The citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina continue to survive the rise in the prices of utilities, food, clothing and everything else that has become more expensive with the help of the diaspora. According to data from the Central Bank of BiH, more than 2.74 billion marks arrived in the country from abroad in half a year.
This year, last year’s record was broken, when 2.676 billion KM came into the country through current transfers in the same period.
According to data from the Central Bank of Bosnia and Herzegovina, in this year’s total current transfers, remittances in the first six months accounted for 2.062 billion marks. There was also an increase in the inflow of money compared to the same period last year, when 1,959 billion marks arrived through remittances.
In the second quarter, more money arrived through remittances than in the first quarter of 2025.
678.25 million marks were related to other current transfers from January to June this year. Of that, 619.25 million KM related to social benefits, while in the same period last year, 717.3 million KM related to other current transfers, of which 647.93 million marks related to social benefits.
“The Central Bank of Bosnia and Herzegovina does not have data from which countries BiH receives the most remittances. There is no official estimate of remittances by country yet, but it can be said that they mostly come from the countries of Western Europe, Scandinavia and North America, where the BiH diaspora is most present,” they stated for Independent newspaper from the Central Bank of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
“Pensioners would not be able to live”
Citizens survive thanks to money from abroad.
Jovan Vasilić, president of the consumer association “Zvono” from Bijeljina, points out in an interview with “Nezavisne novine” that without money from abroad, pensioners would not be able to live.
“If it weren’t for those remittances from abroad and if it weren’t for that young world working there, we pensioners who are here, and I’m a pensioner too, would probably barely make ends meet,” he says.
As he adds, in his opinion, the situation could change in the future.
“The problem is that families are leaving. I can say that for the area around Bijeljina. But it’s certainly no better in Banjaluka either. The fact that we now have such an inflow of remittances is not good. That is, it’s good for them at the moment, but what is the perspective? There is no perspective. Simply, when we give up living here, our children don’t come back, and our grandchildren are already there, that inflow will stop. What will we do then,” he asks. Vasilić in an interview for “Nezavisne novine”.
Diaspora maintains social peace
Economists warn of dependence on the diaspora.
Admir Čavalić, economist, commenting on this topic earlier for “Nezavisne novine” pointed out that the diaspora through the money it sends maintains social peace and maintains the standard of living of citizens in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
“In general, Bosnia and Herzegovina belongs to the ranks of countries that are significantly dependent on the diaspora. We can see this from the level of remittances. What is important to emphasize is that, in addition to the old diaspora, we have a newly formed diaspora. It is formed year after year in the context of the departure of young labor to the market of the West, primarily Germany,” Čavalic told “Nezavisne Novine”, adding that precisely those young people who go abroad probably send money.
He added that citizens cover all price increases and living expenses with remittances from abroad, he reports Focus.
