What have been the main steps in the history of Energoinvest?
This company started working in 1963 and it was a very successful company up until now. Our main product is industrial fuse of high and low voltage. In 1983, a new factory for transformers was built. We were the only factory in Ex-Yugoslavia - that was a part of Energoinvest in Sarajevo; our main base used to be in Sarajevo. Energoinvest used to be a giant company; we had 42 offices around the world, and approximately 47,000 workers. We were a company that produced needles to power plants.
Today, Energoinvest is independent since its separation from Energoinvest in Bosnia in 1990 by the Serbs. Instead of our business relations with Bosnia, the Serbs started relationships with Ninel in Belgrade, but since the war all relations have stopped.
What can you tell us about your manufacturing activities?
During the three years after the war we have continuously worked and we have 183 workers. We used to be a very large company. We re-started production here, and we did it by ourselves. We did not receive any aid or donations.
Who does the company belong to?
This is a social property and it's not very well defined. According to the former rules and regulations the company was the property of the workers but now the workers are the shareholders. The land is a state property; Bosnia and Herzegovina gave money to build the company. For the less developed parts of Yugoslavia, Bosnia had to build something, so this is one of the projects initiated.
What are your current products?
Everything that we produce is within our brochure; we have an extensive product range. But due to the lack of law we have experienced many problems with selling our products, we had some Slovenian companies that were interested in exporting our products that we used to export in Russia, Bulgaria, Greece, Rumania, Libya, Syria, Indonesia, Iraq, Iran, Algeria, Albania, Germany.
Your exports account for what percentage of your total output?
Since the war we have had no export, due to export laws and regulations. For example we import products from Macedonia and we pay the custom duty, but when we export they request us to sell our products at a price that is 20% lower. We have had a severe lack of financial support otherwise we could be a developed company.
Who are your customers?
Our number one buyer is KEK, and then we have small private businesses as well as mini-factories that buy our transformer stations. We manage to pay our staff a salary of 250 Euros a month, which is not great, but it is an average salary in Kosova.
What is your current yearly profit?
The annual income is really low because the taxes are very high. Last year we had 100, 000 Euros net profit, which is very little. When we came back after the war we found the factory in a very bad shape. There are Serbian companies that owe us money and also consignation products. I just want to say that it was a really difficult period because we had no money, especially when we had lots of workers and had to pay bills up to 10,000 Euros for electricity.
You have managed to rebuild the factory. When the legal frame is established and you are able to export how do you see you future markets?
Neighbouring countries are important. Serbia is potentially a very big market for us because they used to buy 75% of our products. Then, there is Montenegro, there were two or three delegations that visited us but they were unable to help. Macedonia is also interested, as well as Albania. With increased production we would be stronger within the market, we also need to renew the technology because it is old and needs to be modernized. Despite that with our existing technology we are still able to cover the above-mentioned markets.
| Do you agree that it is advisable for the company to seek other markets in Far East, Africa, Latin America, markets outside this region?
We receive many requests from Indonesia and Iran through a person in Slovenia who used to be a representative of Energoinvest in Slovenia. He met them in his summer accidentally and the Slovenian person got the tender. They asked for the same fuses that we produce. This is another fact that tells you our fuses are well known. The main obstacles are the state institutions, which are not planning to open the possibilities of working with foreign markets. When we exported our products before we applied for a tender and competed with companies throughout the world, companies from Japan included. We applied for those tenders as a part of Energoinvest in Sarajevo.
Privatisation is approaching, what are your views on the ownership of the company. Do you believe it will move to private hands or is it going to remain in the hands of the workers?
I believe it will still remain in the hands of the workers. Due to the fact that many things are not yet clear, first of we are not sure of which state is going to do the privatization. The first issue to answer is that of our status and state. Then you have issues regarding land and state property: to whom do they belong? I think these are the main obstacles we have to overcome in order to achieve complete privatization.
What is your opinion about privatization and co-operating with a foreign investor?
I agree that the privatization of the company must happen. We don't have the power ourselves to develop the technology. But I was just telling you about the existing laws and the circumstances, therefore I think that privatization is impossible for the moment. I accepted this and said the same thing two years ago when I met with other directors, who are doing nothing regarding privatization. They are waiting for these changes to take place at home. They have sent their workers home and now they are waiting. These are just some obstacles that have to be overcome in the future. As soon as the privatization takes place the better.
In order for privatization to succeed you need investment. What effort is Energoinvest making independently to attract the foreign investments?
Some investors, mainly local Kosovar businessmen are informed about the potential of Energoinvest but for the foreign businessmen I am not sure, because we were isolated from Europe and the rest of the world for more than 12 years.
You are no longer isolated. What are you doing to let the international foreign investors know that Kosovo is open for investment?
We are open to everyone and everyone is welcome to come so we can tell them about the reality of the circumstances here. We had negotiations with Schneider in France but he didn't feel secure to invest here. Except for manufacturing spaces, we have buildings and we have a few thousand square meters, and just need the technology, but KFOR forces currently occupy them. In 1990 we had a program with a German constructer for automatic fuses but at that time the situation became worse. This section of the factory was built for this program. The factory is very attractive, and we have many areas within it that we could develop. Our isolation in business markets has just made the situation worse.
Obviously you need investors?
Yes, we need investors.
Our readers are always interested to know something about the director's of companies could you tell us a little bit about your personal history?
I was born in Gjakova in 1953. I come from a Gjakovar family. I finished the primary school in Gjakova, secondary school and Electro Technical Faculty in Prishtina. I Graduated in 1980, and started working here until 1990 when I was made redundant for 10 years. The workers elected me as the General Director, 6 months after the war.
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