OREANDA-NEWS. July 10, 2012. While we recognise the concerns of those campaigning for memorials for the victims of war crimes committed in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the targeting of the ArcelorMittal Orbit is not the answer to this very sensitive situation, reported the press-centre of ArcelorMittal.

When ArcelorMittal arrived in Prijedor in 2004, the company acknowledged the legacy of the site at Omarska, and commissioned and funded an international non-governmental organisation to engage with local communities to find a consensus solution to the question of a memorial at the Omarska mine.

This challenge proved far harder than anticipated and the community groups and stakeholders involved could not agree on a suitable memorial. Had they been able to do that we would have supported the building of such a memorial, and we remain ready to do so if agreement can be reached.

What we have seen through our 8 years in the country is that Bosnia and Herzegovina still has a process of reconciliation to go through. We understand that as we are the operator of the mine various stakeholder groups turn to us to help solve these challenges, but such sensitive issues are not for ArcelorMittal to address on its own.

That said we do accept that our 51% ownership of this mine does bring certain responsibilities and with that in mind we are continuing to actively engage in dialogue with all concerned parties and to facilitate safe access for those wanting to visit the site.

Unfortunately it is not possible for ArcelorMittal on its own to establish a memorial. Under the laws of Bosnia and Herzegovina, permission for memorials can only be given by the local authorities. ArcelorMittal cannot provide such permission.

As it has become clear that the tensions on what is a sensitive political and historical issue remain, we have continued to engage with various stakeholders in Prijedor and also look to consult other entities who could offer advice on how this challenging situation can and should be managed. 

The fact that ArcelorMittal, as a sponsor of the London 2012 Olympic Games, has facilitated the ArcelorMittal Orbit in the Olympic park, is in no way connected to this sensitive issue in Bosnia and Herzegovina. In fact, despite what has been suggested, no materials from Prijedor have been used in the construction of the ArcelorMittal Orbit.

As a global business we are proud to be associated with the London 2012 Olympics. We are also proud of our contribution to economic and community development across Bosnia and Herzegovina. We are the largest foreign investor in the country and employ over 3,850 people at our steel plant in Zenica and our mine in Prijedor. To date we have invested over 200 million USD in Bosnia and Herzegovina and ArcelorMittal is committed to being part of the country's future.