On 29 May 2017 and 30 May 2017, the federal media and BHRT in their main news program and electronic media quoted a statement by Mr. Ćamil Zaimović, director of RMU Breza, that 1300 people employed in the Coal mine Breza will lose their jobs, because the Institute for Standardization of Bosnia and Herzegovina does not want to issue a positive opinion regarding the equipment installed in RMU Breza which is a prerequisite for obtaining a use permit issued by the Federal Ministry of Energy, Mining and Industry.

Given that media reporters who passed this statement on 30 May 2017 did not comply with the basic postulates of professional journalism and requested and published the statement of the other party, and due to the right to verified information, we inform the public that:

The Ex (Explosive) Commission of BiH is working at the Institute for Standardization of Bosnia and Herzegovina, an expert body of the Institute dealing with testing and certification of devices used in areas endangered with explosive mixtures, flammable gases, flammable liquids and flammable airborne dust. Members of the Ex-Commission of BiH are prominent experts with long-term experience in this field, that are not employees of the Institute for Standardization of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and doing their job responsibly and in accordance with the Law, the accompanying by-laws and standards.

In 2014, a public procurement of the shearer loader type SL-300 from EICKHOFF, Germany was conducted in RMU Breza. Members of the Ex-Commission of BiH also conducted a type testing of this product in the manufacturer’s factory and on that occasion they controlled factory production, raw material inputs, product control, installation, suppliers, quality management system, technical documentation, spare parts, possibility of servicing, education, employee licenses, etc. According to the findings of the Ex-Commission, the product has met the requirements of modern European Standards and, on the basis of a positive opinion, the Ex-Commission issued a type certificate for the mentioned product.

After the shearer loader was installed in the RMU Breza pit, the Ex-Commission had an obligation to inspect and issue an individual certificate confirming that the equipment was installed in a mine pit in the state the manufacturer recommends  and in accordance with the requirements listed in the technical specification.

Ex-Commission originally issued an individual certificate but retracted it later when it was found that the representatives of RMU Breza had reconstructed the shearer loader and removed a number of sprinklers, used for damping dust and preventing sparks or explosions in the mines. At the same time, the flow of the same water serves to cool the engine. According to the opinion of the equipment manufacturer, the reconstruction did not comply with the specified technical specification, and the reconstruction did not meet the requirements of the ATEX Directive (the high European standards that Mr Zaimović refers to), so the Ex-Commission withdrew an individual certificate.

Following the meeting of the representatives of the Institute for Standardization of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the members of the Ex-Commission of BiH, the Chief Federal Inspector and the representatives of RMU Breza, that was held on 30 May 2017 to resolve the resulting situation, it was agreed that the representatives of RMU Breza would return the shearer loader to the original state and meet the technical specification of the manufacturer.

Representatives of the Ex-Commission will re-enter the Kamenica pit on 6 June 2017 and review the shearer loader. If everything is in accordance with the regulations, the Ex-Commission will issue a positive opinion, or individual certificate, under an urgent procedure.

The Institute for Standardization of Bosnia and Herzegovina was established with the aim of being at the service of the economy and citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The intention of the Institute and the Ex-Commissions is not to disable the work of RMU Breza but to present a professional opinion when it comes to the deviation from the ATEX Directive and European standards endangering the safety, life and health of miners.