MINIĆ: RiTE "UGLJEVIK" TO BE FULLY OPERATIONAL AFTER EXPROPRIATION IS COMPLETED

BANJA LUKA, AUGUST 11 /SRNA/ - Republika Srpska Prime Minister Savo Minić said that the Ugljevik Mine and Thermal Power Plant /RiTE Ugljevik/ could be restarted as early as today, but that without the completion of land expropriation, production would not be secure and stable.

The problem, he said, will be permanently resolved once the process is completed. Minić announced that he would visit the Ugljevik Mine and Thermal Power Plant /RiTE Ugljevik/ over the weekend, adding that the expropriation process was in its final stage, after which access would be provided to the mine pit, where coal reserves have been confirmed. "It should be said that it is not right that RiTE Ugljevik is not operating at the moment. I have instructed those responsible that they must be active around the clock. I was told that expropriation is the only and key problem holding up a solution to this situation. I am waiting for feedback on exactly when we can expect full production to begin," Minić told reporters in Banja Luka. He stressed the need to change the narrative and for all citizens to start paying greater attention to saving electricity. Minić noted that river levels across Europe had fallen significantly, already signalling potential global difficulties with electricity supplies. He also warned of a possible domino effect in the energy system, recalling outages in North Macedonia and Montenegro several years ago that directly affected the stability of the power grid in Republika Srpska.