The minister of energy, mining and mineral resources, Sanja Bozhinovska held a meeting with Gavin Ferrar, CEO of Central Asia Metals (CAML) – a British company that owns the „SASA “Mine in Makedonska Kamenica, as well as with Jamie Karamatic, newly appointed CEO of the „SASA “Mine.
The working conditions, safety of the employees and the future plans for the company's development in accordance with the national strategy for sustainable mining were the main topics of the meeting.
Minister Bozhinovska informed the interlocutors about the new Energy Law and the legal solutions related to mining, with an emphasis on:
• the introduction of stricter environmental protection standards,
• increasing of the transparency in the operations of companies,
• greater control over occupational safety and health,
• as well as the obligation for inclusive dialogue with the local community.
"Our goal is to provide clear rules of the game for companies and the highest level of protection for citizens and the environment. Mining should be developed in a sustainable manner, which will ensure both economic growth and safety for workers", minister Bozhinovska emphasized.
For their part, the company representatives welcomed the legal initiative and expressed their readiness to fully comply with the new standards. They emphasized that, as part of the sustainable development strategy, in the past seven years, "SASA" has already invested in modern mining equipment, digitalization, training and professional development of employees, introduction of the most modern technologies and standards in production and environmental protection, as well as in improving working conditions and safety, which is the highest priority.
They expressed their readiness to support the institutional dialogue that should enable further sustainable development of the mining sector in the country, according to best practices and standards for responsible mining.
With regards,
Ministry of energy, mining and mineral resources
