The city of Mostar has a record budget of 162 million convertible marks this year, but it does not include funds for one-time cash benefits for newborns. As a result, parents have been unable to submit applications for assistance for months, while the opposition and parents’ associations are demanding a budget rebalance.
The decision has caused dissatisfaction among parents and in the “Porodice 3 Plus” Association, which warns that the abolition of the benefit is particularly problematic at a time when BiH is facing a serious demographic decline.
Mustafa Vlahovljak, president of the “Porodice 3 Plus” Association, says that the abolition of the benefit sends a bad message to young families.
“It is not a good message, it is not an optimistic message, something is being abolished here, at a time when it is most needed, at a time of demographic catastrophe, at a time of support for families, especially these young people,” said Vlahovljak. He added that the association wanted to expand support measures with the city of Mostar, following the example of other local communities in the Federation of BiH, but now they believe that a step has been taken backwards.
The decision has particularly affected families for whom this assistance represented an important part of their household budget. Among them is Ivana Pehar, a single mother of five children, who says that the financial support meant a lot to her family.
“It had a significant impact on my family, it was a great help. It would simply mean a lot to young parents, young families. It means that it should continue to be provided, not be abolished,” said Pehar.
Similar criticism is coming from the Mostar City Council. SDP councilor Sanjin Hadžiomerović warns that due to what he says is unrealistic budget planning, young families are the first to suffer. He also emphasizes that the right to support for newborns should not be the subject of political conflicts.
HRS councilor Slavko Zovko believes that money could have been set aside for this purpose.
“You can’t tell me that in a budget of 160 million marks, 300, 400, 200 thousand could not have been allocated for this item. It probably could have, or rather it could have, that’s some logic, but the ruling majority did not decide it as a priority, but set some other things as priorities,” said Zovko.
Sociologist Srđan Vukadinović warns that pro-natalism policy cannot be based only on individual cash benefits. According to him, systemic solutions are needed, including the creation of conditions for employment and a unified support network at the state level.
