Sonja Nikolic is the president of the DSS Youth in Lebane.
I cannot help but look back on my south. I’ll be one in a series of people that have been talking about this problem for long now, and whose voices are not heard. This is because the phrase “the more south, the worse off” unfortunately, really became true. In fact, all of Serbia is faced with major economic problems, particularly unemployment, which is 20% and because of which we are among the five worst European countries.
It is necessary to recover our troubled economy and solve the common everyday problems that burden the citizens of our country. From city to city, the situation is different, and they all have problems of varying severity. But I have to look back on my city, my Lebane! It recently got the media spotlight because of the extremely poor economic situation.
People are talking about the crisis but no one comes and says: HERE’S HOW WE CAN HELP. Everyone just talks and talks but no action. Problems are increasing while money is growing scarce. What should the South do for the government to pay attention to us? Should we too take Styrofoam and sit in front of the government? Does the entire south have to strike to become noticed by the authorities? It’s unlikely it would do the trick. After all, we had the opportunity to see for ourselves.
The present government has forgotten that during the nineties it was the opposition which fought for this authority along with the ones they criticize today.
The fact is that all roads and all finances lead to Belgrade. What about the South?
The Lebane municipality is one of the least developed. The former giants have been shut down: textile industry, “15 maj Eksportekst”, “Knitwear”, “Kozara, metal industries “1 May”, printing company, “Polet “… The average wage is among the lowest in Serbia, but many don’t even receive this amount. The disregard for southern Serbia by Belgrade could be disastrous for us. Ruined are the hopes that the privatization would fix anything. No public company even operates in Lebane (the situation is similar in other municipalities of the Jablanica district) and the average are minimum wages. Everyone is looking for a job and everyone needs help, but where to start if the government does not pay attention to us?
The Lebane municipality is one of the least developed. The former giants have been shut down: textile industry, “15 maj Eksportekst”, “Knitwear”, “Kozara, metal industries “1 May”, printing company, “Polet “… The average wage is among the lowest in Serbia, but many don’t even receive this amount. The disregard for southern Serbia by Belgrade could be disastrous for us. Ruined are the hopes that the privatization would fix anything. No public company even operates in Lebane (the situation is similar in other municipalities of the Jablanica district) and the average are minimum wages. Everyone is looking for a job and everyone needs help, but where to start if the government does not pay attention to us?
According to statistics from the National Employment Service, 5.200 (various figures are being mentioned since the number constantly varies) people are out of work. According to the census, the municipality has 24,500 inhabitants, half of which are older than 60 years, which would mean that Lebane has a record unemployment in Serbia of 50%. In the last few years from Lebane had moved out a few thousand people, who return to their homeland only after getting hold of pensions. Everyone looks for himself and his family better living conditions, and the fact that wages in Belgrade are twice as high and employment three times is what makes the said people go to Belgrade. Statistics says that the wages in our community had in 2010 been on average RSD25,061. Was that on the basis of average incomes of civil and municipal services?
There are more and more users of financial aid, people live with children’s supplements because there aren’t any opportunities for employment. No social company has production and therefore no new employees. Those that were privatized do not work, the others went bankrupt and many are closed.
The service activities work the best in Lebane, minimum wages are received but still ends are meet, because the prices are more or less suited to the financial situation of the citizens. The biggest problems are when a student is in the house. There are great sacrifices to finance the child going to school and the household chores. How to do it with a minimum wage of RSD15,000?
Does the government even know how much is necessary to be set aside in a month for just the basic necessities, and whether the earnings are sufficient for this?
If unemployment isn’t reduced and migrations increase, slowly but surely Lebane will become a municipality that will fade away from the map of Serbia. We must not allow this to happen. This is our city, our home, our South! This is where we came from, we carry in our hearts, where we live and to which we always return.
Sonja Nikolic is the president of the DSS Youth in Lebane.
