Citizens, five months after the ban on the import of Serbian products: Poor quality, high prices; we buy because we have to

Since June 14, when the Kosovo authorities banned the import of Serbian products, shelves in stores and supermarkets in Serbian communities in Kosovo are either empty or filled with products from other countries. Citizens, with whom the Kosovo Online team spoke, complain that the quality of the available goods is poor and that the prices are very high.

Danijela Nedeljkovic recently celebrated her patron saint day and faced difficulties in obtaining basic groceries.

"There are no Serbian products like 'Plazma', milk... There is nothing for children. When we celebrated the patron saint day, we couldn't buy anything Serbian, not even mayonnaise, and their products are worthless. We manage by bringing something from Serbia. We buy there and bring it here; nothing is worth it here. The prices have jumped significantly, they are higher", Nedeljkovic said.

Nevenka Zivic also warns about the high prices of products and poor quality.

"People feel the shortage. I buy what's available, sometimes Macedonian products; that's what we buy. The prices are not affordable, but we have no choice. We have to eat, we have to live", she emphasized.

A resident of Gracanica claims that people, in a way, have become accustomed to buying what is offered.

"There's not a sense of shortage, but there's a shortage of goods, you can see that. But people get used to everything. You buy what's offered, you choose, and that's it", he said.

Novica Kostic cannot get used to the quality of products now available in stores.

"This merchandise available now is of much lower quality, at least that's what I notice. There are no Serbian goods, I don't know how long this will last. Prices are very high considering our incomes", Kostic said.

"All essential groceries are missing, milk, flour, salt... I buy what's available", a resident of Gracanica added.

A similar situation exists in northern Kosovo, where the citizens of Leposavic are also frustrated that they haven't been able to buy Serbian products for five months.
Jovo Mitric believes that it's hardest for medicines.

"For me, a lot of things are missing from Serbian goods. I rarely buy because I live alone, and my daughters buy everything I need. There's a lot missing, and it's hardest for medicines. You can see that they (the EU and the US) are against us because they are for Pristina. If they wanted to pressure Kurti, they would have done it a long time ago", Mitric said.

I remember the standard during the time of the former Yugoslavia and today; all the food that comes to us is Slovenian production, Zoran Vukadinovic added.

"All food is completely lacking. I am an older man, and I remember everything in Leposavic from the Yugoslav period; now everything is from Slovenia", Vukadinovic said.