The Municipality of Vareš has long been one of the most uninformed municipalities in our country. Today, with the reconstruction of mining, even the railways are returning to function and a great economic development is announced. However, on the other hand, eco activists are complaining about fears of the destruction of nature.
After 5 years of preparatory work, the mine in Vareš should start operating in the tenth month of this year. The British company Adriatic metals currently employs 246 workers from all over the country. Since March, they have had the status of a project of state interest, according to its executive director.
– In principle, this is the largest investment project in BiH and the region, here I will tell you that this project when it starts will be 2.5 percent of the total GDP of BiH and 25 percent and a quarter of all foreign investments, respectively. What is most important to us and what will be exploited is silver, lead, zinc and the most sought after in this segment on the world market – said Alem Logo, CEO of Adriatic Metals BH for BHRT.
Vareš now lacks accommodation capacities, catering facilities, services, banks and other developed municipalities have. It returns to function and railroad.
– Vareš, in which today lives according to the census somewhere around 9, and certainly realistically 7 thousand inhabitants, indeed in the coming years, will get a significant number of new inhabitants, but certainly on a daily basis the entry of the business world and this is something that we have to get a little used to after 30 - 40 years where we were really rejected – said Zdravko Marosevic, Chief Vareša.
The citizens of Vareš, to whom many investments were announced as a lifeline, are today largely optimistic. The same view is not shared by eco activists. At the latest protests in Kakanj, on whose municipal border the mine is located, they point out that the mines will pollute the rivers from which Kakanj is supplied with drinking water. They also sent an open letter to foreign embassies supporting the mine.
– The investor will make a billion, you people will get diseases, you will not have water, you will not have a forest, you will have nothing. You will have a stretched land on which nothing grows anymore. Heavy metals cannot be solved by chlorine, filter or anything else – said Hajrija Čobo, representative of the informal citizens' groups "Nature Park Trstionica and Boriva" Kakanj.