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On the occasion of the Day of Serbian Unity, Freedom and the National Flag, employees of Elektroprivreda Srbije (EPS) from the Kolubara Mining Basin and TE-KO Kostolac branches have been awarded the Third-Class Order of Merit for Defence and Security in recognition of their contribution to containing the wildfire in the Deliblato Sands. Today, the President of the Republic of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić, presented the decorations to machine operators Vladimir Nikolić, Miloš Jovanović, Božidar Đalović and Zlatko Milovanović, who work at the Drmno open-pit mine, as well as to Predrag Nešković and Aleksandar Pavlović from Kolubara.
These six employees were part of the EPS team that worked around the clock throughout August, clearing forested areas and other vegetation to prevent the further spread of the wildfire in the Deliblato Sands. As on countless previous occasions, EPS employees stepped forward where they were needed most and made an exceptional contribution to containing the blaze.
“It was a joint effort by everyone on the ground, and our sense of solidarity and dedication gave us the strength to persevere until the very end. We were clearing dense woodland with tall trees, fully aware of the conditions we were facing and prepared to do whatever was necessary in such an emergency. It was demanding work, but we achieved what mattered most: we succeeded in stopping the fire from spreading and protecting the surrounding communities," said Božidar Đalović, a bulldozer operator from the Auxiliary Machinery Sector at the Drmno mine.
This unprecedented operation demonstrated that unity and solidarity prevail when it matters most. Colleagues from Kostolac and Kolubara once again showed remarkable teamwork and provided strong support to the firefighters who were on the front line of the emergency response.
“It was an entirely new experience for all of us. We were confronted by flames, scorching hot sand, smoke and ash all around us, but by carving access routes through the forest, we were able to contribute to preventing the fire from spreading. From morning until night, our machines were working almost continuously, and together we accomplished a tremendous task. Not a single colleague said, 'I can't do it'; we stood united throughout," said Predrag Nešković, a machine operator from Kolubara Auxiliary Machinery.
