Kosovo: Foreign companies claim parts of Trepça

Prishtinë, Apr 14, 2006 – While KTA is preparing to revive “Trepça”, over 90 foreign companies claim parts of this complex. According to Lajm sources, 91 indictments against creditors or owners were submitted at the Supreme Court Special Chamber. Their requests are estimated to reach the amount of several million euros.

Athens’ “Mytilineos Holdings SA” requests € 44 million, Belgrade’s “Aparatna Tehnika” € 9.7 million, Jagodina’s “Trend Company” € 9 million, French company “SCMM” € 2.6 million, Sombor “Accumulator Company” € 939 thousand, Belgrade’s “Beobanka” € 870 thousand, “Verdnik” € 716 thousand, Jagovina’s “Holding Kablovi” € 700 thousand, Bulgarian company “Terra 90” € 650 thousand, etc.

UNMIK Pillar IV Spokeswoman, Mechthild Henneke, remained silent regarding this issue and advised the paper to contact KTA, where they were told that they are preparing for the reorganization of the complex and that details regarding future plans on “Trepça” will be made public on Friday.

Meanwhile, Lajm quotes a source within KTA as saying, “Everything depends on the future administrator of Trepça, the way he will approach the indictments and the return of eventual debts.”

But the Head of BSPK, Bahri Shabani criticized UNMIK’s approach of reorganizing “Trepça”. According to the daily, Shabani views Trepça claimants as unreal. “The declarations are fictional. The claimants may have signed contracts through cash, but did not invest in Trepça,” said Shabani.

“There is no way we will accept these indictments. The return of debts and verified investments may be accepted.”

According to him, the imposed government during the nineties may have signed contracts with various companies. “However, the Kosovo Independent Union of Miners has reacted ever since, in particular to the contract signed with the Greek company “Mytilineos” in 1997,” said Shabani.

ECIKS