Beggars in Sarajevo earn 250 KM daily, and up to 400 KM on Fridays

Beggars on the main Sarajevo promenade earn between 250 and 400 KM daily, writes the Bosnian news agency Patria.

A source from the Ministry of Interior of the Sarajevo Canton told Patria that beggars have high earnings on Fridays, especially if they beg in front of mosques during the Friday prayer.

Although the police remove them from the streets, they persistently return. Police officers who check their IDs are often verbally attacked, cursed, and sworn at, and most often they do not have personal documents, for which they are fined. Incidents are frequent, leading to arrests and trips to the police station.

Beggars often come to Sarajevo from other places, so two families from Kakanj are “well-known” to the police.

According to our source, there are no rules; both young and old beg. Some are driven by extreme hardship, while for others it is the easiest way to earn money. Plainclothes police officers patrol Sarajevo streets daily, removing beggars from the streets, as well as other individuals who disturb public order and peace.