OREANDA-NEWS. April 15, 2008. The public affairs office of the Ministry of Interior of Ukraine in Dnepropetrovsk Region informed on 12 April, 2008 that one person died and two were taken to hospital following a shootout in Stashkov Mine of Pavlogradugol over a quarrel regarding sale of illegally produced coal, reported the press-centre of SCM.

The conflict on a waste coal pile of Stashkov Mine (not at the mine as mentioned in the statement) developed between four Pavlograd citizens when they were reshaping their influence on illegal coal recovery and sale. As a result, one person was shot dead and two brought to hospital. Another person involved in the initiated suit is wanted. Neither employees of Pavlogradugol nor the entities related to the production company are involved in the conflict.

The Stashkov mine waste coal pile is located three kilometers away from the mining enterprise. Its area is not guarded. It has been a site of illegal business of local citizens for many years. Conflicts between people trying to get the coal recovery process at the pile under their control took place in the past as well.

Administration of Pavlogradugol declares that it has been carrying out regular and consistent activities to prevent unauthorized coal recovery by outsiders from the waste coal piles in service. It is a major violation of Cl. 8.5.8. and Cl. 8.5.16 of Safety Rules in Coal Mines and other regulatory documents that stipulate that unauthorized recovery at waste coal piles as well as presence of outside people on the territory is not allowed.

Security administration of Pavlogradugol together with law-enforcement agencies holds regular activities to suppress illegal coal mining.

“We have repeatedly said that illegal coal recovery from waste coal piles is dangerous, in the first line, for those doing it. First, presence of outside people during operation of production transport vehicles of Pavlogradugol – bulldozers and KrAZ dump-trucks – is strongly prohibited. The people recovering coal there, which is a violation of the operational procedures, risk their health and even their lives. Second, illegal activity of such “prospectors” leads to creation of a shadow coal market, and criminal structures are interested in its development. I believe that illegal coal recovery from waste piles is no more a local problem of our company but a big danger for public order in Western Donbass region. For this reason, I urge the government on all levels as well as law-enforcement bodies to pay strong attention to the problem and provide us with effective help to resolve it”, says CEO of Pavlogradugol Nikolay Tishchenko.

Short profile of the company:
Pavlogradugol is the biggest coal producing company in Ukraine, which is incorporated into the vertically integrated Donbass Fuel-Energy Company (DTEK). It comprises 10 coal mines and other structural units. According to 2007 results, the coal output of Pavlogradugol accounted for 16,4% of total Ukrainian production.