In Altai, a group of former miners announced a hunger strike, demanding to pay salary debts

Sixteen former employees of Aktash Mining and Metallurgical Enterprise (AGMP OJSC) in the Altai Republic announced a hunger strike on Wednesday, demanding repayment of debts for salaries for 2001-2003.

The total salary arrears of almost 50 former employees of the AGMP is more than 2 million rubles, the Deputy Prime Minister of the Government of the Republic Robert Paller told Interfax.

Until 2004, the Aktash mining and metallurgical enterprise was state-owned, and then was declared bankrupt and sold. Recently, it resumed its activities, but the new owner is in no hurry to pay off the debts of a non -existent state -owned enterprise.

According to Paller, a commission was created in the republican government, whose members on Thursday will leave for the village of Aktash of the Ulagansky district to deal with the situation on the spot and find out whether it was possible to pay out workers' salary debts during the liquidation of the AGMP.

Aktash Mining and Metallurgical Enterprise is engaged in prey and processing of mercury. Previously, it was a city -forming for the village of Aktash, now only 40 people were busy on it.