Stari Grad Municipality Increases Maternity Benefits

The Department for Social and Veteran and Disability Protection of Stari Grad Municipality has started applying the new Rulebook on the amount and method of payment of one-time financial assistance to mothers from Stari Grad as of January 1. Instead of the previous 200 KM, the benefit for each first and second newborn child in this municipality amounts to 300 KM, and for each subsequent newborn child 450 KM, reports the Bosnian news agency Patria.

The new Rulebook was adopted at the 40th session of the Stari Grad Municipal Council, held in May last year. It regulates the conditions, method and procedure for granting one-time financial assistance to mothers residing in the area of Stari Grad Sarajevo municipality.

The right to this assistance is held by mothers who have resided in the municipality for at least one year up to the day of childbirth. If mothers have the status of displaced persons, they must also have resided in the municipality for a period of one year up to the day of childbirth. An exception to this one-year residence rule may be mothers who have married a man who has resided in Stari Grad for more than one year.

The application for exercising the right to one-time financial assistance is submitted within a maximum of 60 days from the child's birth.

According to information from the competent municipal department, increased benefits will be received by eight mothers for babies born this year. Of that number, six mothers have become mothers for the first or second time and will receive benefits in the amount of 300 KM, while two mothers have given birth to a third child and their benefit has been increased by 50%, thus amounting to 450 KM.

According to the records of this department, last year 69,800 KM in one-time financial benefits were distributed for 343 babies born in Stari Grad. The Department for Social and Veteran and Disability Protection emphasizes that last year there were also six sets of twins.