Imagine this: while many complain about how hard it is to raise a child, the city of Zagreb decided to throw parents of newborns a financial lifeline of 1,000 euros! Yes, you read that right – a thousand euros per child, but only once per child, paid as a one-time lump sum. But, of course, it’s not that simple. To get this money, you must be a Croatian citizen, the child must be no older than six months (or seven years if adopted), and you must have had continuous residence registered in Zagreb for at least a year before the child’s birth.
The city started payments on June 26, and this aid is meant for parents or guardians who have parental care over the child. Sounds like a great deal, right? But wait, is this really enough to ease the financial burden of parenthood?
Meanwhile, in neighboring Slovenia, pensioners are celebrating their “13th pension” and a bonus that was increased by 5 euros this year. In Zagreb, parents are scrambling to get a one-time help for their newborns. Is 1,000 euros really enough to cover the gear and first expenses for a child?
And while Croatia and Slovenia are fighting these social benefits battles, citizens in other parts of the region, like Gospić, are worried about toxic waste threatening health and the environment. But that’s a story for another day.
So, dear parents, if you’re from Zagreb and meet the criteria, don’t miss this chance! And for the rest of you, what are you waiting for? Maybe it’s time your cities started handing out such help. Or throw in your ideas on what else could help young parents – maybe free diapers? Or coffee vouchers for exhausted moms and dads? Drop a comment and let’s see who’s got the best ideas!