc in the furnace be used to pay their salaries.

Atanassov said that there are two furnaces currently working at the plant and the second one is probably going to be closed down. Some 70 people are engaged in keeping the installations working.

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