04.09.2009.

Minister visits "Prvi partizan"

Defense Ministe Dragan Sutanovac with his colleagues visited, after having been briefed of the last night’s explosion by the management of “Prvi partisan” factory, the site of the explosion in the production facilities which claimed the lives of seven workers. After touring the site, the Minister said that the facilities looked better now than they had looked last night.

“Unfortunatelly, seven lives is the price of this incident. Noone can say for certain what happened last night and what caused the gunpowder to go off, which almost never happens. The ministry of defense, jointly with the local self-government and “Prvi partizan” management will do their utmost to put the factory back on its feet as soon as possible, while providing support for the families of those who perished last night.

Minister will insist on getting a detailed and complete report on the accident, since this is the accident with the largest number of casualties since 1995. The future gunpowder production will depend solely on the report. This is a factory of strategic importance, as Sutanovac added, as its produce is being successfully sold in the world market.

Answering the reporters’ questions on the possible relocation of the factory, the minister said that given this year’s increase of 20% and the projected increase in production of 30% it is only necessary to relocate the production facilities in another building within the factory. He added that the factory incurs 70 million RSD of costs more every year because the factory is located in underground facilities.

CEO Dobrosav Andric stated that two years ago the factory had undergone complete overhaul, and confirmed that the factory employed workers on temporary basis when the need arises.
The mayor of Uzice, Jovan Markovic said that the town was bereaved and in deep mourning over the loss of seven lives. Markovic pointed out that the Town of Uzice would support the families. He also thanked the Minister of Defense and the pOlice for a quick response and the visit of top state officials right after the accident.

The municipality investigative judge Slavica Ilic said stated that the following persons lost their lives in the last night’s accident: Svetlana Djuric, Jasmina Ostojic, Gordana Djokic, Biljana Lukovic, Vida Terzic, Dragan Milovanovic and Jelena Loncarevic.