Internally displaced persons (IDP), who at the moment of exodus from Kosovo and Metohija had permanent contracts in local companies, are entitled to a portion of profit from the privatization of their companies. They are also entitled to retroactive salaries from the time they were forced to leave the company, until the time of its sale. However, the manner in which they were informed about their rights caused with the most of them the fear even to try to achieve them.
“Together with the application form, we were asked to send to the Kosovo Privatization Agency duly signed statement of truth, with the note: “Any person, who knowingly submits a claim that is false, shall be prosecuted,” told G. T., internally displaced person from Prizren. “Because of this sentence anyone who is not very much aware of legal terminology, gives up any further seeking justice.”
While lawyers explain that in this situation there are no elements of criminal charges, people who were more dealing with the issue say that no one can guarantee to the IDP that (in case submitted claim will be refused by KPA) criminal charges against them will not be submitted.
Miroslav Draskovic, head of Legal support section of the Balkan Centre for Migration, says that the privatization of socially owned enterprises in Kosovo was done that healthy part of the company would be singled out and sold to investors, while “bad” and burdened part with debts goes into liquidation.
“Employees are entitled to one-fifth of the privatization revenues. 75 percent of that amount is divided into equal parts, and 25 percent is distributed according to the length of service of each employee,” explains Draskovic. Privatization Agency of Kosovo forms a preliminary list of employees, to which internally displaced persons have the right to appeal to the Agency within 20 days of the publication of the list. If they are not in the final list of workers, they can only appeal to the Supreme Court of Kosovo.
