Citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina have loans in banks in the amount of 12.9 billion KM, show data of the Central Bank for January this year.
In these data, it is stated that the January of the January in January last year in the population sector recorded a loan for 1.11 billion KM or 9.4 percent.
“Total loans to domestic sectors at the end of January 2025, compared to the previous month, the KM 64.6 million is registered in the second domestic sectors (3.3%). Loans are on a monthly level in private companies for 88.5 million KM (0.8%), in government institutions by 12.7 million KM (1.0%), and in non-financial public companies by 14.5 million KM (2.1%), “stands in the Central Bank of BiH.
This means that in Bosnia and Herzegovina, half of the total loans are loans to the population.
“Annual growth rate in January 2025 was 9.8%, KM 2.29 billion was registered in the KM 1.11 billion (8.7%), KM 177.4 million (16.1%), in non-financial public companies by 74.9 million KM (12.3%) and other domestic sectors for 84.7 million KM (36.2%), “writes in the data.
Predrag Mlinarević, professor at the Faculty of Economics, University of East Sarajevo, told “independent newspapers” that the key reason for greater population indebtedness lies in the gap between the consumer basket and citizens’ income.
“Therefore, every increase in salaries leads credit abilities and greater borrowing, banks prefer to pay the banks in the public sector. Therefore, the banks of the Bank prefer to loan the population than the economy,” Mlinarević emphasized.
Admir Arnautović, President of the Association of Consumer Club Medium Bosnia, stated that the trend of growth in the market of Bosnia and Herzegovina that does not monitor growth and average income, which is more and more a serious problem for the majority of BiH citizens. “Unfortunately, loan responsibilities represent one of the most common solutions to this problem. The need for housing loans also conditioned to be higher and for the extent of the lifetime forces citizens to increasingly raise non-purpose short-term loans.” Arnautović pointed out.
He added that he survives from salary to salary increasingly and using credit cards more often.
According to him, this is all together to lead BiH citizens in an even more unfavorable position, because often banking costs and interest exceeds 10% of monthly incomes, writing Independent newspapers.
“A little consumer takes care of the consumer, but it often loops around the neck that is very difficult to settle. And, unfortunately, it is a growing problem for the great majority of citizens from year to year,” he added.
