Black market for body parts spreads among Europe's poor

Black market for body parts spreads among Europe's poor

BELGRADE, Serbia — Pavle Mircov and his partner, Daniella, nervously scan their e-mail in-box every 15 minutes, desperate for economic salvation: a buyer willing to pay nearly $40,000 for one of their kidneys.

The couple, the parents of two teenagers, put their organs up for sale on a local online classified site six months ago after Mr. Mircov, 50, lost his job at a meat factory here. He has not been able to find any work, he said, so he has grown desperate. When his father recently died, Mr. Mircov could not afford a tombstone. The telephone service has been cut off. One meal a day of bread and salami is the family’s only extravagance.

To raise money like this is unimaginable to me but I am not in their shoes. Yes, I am struggling but I have turned down two jobs because who I had to work for (one TBTF bank and chemical insecticide co). I have always been able to find work. I have had about 20 different jobs ranging from construction to sales to a line cook in a 4 star restaurant now I am a self employed contractor.

I'll ask the Brits and European members what is like to work in your economy. Here in the USA you can get fired for just about any reason. You can usually find some kind of work which you won't like but it is easier to find other work when you are working. I don't know why but it might be because your out there trying.

What is the reality of the European job market? Is it really that bad that people have to sell their organs to survive? I just don't know? How easy is it to find labor work or semi-skilled work? Unions? hiring and firing of workers?

reply to post by fnpmitchreturns


not surprised, the human body is worth 400,000 uk pounds in spare parts.

wow, what people will do when the money gets tight!

personal opinion, i mean livers, hearts, kidneys....these things get donated by people "usually dead" everyday in MERCA, so for someone to sell a kidney and make a little money isn't bad in my mind.

heck, i know for a fact here you can get atleast a couple thousand for a testie!

That is sickening to say the least.