The Anti – Corruption Council has been publishing quotes from the petitions regarding privatized companies in order to contribute to the transparency of the privatization. Seme’s workers did not have to demonstrate in front of the Government wearing Power of Serbia Movement T-shirts on account of the article “Smashing padlocks in Serbia”. It would have been better if they had proved the allegations that Seme’s business was flourishing.

We welcome the cases which testify that privatization in Serbia is leading towards a brisk trade and full employment. The Council would consider and publish such quotes. If not, that would be the reason to shift blame to us. We are, however, not pleased with the validity of their qoutes. Are Seme’s workers mistaken, or are they Ketmans of the transition?

Are Seme’s workers hoping to maintain their jobs if the boss wins the elections? Do they belive in the allegded conflict between the Government and the boss, and that Agency for Privatization, against the will of the Government, has accepted “the sale of business premises under excellent terms as a continuity of Seme’s business line”, moreover, that the company is creditworthy although it suffered a loss of 40 millions in 2003, that it “manufactures seeds”, even after labs and warehouses were adapted into a studio for the television quiz “Millioner” (Makis), or padlocked for sale (Zemun, Krusevac, Jagodina). Or was it clear to everyone that he purchased the real estate?

The Government has also accepted the reports claiming that “Mobtel”, with 49 % owned by the State, has been close to running at a loss. Workers worry about temporary preservation of their jobs, as if the sale of the seed from the export, mowers and hoes in order to fake boss’s contractual obligations towards the State does not concern them. They are, however, driven by the poverty they are pushed into.

In his election campaign, the boss promised the sale of the domestic salad, whereas he would retain the mobile telephony, university and national frequence. The ones demostrating now, are out of work, however, due to the campaign, this announcement was withhold. Now they can apply for becoming billioners in the warehouses where they once packed the seed without a chance of getting rich. Are boss’s students and laureates going to march against the Council in boss’s T-shirts?

After acknowledging todays demonstrators as former Seme’s associates who lost manufacture and sale infrastructure, or as former Seme’s workers who lost jobs, compensation, and solidarity from fellow workers, and are unrecognized by the Government and the public, because the “transition is a painful process”, for those who did not get rich in Milosevic’s regime, or ‘’handled the situation” later.

Who is accountable for the State where “Mobtel” is possible, or where “Sartid” increases the production for 50 %, and “Jugoremedija’s” operation is reduced to a minimum, where “Seme” rents real estate under “excellent terms”, and those who stayed out of work and without shares are kept a secret?

Ms Verica Barac,
President of the Council