Pensioners in BiH are asking for higher Pensions, otherwise they will go out to protest

Pensioners in FBiH are looking for a solution for an extraordinary increase in pensions, otherwise they will go out and protest. One of the main reasons is the daily increase in the price of essential foodstuffs.

In the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, more than 60% of pensioners receive a minimum pension of 380 convertible marks. If we calculate, it means that every pensioner can spend about ten marks a day from pension to pension.

Is that enough, is it possible to make a living from it? Almost nothing, the pensioners point out.

Camil Catic is among those who receive a minimum pension, he says he can hardly survive, let alone live. BHRT asked the residents of Bihac for their opinion. In order to find a solution to increase pensions, the Federation of Pensioners of the Federation is requesting an urgent meeting with the Prime Minister of the Federation and the competent ministers.

If that does not happen, the Alliance says that, in case the Board of Directors of the Alliance does not find understanding in the request for an increase in pensions, it is obliged to organize peaceful protests and determine the time of the event.

As BHRT was told by the Federal MIA / PIA, they currently have no information about the changes in the amount of pensions, but that they will act in accordance with the decision of the Federation Government if there are changes. On the other hand, until these concrete changes take place, BiH retirees will literally survive day after day.

The consumer basket in BiH is obviously a luxury that amounts to more than 2,500 BAM. So, if you receive a minimum salary of some 400 to 500 marks – you will hardly put much in this basket. Oil is more expensive. Chicken, cereals, flour. So, basically. And from the autumn we expect a new rise in prices. But not the salary.

“If two people in a family work at the lowest price of labor in Republika Srpska, then we have this one difference that cannot catch up with the consumer basket and then there are deviations in the consumer basket itself. The cultural aspects in it suffer the most, as well as the reduction of some other pleasures at the expense of basic foodstuffs and overhead costs “, says Dusan Srdic, president of the Association for Consumers.

State institutions in Bosnia and Herzegovina are blocked by those who receive a salary even when they do not work. These are salaries that are up to three times higher than the average. Between their blockades and the political struggle for, as they say, the people, we remind them how the citizens of this country really live, or more precisely survive – both the constituent and the rest.

You can live with the average salary in BiH for only half a month. If we take into account that the majority of the population works for the minimum, then you can only cover a third of that month with that salary.

We checked what citizens can afford from the contents of the consumer basket with income they have:

These are mostly basic foodstuffs.

“Absolutely nothing! I have a 400 BAM pension. While I pay 200 BAM for utilities, that’s what I have left. I take the cheapest one.”

“We can live on our personal income for 15 days, no more.”

“We can’t afford what we need: to get some rest and relax. We are constantly under stress.”

The price of the consumer basket is rising from month to month. Citizens spend most of their salaries on food. Add to that the cost of housing. On average, citizens set aside around 400 BAM just for rent in the Sarajevo Canton. If you have children going to school, you only have to set aside more than 100 BAM for books per year. And there are other costs.

“A significant part of the income goes to food, which is a feature of a lower standard of living. A small portion of income can be used to meet some other living needs. A large part of the population is making ends meet and that is the reason why we have a high level of non-purpose consumer loans,” points out economic analyst Admir Cavalic.

Only a small number of citizens can afford an average holiday, car or some other luxury.

“Exactly these 50% of citizens have significant problems with life in BiH and this part of the population goes abroad. All economic research indicates two reasons why people go abroad: the first refers to the status, ie, whether a person is employed or unemployed, and the second refers to the amount of salary,” says Cavalic.

According to the data of the Agency for Statistics of BiH, the price of oil has risen the most so far: from 2.20 BAM to 3.80 BAM. We have also witnessed the increase in the price of meat by as much as 2-4 marks more per kilogram. And autumn brings new increases in the price of chicken, cereals and bread.