The implementation of the requisition policies of the RPFJ during the years 1945-1952 damaged the economy of Kosovo

The requisition was applied in many countries of the former RPFJ, unfortunately also to the people of Kosovo and as a measure that will remain long in their memory. Kosovo was quite damaged by the Second World War, until, in addition to the many measures taken by the government of that time, it was also burdened by the requisition, which from the first year after the Second World War (1945), used it as a predatory-economic campaign, as an administrative measure by creating its extra bodies for implementation, starting from the Local Councils of the districts, which hierarchically had to report to the Ministry of Trade and Supply of the RPFJ. They have also taken measures to sensitize these bodies and the rural masses in general, on whom the main burden fell. They also used the press, with the well-known calls of that period that “no palm of land should remain uncultivated”. Then they took notes for each family as to how much arable land they have, how many members there are for whom food and seeds should be left for planting for the next year, while the rest must be handed over to the state, which is called “Surplus” and in the Serbo-Croatian language it means “Vishak-Otkup”. For each country and even district, requisition statistics differ, as well as methods of collection, land area, prosecutors. The registration and collection of crops were not based on fair practices, as the registration and obligation to deliver surpluses did not reflect reality. The state, through the implementation of the requisition, planned to increase the fund as much as possible, where, in addition to the mandatory shipments of grain, by means of several decree laws, the villagers were imposed to sell the remaining grain surplus to the state enterprises at a certain price. The mandatory purchase of products was determined at a price lower than the market rate. The situation was further complicated by the need to ensure food for the settlers and their families until their final employment. The local councils had to take responsibility for supplying them with controlled items. Very complex campaign, as from the involvement of the state, implementation, legal regulation, creating a directed-imposed economy. This turned into a whole system of measures to which the state gave a “legal color” to justify the actions taken against the people.In this paper, referring to archival sources and relevant publications on this topic, some characteristic forms and methods that were applied by the political nomenclature and Yugoslav state bodies on the population of Kosovo in the first post-war years will be treated analytically.