The city of Sarajevo, in cooperation with Intesa Sanpaolo Bank in Bosnia and Herzegovina, launched an initiative to subsidize the purchase of bicycles. This will give citizens the opportunity to purchase their two-wheeler more simply and more favorably. As part of this action, a total of 140 vouchers worth 100 euros will be awarded for the purchase of bicycles. Vouchers can only be used in the specified stores. The goal of this program is to encourage the residents of Sarajevo to use bicycles as a healthier and more sustainable alternative to cars. With more mass use of bicycles, the great pollution that plagues Sarajevo could be reduced to some extent.
Application and conditions for the subsidy
All adult citizens residing in one of the city’s four municipalities – Stari Grad, Centar, Novo Sarajevo and Novi Grad – are entitled to a voucher. In order to make the subsidy available to as many families as possible, only one person from the same household can apply. This measure was also introduced to prevent abuses.
With this move, the city of Sarajevo joins numerous cities in the region that have implemented similar actions to encourage sustainable transportation. Before Sarajevo, cities like Podgorica and Zrenjanin launched similar programs, pointing to the growing trend of promoting environmentally friendly transport solutions in the Balkans. Subsidies like these represent a small but nice step towards popularizing cycling and improving the quality of life in urban areas. The city expects that this action will encourage even more citizens of Sarajevo to use bicycles in their daily activities.
