Serbian productions in the face of boycott in Kosovo

During 2022, Kosovo imported products worth 371.6m euros from Serbia, while exporting six times less, 60.7m euros of products respectively.

On the social network Facebook has long formed a group named “do not buy Serbian products”, which numbers over 110 thousand members.

This call appears to have influenced some citizens to verify the location of product origin before buying it.

We're finding local products, and there are products from other countries. We don't need to take Serbia's”, says Hasime Maliqi, resident of Pristina, for Radio Free Europe.

It shows that there is no product of Serbia at home from refreshing drinks to milles.

“How to see the flag on the shelf, if it's Serbia's, I'm not even going to look at it, says.

Her fellow citizen, Valbona Oluri, says she has done likewise.

We don't buy these [products] of Serbia. We use Serbia's oil anymore. We're buying Kosovo or any other country. And other products in the kitchen... only local or other state”, Oluri says.

Andrew Binakaj, supporter of the online campaign “Do not buy Serbian products”, says that for years, he does not buy products originating from Serbia. His main goal says it is to support local producers.

I've also seen in my circle that is a rise of awareness to boycott products originating from Serbia. This is being seen by each of us attending stores, because Serbian products are being sold by large discounts, as they remain on shop shelves and no one buys”, Binakaj tells Radio Free Europe.

He and other campaign supporters say she has been motivated by the political opposition Serbia makes to the state of Kosovo.

Kosovo has declared independence in February 2008, but Serbia still does not recognise it. The two countries have been negotiating the normalisation of relations since 2011.

In Kosovo, there have often been calls for boycotting Serbian products, including opposition parties, while the last “do not buy Serbian products” has been currentised early in December, shortly before the holiday end of the year, when there is usually significant increase in the amount of products citizens buy.

But, despite it, Kosovo Customs data shows that the value of imports from Serbia has been greater in January of this year than in January 2022.

According to them, this January, the value of Serbian imported products has been 17m 804 thousand euros, compared to last January, when it stood at 16m and 311,000 euros.

Kosovo import from Serbia increased in January

In January 2023, Kosovo imported goods from Serbia worth more than 17m euros, or about 1.4m euros more than the same period in 2022.

The impact of the campaign “do not buy Serbian products” later remains to be seen, but, according to one of its main supporters, Burim Piraj, simultaneously owner of the meat factory “Meka” in Prizren, citizens, in large measure, are refusing to purchase products from Serbia.

Our “Our campaign has contributed to increased economic patriotism in the country, which has long been absent and is now reflecting on local producers... as their products are selling more”, says Piraj for Radio Free Europe.

In the town of Ferizaj, food store “Plus Center” has not kept food products originating from Serbia on its shelves for years.

In this business, they say that the removal of these products has been made to them by “educate the consumer to consume local products.

There are as many local cards as you like, the mall has as many local foods as you like, says Remzi Bytyqi, manager in this business.

Because the campaign has been run, don't buy Serbian products, we have a greater influx of consumers. Last year it was last year that we wrapped up with a huge success”, he told Radio Free Europe.

Are the prices of local products up?

Some citizens, interviewed by Radio Free Europe, say they have noticed price hikes.

We are not buying Serbia's “, but the fact is that local products have been expensive, such as oil, flour, eggs, etc.”, says Valbona Oluri.

All products have increased prices, but at least these locals shouldn't grow so much”, says Hasime Maliqi.

Price hikes, witnessed by photographs, have also been posted on Facebook, in the group “don't buy Serbian products”.

Binakaj, a supporter of this campaign, says producers should not exploit the situation to benefit “at the expense of consumers”.

“It's not a good move for businesses to take advantage of the occasion, raise prices and harm consumer”, Binakaj says.

Remzi Bytyqi, from the company “Plus Center”, agrees that he has seen numerous comments by citizens complaining of rising prices of local products. But, he says local producers, in some cases, have been forced to increase prices because the first item they import for certain products has been expensive.

According to him, local producers can find solutions to preserve the good “trand of their products”.

Working on a smaller profit margin so that citizens will not be disappointed”, Bytyqi says.

Similarly, the Pirate Source, himself a producer, is expressed.

“We are thinking that this expensive topic of local products has been launched by those subjects that are not allowed to be bought Serbian products, so to discourage Kosovo citizen from our” campaign, says Piraj, without specifying who he's talking about.

Market Inspector: Sellers are cheating on origin flags

The Market Inspectorate, the authority under the Ministry of Industry, Intervention and Trade in Kosovo (MINT), tells Radio Free Europe that consumers happen to be deceived about Serbian products, as vendors place false labels on products.

The “in most frequent cases is putting the flag of European states on products that are of the origin of neighbouring states, including Serbia”, the inspectors say.

During the past year, 1,200 complaints have been filed. And during January of this year, citizens have submitted 119 complaints to this institution.

The Market Inspectorate does not provide a number of fines or pronounced measures, but say “is a high number of cases identified for fraud with the location of product origin”.

In addition to Serbia, Kosovo imports from other Balkan countries, from the European Union, from Turkey and others, but its trade deficit has become phenomenon for many years.