The bankruptcy administration has disbursed 350 euros in unpaid wages to former employees of the Bajo Sekulić Saltworks, who have been owed this amount for over a decade. The union informed “Vijesti” that 70 workers have received a portion of their debt, marking the first payment since December 2023.

“The workers are pleased as their challenging financial situations will receive some relief,” remarked the union to “Vijesti”.

Around 70 Solana employees, who remained until the factory’s closure, were terminated in 2014, the year following Solana’s last harvest.

At that time, the bankruptcy administration had accumulated a debt of approximately one and a half million euros to all former workers, including those who had departed earlier. Currently, the owed amount stands at nearly one million euros, with those who remained owed an average of just over 10 thousand euros each, according to the union.

The union also highlighted that since 2015, payments have been made periodically by the bankruptcy administration, ranging from 100 to 500 euros.

“Some workers have approached the total amount owed, meaning they are close to receiving full repayment. It is important to note that the debt in 2015 was 1.5 million euros, while it is now around one million. This latest payment gives us hope that remaining debts will be settled soon,” stated the union.

Furthermore, last year, 60 Saltworks workers received 2.7 thousand euros each from the Labor Fund, and this has contributed to reducing the overall debt. However, the remaining 10 workers did not receive this amount due to not meeting certain criteria.

In response to unpaid dues, Solana workers have begun blocking the Bar road from Ulcinj every Saturday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. They have blocked the busy thoroughfare four times, with three instances lasting two hours and the initial one lasting an hour.

The decision to obstruct city roads in protest of missed salaries and contributions was reached unanimously among workers during a May 4 meeting, commemorating 20 years since reorganized bankruptcy was established in Ulcinj’s oldest company.

At the meeting, it was agreed the roadblocks would initially last for one hour.

The bankruptcy administration currently owes workers around one million euros in unpaid salaries and contributions covering about five and a half years of service. The saltworks has been undergoing programmed bankruptcy since 2005 and classic bankruptcy since 2011, with its last salt harvest taking place in 2013.

Since 2015, the property of the Saltworks has been managed by the National Parks of Montenegro, as mandated by the Government.

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