 |  |  |
| Return to: Left History: a digital archive | Return to: Say no to imperialist wars! | Return to: NATO-Yugoslav War Internet Resources |
| | |
| Return to: Left History: a digital archive | Return to: Say no to imperialist wars! | Return to: NATO-Yugoslav War Internet Resources |
KOSOVSKA MITROVICA - There is a growing impression that economic interests of the key NATO countries, in addition to military-political reasons, are behind the entry and criteria for deployment of the international peace forces in Serbia's Kosovo and Metohija province. Research conducted by Tanjug in the field recently directly indicates material factors which have mostly not been mentioned in public so far.
The province's northern sector (the district of Kosovska Mitrovica) is controlled by French troops. For the past five years before the NATO aggression on Yugoslavia, France had been keenly interested in investments in the non-ferrous metallurgy of the mining-smelting complex Trepca. France is also very interested in the ferronickel factory of Glogovac, which it now controls. French firms had already payed deposits for imports of zinc and launching production at the Zinc Metallurgy of Trepca.
British interests in thermo-electric power plants induced them to take control of the central part of Kosovo and Metohija. Their haste in taking over control of major electricity plants and installations is evident in the immediate dismissals of Serb workers in this field. Earlier, when privatization had been announced in Serbia, the British companies British Power, Bankers' Trust and Nat West had been very interested in the electric power industry of Obilic and the local plants of the Serbian oil industry NIS.
Italian troops of the KFOR are in control of the district of Pec, western Kosovo and Metohija. Italians immediately took control of the Zastava Iveco plants with which Fiat of Italy had maintained business cooperation for several years. Observers believe Italians wanted this sector also because of the relative closeness of the Adriatic Sea and the Italian border.
Germans have military-economic control of the rubber industry Balkanbelt of Suva Reka, which had maintained cooperation with Deutsche Kontinental. Balkanbelt had acquired all its installations and production technology for dumper-tyres and belts from the Czech firm Matador. German funds account for 60 percent of Matador's capital.
Germans probably chose this sector also because of top quality Metohija wines. Over 40 million liters of top quality wines made according to the best ecological technology of German design were left in the cellars of Kosovo vino of Mala Krusa, Metohijavino of Suva Reka, and Orvino of Djakovica, after the withdrawal of Yugoslav forces. Before breaking off trade relations with Serbia, the German firm Racke had annually purchased 25 million liters of Metohija wines.
Judging from what international peace forces have done in the Serbian province so far in the area of security and preserving its multi-ethnicity, it can be concluded that the nominally proclaimed goals are far from being realized. However, support to ethnic Albanian extremists and taking over of their "own" zones of economic influence seem to have been the main motives of the NATO leaders.