Consumers endangered and deceived in all sectors

Kosovo citizens are still at risk for their health from non-cilable products and from counterfeit merchants with smuggled goods.

In the case of World Consumer Day, the chairman of the Organisation “Consumator”, Ceatin Kacanik in an interview for KosovaPress, says that among the biggest problems are smuggled goods, which, according to him, is alarming in Kosovo and on which a organised criminal network lies.

Non-quality products, he said, are food, drugs and derivatives, while energy, water and central heating services are not adequate.

When we talk about the quality of food, what goes through monitoring mechanisms for control, it's safe, but the problems are smuggling which is alarming in Kosovo, and on which lies a criminal network organised up to high levels, and which, along with all the food, medicine, oil derivatives, probably amounts to a billion and 500 million euros due to this smuggling of Kosovo budget, said Kacavnik.

The head of the association “Consumer” has said only 1 percent of imported goods are subject to quality control, and this parks are uncertain to consumers.

“This smuggling makes the market difficult and brings uncertainty to consumer citizens, while this is not all guaranteed because the control is not for each truck, but is taken over by a random mouna, which is estimated by 100 percent of imports, only 1 per cent is controlled”, he said.

Kachanic has added that logic and fraud still operate in Kosovo, services are offered to citizens based on the logic of fraud, and this constitutes crime against consumer citizens.

If we refer to the case of derivatives, if we refer to the case stands, health problems, central heating and electricity problems yet. With water we still have problems and trouble, all of this proves that the problem is at the top. For years, we haven't had the Competition Agency with complete staff, we don't even have the power regulator completed today. Every angle in public companies we have board and political managers and there is no consumer access, because a taxpayer is the main budget generator from which all of these” are financed, Kacanic said.

He said that unfortunately the number of complaints by consumers is dropping, but not because dissatisfaction is dropping, but because lack of confidence is increasing and the lack of consumer willingness to relevant institutions.

In contrast, today the World Consumer Day is also marked in Kosovo, aimed at protecting consumers.