APPEAL FROM 'UNITED CIVIC BiH': Religious communities should adjust funeral costs for COVID-19 victims

SARAJevo, (Patria) - The informal citizens' group "United Civic Bosnia and Herzegovina" has appealed to religious communities to adjust funeral costs for those who died from coronavirus to realistic amounts. 

We are transmitting the initiative in its entirety: 

"Dear Sirs/Madams,
We are sending you an open appeal to religious communities to adjust funeral costs for those who died from coronavirus to realistic amounts! Over 8,000 citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina have lost their lives due to the Coronavirus pandemic, COVID-19, and the costs of their final farewells have remained on a commercial basis, which are certainly above the real prices of funeral services.

State structures, from municipal to the highest level, have declaratively taken various measures to send a message that in this time of collective misfortune, there should be solidarity and maximum consideration towards the commercial burden on citizens, who are victims of the pandemic both socially and health-wise.

It has been emphasized many times that it is unacceptable for anyone to profit from the misfortune of the people. Precisely for this reason, we raise the issue of the impermissibility of commercializing funeral services for those who died as a result of coronavirus. Unfortunately, not a single religious community has shown empathy for the 8,000 victims of the coronavirus, but all have continued to operate according to established funeral tariffs. What's more, some communities have used this misfortune to charge extra for certain services, due to the alleged danger of infection.

It must be said that state structures have not even tried to curb religious communities in this predatory campaign. The ultimate victims of this dishonorable intention to "get rich" through those who died from coronavirus were the families and the bereaved, who had to bear the enormous costs of the final farewell and, in some cases, several farewells within the same family.

On behalf of the initiative United Civic State of BiH, we ask the Council of Ministers to adopt a recommendation and forward it to lower government bodies so that religious communities are asked to curb funeral service prices for those who died with and from COVID, or for the state to find models for subsidizing these costs - so that we can change this dishonorable page in history of robbing families whose loved ones died with and from COVID.

Sincerely,

Gathered citizens under the name

"United Civic Bosnia and Herzegovina"