Illegal Chinese workers, death and a construction site that is still not closed
support4partnership.org

cross-posted from: https://scribe.disroot.org/post/5733777

Key points:

  • A huge solar power plant is under construction on Komanje Brdo in Stolac, in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), billed as a major investment in renewable energy. As announced, the construction of this area should become the largest photovoltaic facility in BiH.
  • In June 2025, a Chinese worker died at the construction site. According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton (HNK), the deceased worker was killed while standing next to a forklift, after a pallet with a load fell on him.
  • An inspection by authorities then found a total of 141 citizens of the People’s Republic of China who were employed at a construction site of which 71 were without previously approved temporary residence in BiH and without work permits. The dead worker was one of the illegal laborers.
  • Despite the fact that the competent authorities have determined that a significant number of workers employed on this construction site were employed illegally, the construction site continues to operate and employs foreign nationals.
  • A special problem is the fact that behind the project being built near Stolac by Ailin Technology and Industry, a company registered in BiH, but which cooperates with the Chinese company Norinco. That company is running the project in Komanja Brdo and is on the blacklist of the United States of America.
  • Like other Chinese projects in Bosnia and Herzegovina, but also in other countries of the Western Balkans, this case is also a common business practice of Chinese companies in the region. The main characteristics are the lack of transparency of the project, but also the violation of domestic legislation.
  • Unfortunately, it took the death of a Chinese worker for the public to become more interested in this construction site and to identify numerous omissions and violations of Bosnian legislation.

Here is an article about the death of the Chinese worker: Authorities find 71 Chinese nationals working Illegally at Komanje Brdo solar project - (5 October 2025)