Despite ongoing tension between Belgrade and Pristina, ethnic Serbs and ethnic Albanians in Kosovo have found a way not just to coexist, but to thrive. Boban Ristic and Agron Halimi from Vushtrri discovered common ground in potato chip production. For them, economic survival takes precedence over politics.
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00:00The Ristic family has been farming for generations.
00:04Boban Ristic works for the municipality of Vustri in northern Kosovo.
00:08But because his salary is not enough to get by,
00:11he is also continuing his family's farming tradition.
00:15In recent years, he's been supplying potatoes to a local potato chip factory.
00:20We take potatoes from Vipe, so it's an Albanian company.
00:24We have a good relationship, and the conditions are good.
00:29They want to help us.
00:55The quality of the potatoes matters more than the nationality of the people who grow them,
01:00and that the company is transparent about its cooperation with local ethnic Serbs.
01:05We are honest with our work, and we have a little time to complain.
01:11But they are right.
01:13They are right, and we hope that soon they will be able to hire us
01:17and we will be able to work and function better.
01:22Although there are very few ethnic Serbs left in this part of Kosovo,
01:25those that are here want to stay.
01:28Most live in villages and work in agriculture.
01:31Cooperation with the potato chip factory is very welcome.
01:35Ristic and Haljimi meet regularly to discuss
01:38how the quality of the potatoes can be further improved.
01:41Before we started working with Vipe,
01:44we had a problem where we threw the potatoes.
01:49The prices were catastrophic.
01:52Now we have a safe place and a safe price.
01:56With the income he earns from Vipe,
01:58Ristic can give his family a better life in Kosovo.
02:01His potatoes will soon be processed, packaged and delivered
02:04to supermarkets across Europe, including Serbia,
02:07which is a significant success given the limited trade between the two countries.