The average salary in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) is 1.200 BAM. The possibility of solving the housing issue without a loan is zero. This is a big problem for young people who either pack their bags or live with their parents, without thinking about buying their own apartment or house. They see the solution in a more favorable housing policy that should be implemented by the competent authorities, but the actions of the authorities are disappointing. When it comes to the Tuzla Canton (TC), for now, they only provide a subsidy for part of the interest rate.
From time to time, the authorities in cantons publish a public invitation to which young people can apply in the hope of receiving some help. Last year, the Canton Sarajevo (CS) Government, after a series of criticisms for small amounts such as the one of around one thousand BAM in 2021, offered young people up to ten thousand BAM for help in buying a house or apartment. In TC, the most populous canton in BiH, the amount was only three thousand BAM.
Neither the cities nor the municipalities are any better. While the prices of square meters in the capital are approaching the figure of 8 thousand, and in other cities around four and five thousand, the subsidies are extremely small. The authorities seem not to worry about the increasing mass emigration of young people and deserted cities. Thus, even if the City of Tuzla does not find a systemic solution to retain young people, they also offer three thousand BAM to subsidize part of the interest rate.
“For three thousand BAM at today’s prices, you can get an 80 square centimeter apartment in the City of Tuzla, which is roughly enough for us young people to put three jars of jam and a carton of mineral water”, says Omer Berbic, councilor of Our Party in the Tuzla City Council.
This type of help, if it can be called that, has been met with numerous criticisms on social media. The city administration is also aware of this, but they talk about solutions in the future tense, ignoring the problems of the present.
“As a citizen, I could agree with the comments that the amounts are small, but the City’s intention was that through the years of publication of this public call, the funds in the budget of the City of Tuzla would increase, and I am convinced that the legislative and executive authorities of the City of Tuzla will be understanding of the situation in which young people find themselves”, believes Admira Atic Tupkovic, mayor’s assistant in the Service for veterans’ disability protection, housing affairs and integration of displaced persons.
A systemic solution would be to encourage housing construction and sell apartments to young people at more favorable prices. In some cities, there was an idea, and it was even being implemented, but only about a hundred young people benefited, and that’s all there is to it, Akta reports.
E.Dz.
