Traveling to Raska for money: Reality of Serbs from Kosovo after the dinar ban

The regulation of the Central Bank of Kosovo banning the dinar has left Serbs who depend on income from Serbia in a difficult position. After weeks of queues outside branches of the Postal Savings Bank and limitations on the daily amount of money that can be withdrawn – if one gets a turn, many Serbs are forced to travel to central Serbia to access money.

One of them is Dusan Djordjevic, who is compelled to travel to Raska to ensure his family's livelihood by withdrawing money.

For a month now, the same scene every day – starting at eight in the morning, a line forms outside the Postal Savings Bank in North Mitrovica, where citizens stand hoping to access their money.

A few days ago, Dusan Djordjevic was also in line, he arrived early to withdraw social benefits from Serbia. However, that didn't help him. The payment didn't come through.

This meant he had to head to Raska to get his money, and the Kosovo Online team joined him on the journey.

"I couldn't withdraw money because, of course, there was a queue. We'll go to Raska to see how it goes and what we need to do, and how far it is to travel to Raska and back," Dusan explains.

He sets off from the bus station in North Mitrovica towards Raska.

At the administrative border crossing of Jarinje, there is already a big crowd in the morning, and vehicles queue up to continue towards central Serbia.

After an hour of waiting at Jarinje, Djordjevic continues his journey and arrives in Raska.

"As you can see, the situation is far from easy... It took over two hours because of the crowds at Jarinje. You can imagine how hard it is to come from Mitrovica, by bus or car, it's a daily struggle," Dusan says, just one of the Serbs tormented by the daily uncertainty of whether there will be money for survival.

After withdrawing money, almost without stopping, he heads back to North Mitrovica.

"Now I have to return to Mitrovica and settle my obligations. It's not easy, the situation is tough. We hope this will be sorted out, but it is difficult for the elderly who have to come and are ill," he notes.

The ordeal doesn't end there. Considering the travel costs involved in going to Raska, he mentions that there isn't much money left for living expenses.

"There's very little left, so we manage," he says.

Nevertheless, he hopes the situation will change for the better.

"I hope Pristina will consider the situation we're in because it's tough. We hope that in the future, they won't withdraw the dinar from Kosovo," Djordjevic says.

Therefore, he appeals to the authorities in Pristina and Belgrade to help and not abolish the dinar.

"We hope the situation changes, so we can live more easily," Djordjevic repeats, the sole desire of Serbs from Kosovo.