BiH is the only state in Europe that does not have poverty data. The State Agency for Statistics has been announcing this information for a decade, and according to the non-governmental sectors, 800,000 citizens live in BiH in BiH. There are more than 60 public kitchens in our country, in which, according to recent data, it feeds close to 17,000 people. However, pressure on public cuisine is increasingly more pronounced due to the unstoppable growth of food prices.
This is especially reflected in the growing number of requests for package with food items, as Alen Kajtaz tells us, the Secretary of the Red Cross of the City of Mostar, under whose auspices operate public cuisine.
650 users
– Someone calls us almost every day and seeks a package with food. It became very pronounced. However, we are limited, maximum, we can share 50 packs in the month – says Kajtaz for “Dnevni Avaz“.
Through the window of their public cuisine, one of three in Mostar, there are 230 hot meals a day.
– We have 32 more users in the Salakovac Refugee, which we drive prepared meals every day, and when all the packages with food and hygienic foods are added, about 650 users use our services – tells us Kajtaz.
For now, he adds, they manage to resist with great price prices, although donations are less and less.
– Nothing has drastically increased, but each week after the procurement of almost the same products we notice that the amounts of the bill are different, ie all the higher. The last donation was recently from Italy when we received 400 kilograms of pasta, and from domestic companies almost none – said Kajtaz.
Users of this kitchen as well as every time they are reluctant to talk to journalists. I am eagerly waiting to settle their buckets with warm stew and bread and to go as soon as possible to our homes. They even openly dispose of what we attend meal division.
Came by a meal
– He shamed them, “Senad Repeza tells us, who came to a meal with Brother Senaid. They speak both of them, the kitchen salvation.
– Well, in order. I retired since 2016. years and I receive 430 km. The brother was disabled, Ranjavan, with 80 percent of disabilities, they reduced him to 40 percent. Neither 100 km receives. From my pension, half go to his medicines, because “sugar.” Twice a day, he must receive insulin, and heavy sugar can be held under control – says Senad for “Avaz”.
Almost no one donates
– Honestly, we thought the change in the Law on VAT would change something, but it didn’t happen. We received some source of sour water before and that is all – says Kajtaz.
According to UN, almost 400,000 tons of food in BiH are annually. Companies engaged in the sale and distribution of food destroy a third, ie 140,000 tons. According to the budgets, 767,123 meals or 280 million per year, which could be donated in BiH, every day.
