Will the amount of maternity benefits in the Sarajevo Canton be at the level of the average salary in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina from 2022?

SARAJEVO, (Patria) – The Chairman of the Assembly of the Sarajevo Canton, Elvedin Okerić, submitted an initiative to the Ministry of Labor, Social Policy and Displaced Persons to ensure sufficient funds in the Sarajevo Canton Budget for 2022 and for the Sarajevo Canton Government to adopt amendments to the Law on Social Protection, Protection of Civilian Victims of War and Protection of Families with Children to increase maternity benefits for mothers to the amount of the average salary in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, equalize financial assistance for mothers who are employed and those who are not employed, and increase the income threshold for child allowance.

Okerić stated that there is a negative demographic trend in the Sarajevo Canton and that it is necessary to effectively create population policies to increase the birth rate.

Statistics in the Sarajevo Canton show that the number of deaths is higher than the number of births.

In the last ten years, the number of births has ranged annually between 4,640 and 4,777, with the exception that in 2020, 4,195 babies were born.

The number of maternity benefits has gradually decreased over the last ten years. Thus, in 2018, 3,729 maternity benefits were paid, in 2019, 3,548 benefits, in 2020, 3,484, and so far in 2021, 3,436 benefits.