In the period between 1980s and 1990s, with the aim to stop the migration and keep the remaining Serbian people in these areas, Serbia built about twenty factories in the north of Kosovo and Metohija, mostly in the municipalities of Leposavic and Zubin Potok. Former conglomerates Lola, Javor, Simpo, Petoletka, VIK Vrsac, Kristal and Gradac also built their factories there.
Today, most of these factories are not working because the boundary and Customs at Jarinje and Brnjak crossings prevent the purchase of raw materials and export of final products. On the other side those who work, or have a chance to start production, are targeted by the Privatization Agency of Kosovo (KPA), which wants to sell them at a low price, mostly to the Albanians south of the river, in such a way leaving the thousands of Serbian families without chance to work.
An engineer Vukoje Vukojevic, director of the factory of forgings Lola-fot in Lesak is pointing out to the hazardous Pristina intentions, for a long time.
“We were the branch of the factory “Ivo Lola Ribar” from Belgrade. Now we are an independent factory that, despite the various blockades, obstructions and intimidations from Pristina, produces quality goods for Russia, Italy, Belarus and several other countries. If our status, boundary and customs issues would be resolved, we would become a giant and could employ more than double of the current 160 employees and export to more European countries,” says Vukojevic.
The factory was recently visited by delegation from Pristina and they were informed that they are the next in the row for privatization, together with other 11 production lines in the north.
“We told them that we do not agree and that we will never agree because the sale of the factory, especially to an Albanian or Serb, behind who is usually hiding an Albanian, means closing of the factory. Two hundred Serbian families would be left ‘without bread’ and would have to migrate. I’m afraid that is the goal of “privatization”, to which Pristina forces us,” explains Vukojevic. “I am afraid that we will face the same fate as our branch in Štrpce, where recently representatives of KPA stormed in, locked the factory, and soon will sell it to an Albanian buyer,” – highlights Vukojevic.
President of Leposavic municipality and member of the management team for the implementation of the Brussels Agreement, Dragan Jablanović notes that Pristina through privatization plans to take over the factories in the north of Kosovo, which were built by Serbia. For some of them like Lola-fot in Lesak and branch of Simpo in Zubin Potok, everything that is produced can be immediately exported.
“KPA is so brazen that without our knowledge, and any contact with the local government, they sold department store of the company Universal, warehouse and 75 acres of land,in the centre of Leposavic, for only 50,000. As a buyer appears a Serb from Vucitrn, and we all know that he is backed by an Albanian. Similarly, almost for nothing was sold part of the factory Kristal, and “privatization” of Petoletka, Agricultural cooperative and factory Hrast is announced. We told them that we have nothing to sell and we stopped the on-going privatization processes. This is the property of the people who live here and regardless of the solution for the Kosovo north, people from here will manage this property,” says Jablanović, recalling that at least 500 people could be employed in the production lines, only in this municipality.
