After a population crisis in Croatia … he paid the money to grandparents in exchange for caring for the grandchildren

While Croatia strives to find solutions to a dangerous population crisis and poverty rates among the elderly are from the top in Europe, a small town has reached a solution to pay the money to grandparents in exchange for caring for grandchildren.
In this country with a population of 3.8 million, children do not go to school until the age of six, while vacant places are limited. As a result, thousands of children are deprived of care every year.
While more than 37% of people over the age of 65 found themselves in 2024 under the risk of poverty, a percentage of twice the European average.

Official nurseries

In its endeavor to address the two problems, Samobur, about 20 km from the capital, Zagreb, became the first area in the country to offer a salary for grandparents who take care of their grandchildren who did not find a place for them in the official nurseries.
“The positives are many”, the mayor of Medina, Petra Scrobot, that “the positives are many”, inspired by her decision from a Swedish experience.
In Croatia, where the age of 65 is, “retirement pensions are very low, and it is sometimes difficult for parents to find a way to provide care for their children,” according to the scrubut of the liberal Fukos Party.

Child care options

Samopor supports various childcare options, whether it is a special kindergarten or a children’s cliff, up to 360 euros per month for each child. This procedure also provides financial assistance to the ancestors.
She considers that “this keeps the elderly active,” adding, “At a time when the isolation of people, this step has a positive impact on families.”
30 grandparents have previously applied to benefit from this procedure, which was submitted at the end of March.

Good idea

Among these people are Dubrafka Colitic, who welcomes the idea and describes it as good for children and grandparents.
“We earn a few euros, which is good because our pensions are low, and at the same time we spend a long time with our grandchildren,” she says, adding that “we are approaching them, and they are approaching us.”
Her daughter, Daniela Colitic, also expresses her happiness, especially since she did not find a place in her son’s custody.
“It is very good: it is easier to leave a young child with someone you trust, and at the same time Victor becomes closer to each other,” says this 41 -year -old economist, who has two older children.

Quieter

In the presence of two kindergarten children and a good number of nurseries, Samopor receives increasing numbers of families, which attracts him near the region of the capital and at the same time the quieter environment.
Last year, a new school class is opened in the city.
However, despite the efforts of the authorities, no more than a hundred children had a place in the nurseries, especially the youngest of them.

Municipal mayor initiative

The director of the Kindergarten of “Gregor Vitiz” Yossiba Milakovic, the mayor’s initiative is “assistance to the parents.”
Since the launch of the program at the end of March, Scrobot has received contacts from elected officials from several cities, which they have taken.
As for the authorities, the challenge is tremendous, with a rate of 1.5 children per woman and high migration, the population numbers may decrease significantly by the end of the century – from 3.8 million today to 2.5 million in the year 2100, according to the expectations of the United Nations.