Complaints about domestic goods and services

Endrit Qarolli, AUK

We as consumers always try to maximize the quality of the product and services, and always opt to choose the product with the highest quality. In order for the quality of the product to be protected so it can benefit the consumers and the producers equally, laws have been created. I contacted the organization “Konsumatori”, an organization which deals with the rights of consumers, and with the study of products and services which need further improvement. I contacted personally with Mr. Selatin Ka?aniku who is the president of the organization and an expert in the cause for the rights, obligation and the interests of the consumers in Kosovo. The question I asked him was, for which domestic products and services have consumers complained the most, and what are some of the complaints? To my fascination the answer was far more complex and intricate than I had originally thought, because of this I became fascinated with just how much improvement domestic goods and services actually need. In this article I will elaborate on his answer.

1.     The supply for basic food items

When it comes to basic domestic food items the complaints are mostly about the quality and health issues according to Mr.Ka?aniku. Common complaints for food supply are: the expiration date, the credibility of the producers, price and price discrimination, the manipulation of weight and volume, the lack of instructions, and lack of translations in different languages for those instructions, the quality of the package, falsification of products, manipulation with sales and prices. These are the biggest complaints for domestic food products according to Mr.Ka?aniku.

1.     Agriculture and Agribusiness

According to Mr.Ka?aniku the mistreatment and misconception of laws, and fiscal politics is most evident in the Agriculture department. The ministry of agriculture, forestry and rural development and the international friends of Kosovo have started investments and granting subsidies for the development of this business in the year 2014, which is a very short time to achieve the desired quality of agricultural products. He continues to explain how the egg law which was approved in 2008, only began functioning in the last year. Because of this he says it is obvious that there will many complaints for these products from consumers.

2.     The supply with drinking water.

Another domestic product for which the consumers complain is the drinking water. Mr.Ka?aniku explains how this is another business where there have been made many investments by international business, however surprisingly there are still many complaints. KUR Pirshtina (the regional water company) increased the price of drinking water for 39% last year. But leaks in this regional company and commercial losses reach 70%. This means that the regional water company has not been able to communicate precisely with the consumers, who are still unhappy about the supply, the price, the service and the time-schedule.

3.     Oil Derivatives

Oil Derivatives still present a big source of complaints from consumers. Always according to Mr.Ka?aniku, these complaints have to do with: uninspected and uncontrolled quality, price and quantity but also consumers are unhappy that there is not enough awareness or how much oil can destroy and attack the environment, your health and your car. Another complaint is that 90% of these companies do not give a fiscal coupon.

Mr. Ka?aniku continued also to elaborate on complaints about public domestic services that are provided to Kosovo consumers. I will continue to elaborate on services complaints by consumers.

1.     Tourism and Hospitality, Coffey-shops, Restaurants

Despite this sector being one of the most praised ones, there are still many complaints and doubts shadowed by consumers. Mr.Ka?aniku explains how the biggest problem is with the lack of inspections for different hotels and Coffey-shops. This lack of inspection raises doubts about the quality and the security of the services at hand and the products these services provide. For coffee and food especially, but also about the sleeping conditions in some of these hotels. Another complaint is that still many Coffey-shops, restaurants and hotels have still not made smoking fully prohibited. Also the hygiene of these services leaves a lot to be desired even to this day.

2.     Central Heating

TERMOKOS has improved in the last couple of years however a lot of work needs to be done still. In different cities, Gjakova and Mitrovica especially according to Mr.Ka?aniku, the situation remains pretty bad, with Mitrovica giving no reports what so ever about the state that their central heating is. The biggest complaint however is that most neighborhoods are still not connected to the central heating system, and that leaves many consumers unhappy.

           All in all there are still many problems with our domestic goods and services. Mr. Ka?aniku elaborates how the reason for the rise of complaints is the miss-information provided by the Governmental Institutions, or the lack of information toward the consumers. While consumers have many complaints there are even unhappy that they have no place to file these complaints. Our judicial system is nearly not-functional with 500.000 cases piled up at the moment. All cases that have not been resolved. This discourages the consumer to seek justice. According to Mr.Ka?aniku until the consumers’ legal right to know of the quality of the products and services is fully respected, complaints will always be apparent and constantly rising.