Imagine a family with seven kids, where every day is not just a fight for a better life, but a fight for survival. The Durković family from Niš, with an electricity debt that has ballooned to a staggering 87,000 dinars (about 740 USD), now faces threats from bailiffs ready to seize their belongings. Yes, you read that right — seven children, including a 20-month-old baby and a daughter in remission from leukemia, are on the brink of losing their basic possessions due to a debt that started five to six years ago.
Mother Tomislava Cvetanović Durković openly shares the hell they are going through. The original debt was around 30,000 dinars, but due to interest and enforcement costs, it has grown to 87,000. Attempts to negotiate a payment plan have failed, and their bank account has been blocked for a year, making things even harder. The husband is the only one working, while Tomislava cares for the children, including a visually impaired daughter and one who has battled a serious illness.
This story is not just about one family — it’s a mirror of a society increasingly drowning in debt. Bailiffs relentlessly knock on doors, and the social protection system fails to provide adequate help. The president of the Chamber of Public Bailiffs, Mr. Vujadin Masnikosa, points out that enforcement is carried out according to the law but admits that seven children deserve special state care.
Lawyer Nemanja Milošević advises the family to try again to arrange installment payments, as the law allows it, but acknowledges that trust in bailiffs is often broken. Activist Milena Repajić from the “Roof Over Head” association warns that such situations have become alarming and mostly affect single parents, creating a vicious cycle of debt and helplessness.
While the state and institutions watch, the Durković family fights for every day, for a warm home, for basic living conditions. This is not just a story about debt — it’s a story about people pushed to the edge by the system. And you? Could you stay calm when bailiffs knock on your door over a debt you can’t pay? Or would you, like this family, seek help and justice in a world that often forgets the weakest?
If this story sparked something in you, share your thoughts. Maybe your word could be the wind beneath the wings of those who need it most. Or at least a good reason for a coffee and a chat about how society can do better — because clearly, something is seriously wrong here.
