The Zenica steel mill, operating since 1892, is shutting down production on April 22, 2026. The blast furnace goes first, followed by the steel mills. 1,900 workers lose their jobs. One of the oldest industrial facilities in the Balkans ends its steel production.

The reason is familiar and painful: imported steel from India, China, and Italy is cheaper because those countries subsidize their producers. Management asked for protective tariffs twice in March, and the Council of Ministers rejected both requests - explaining that such measures would violate the Stabilisation and Association Agreement and WTO rules.

Once the largest enterprise in Yugoslavia, the Zenica steel mill was a symbol of Yugoslav industry. The coke plant in Lukavac already closed in February, leaving 800 people jobless. Estimates suggest another 10,000 jobs in railways and mining are at risk.

Management announced an attempt to convert the facility rather than close entirely, but without a concrete plan. In the Balkans, this is not a new story: factories that survived two world wars, socialism, and the transition ultimately fall under the pressure of globalization. Zenica is not the exception - it is the rule.