Around two months since the Kosovo government decided to ban the import of Serbian goods to Kosovo, stores in North Mitrovica face the problem of a low supply of basic groceries, especially flour, sugar and dairy products. Any such products available on the shelves are not made in Serbia. Shop and market store owners are forced to turn to products made in other countries or purchase Serbian products from other countries. However, sometimes even those products are missing, or stores only have them in limited quantities. Private pharmacies, for now, have a supply of medicines that are most in demand. On the other hand, the North Mitrovica Hospital Center warns that the situation is alarming.
On the same day, June 14, when the Serbian authorities arrested three members of the Kosovo Police in the Raska region, the Kosovo government, which interpreted the act as a „kidnapping“ in the municipality of Leposavic, decided to prohibit „for security reasons, not economic reasons“ import of goods from Serbia.
Five days later, Serbian truck drivers blocked Jarinje, Brnjak and Merdare, to express their dissatisfaction with the blocking of the import of goods from Serbia and to provide support to Kosovo Serbs. For several days, they did not allow trucks with „RKS“ plates to pass through.
The Presidents of the Chambers of Commerce of Serbia and Kosovo, Marko Cadez and LulzimRafuna, emphasized that the economy and business should not be involved in politics, and that „stopping business activities is not the solution“, as well as that both sides suffer from blockades.
Some international officials also called on the Kosovo government to withdraw the decision, however, their focus later switched to the release of three Kosovo police officers – which took place on June 26th. The Serbian authorities released them on their own recognizance.
Despite this, as well as somewhat softer political statements, Pristina has yet to withdraw its decision to ban the import of goods from Serbia, although the Kosovo media emphasized that there was never a written decision on the ban. Nevertheless, the consequences of this decision became noticeable in the North of Kosovo in the first weeks since it was adopted.
What is the situation in stores and supermarkets?
Currently, certain products from Serbia are still on the shelves of shops and markets in the northern part of Mitrovica, although in significantly lower quantities.
The biggest shortage appears to be of dairy products, flour, as well as sugar, whilelocalresidentsare fearful of a scarcity of medicine, they are still available in private pharmacies.
We spoke with one of the managers of a shop in a multi-ethnic neighborhood in North Mitrovica.
She told KoSSev that the greatest demand currently is for Imlek and Granice products. Her shop is currently running low in both of these products, which include sour cream, cheeses, milk, yogurt and others.
For some time, the suppliers she uses managed to obtain some dairyproducts from the company Bimilk – Imlek’s company based in North Macedonia.
Some days, store shelves seem full of goods, which was the case in the middle of this week. However, the supplies are irregular and quickly run low.
Whenever they do manage to obtain products from some of these companies , they are only able get them in very small or insufficient numbers.
„Suppliers say they are trying hard to find dairy products. They have been acquiring them somehow until now, but in small quantities. The two or three packages of yogurt or milk I get now and then, in this urban part of town, are nothing. Well, it is all sold out in two days,“ she says.
The situation is the same when it comes to cheeses, sour cream, and other diary products.
She added that these products have not been available in smaller packages for a long time.
Furthermore, she reveals that she now acquires flour and sugar from Kosovo producers, so instead of the popular „Danubius“ -brand, she can now only purchase „Dellino“ flour. The same is true when it comes to sugar.
Luckily, the prices have not increased, our interlocutor said.
„Suppliers did not change or increase prices. What products remain are sold at the same price,“ she confirmed.
She says that her regular customers are worried that Serbian products will disappear completely, because they are used to them, referring namely Serbs, Albanians and Bosniaks who live in this part of the town. However, they are also used to the fact that every crisis in the north is reflected in trade.
„Neighbors come every day and ask if there is anything, if anything has arrived. They comment negatively when I say no. But they say it will pass, it’s not the first time. Our products are sought after by Albanians and Bosniaks, not only by Serbs. And they are used to them, they have been consuming them for years,“ she underlined.
Pharmacies
When it comes to pharmacies, we have not noticed any shortages in privately owned pharmacies, except for those medicines that were already in deficit.
„For now, we have what is in demand, almost everything is available, except for those medicines that have been in deficit for months. Citizens come and ask with concern, but they calm down when they see that the situation, at least for now, is perfectly fine,“ a pharmacist told us.
North Mitrovica Hospital Center
On the other hand, the situation in the health institutions in the North, as confirmed by the director of North Mitrovica Hospital Center, Zlatan Elek, is alarming, noting that there are several reasons behind this.
Elek says that since the current Prime Minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, came to power, all delivery of medicines, medical supplies, and medical equipment to North Mitrovica Hospital Centerhas been halted. The situation is even more worrying now because the supplies are running out, he warned.
In addition to medical supplies, the North Mitrovica hospital was also affected by the ban on the import of goods from Serbia, due to food provided to the patients who are treated there.
He also confirmed that there is no milk, or dairy products in general, for patients.
„Those suppliers who got it through a tender, simply cannot deliver the goods to our hospital,“ explains Elek.
He added that he is concerned by the fact that no one from the international community and civil society is speaking out about this problem, but also about the constant „harassment and stopping of medical vehicles with or without patients, whether the emergency lights are flashing or not.”
„Vehicles with KM plates are especially affected, which are prohibited from moving in the territory of Kosovo and are also prohibited from entering Serbia. These are serious problems in terms of functioning,“ emphasized the director of North Mitrovica Hospital Center.
Because of the whole situation, oncology patients will suffer first, then those with chronic diseases, Elek points out.
Stating that the central pharmacy has been out of stock for a long time, he says that private pharmacies are also slowly running out.
„That’s why patients with diabetes, as well as those with chronic diseases of the lungs and cardiovascular system, are affected. Andfinally, the most sensitive branches – maternity hospital, operating theaters, surgical block, etc. will also be affected.“
He says that they have the full support of the Ministry of Health of Serbia and the Kosovo Office. Elek believes that they are close to a solution when it comes to oxygen, which arrived twice in the last month and a half.
„We believe that the international community will exert pressure to make our position easier and for the flow of goods and people to go smoothly in both directions,“ says Elek.
He noted that this hospital is not only at the service of Serbian citizens, but also of other communities that turn to them for help.
„We are always at everyone’s service, regardless of whether they have a doctor’s note or insurance. Albanians are also treated in our hospital, who are also affected by these problems like everyone else. We do not treat anyone based on ethnic or racial affiliation, skin color, or orientation – but only according to medical indications.“
Elek also recalled that this hospital is the only health institution in town and that it provides over 90 % of health services.
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