Everything about the city oozes industry. So do its 115,000 inhabitants, who used to breathe in the yellow-black toxic fumes from Zenica's Lange Jannen and Lange Liezen every day. The pertinent refusal of steel giant ArcelorMittal and it’s successors to take the most basic environmental measures contributes to Bosnia and Herzegovina having the highest number of deaths in Europe due to air pollution for many years. The country ranks in the top five worldwide.
However, in an unexpected turn of events, the factory recently came to a standstill. Economically has a great impact, pilling up with the unexmployment caused by the closing of the coalmines. Ecologically, the city air hasn’t been as clean since the war put a halt to the industry. But clean air doesn’t pay the bills. Another effect of the closure of the steelfactory is the fact that the city-heating was connected to the factory, which poses an immediate problem.
It’s uncertain what will happen next to the Zenica. In a national level, EU has trying to pull the country closer the accession. However, if due to EU-regulations the industry has to close and people lose their economic perspective, this might not be a popular strategy among the citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Heerlen is in-between growth and shrinkage, between backward- and forwardleaning. After decades of urban shrinkage and decay, the city experiences modest new growth, largely because of non-Dutch citizens.
More on Zenica’s history.