(ANSA) - BELGRADE, 20 MAG - The major Bosnian steel producer ArcelorMittal Zenica is temporarily halting the production due to the decreased demand provoked by the coronavirus pandemics, Bosnian media reported on Wednesday.

"As an industry that is highly export-oriented in Balkan countries, we are facing a situation where almost all infrastructure projects and construction works have been stopped or minimized, which seriously affects our sustainability," ArcelorMittal Zenica said in statement, the regional television N1 reported.

ArcelorMittal Zenica added that previously introduced measures to protect its 500 workers and the business were "not sufficient to secure continued production, especially having in mind that no signals are saying that such low demand will not decrease even more in the next few months." ArcelorMittal Zenica is a major producer of steel products in the Balkans, with a production capacity of nearly one million tonnes per year, the company says on its official website.

(ANSA).