Last year 53 workers died in Serbia, the most since 2006

Marina Furtula, the acting director of the Directorate for Safety and Health said that at the same time the Directorate revoked six safety and health licences from firms and entrepreneurs.

She added that “only 30 percent of those who have the licences have performed their work in line with the law,” and that those who did not were ordered to remove the deficiencies.

A total of 344 companies and individuals have licences for safety and health.

Out of 53 casualties, 15 worked at the construction sites, while 13 were employed in the food industry.

The others died working in traffic, metal industry and warehouses.

Furtula said that since 2006 when 54 labourers died, last year was the worst regarding the number of casualties.

Zoran Djordjevic, the Minister of Labour, said the increase in the number of deaths in 2018 was alarming. He added fatal incidents in the construction industry could be attributed to more sites, but that “that could not serve as an excuse.”

Djordjevic announced more labour inspections in 2019.

“The aim is the protection of workers. We want to show that the state is dedicated to fighting against those who abuse the law and ignore it,” he said.