Demographer warns of Serb population crisis in Sarajevo

Demographer Miodrag Pantović has warned of a severe demographic crisis facing the Serb population in Sarajevo and several municipalities within the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. In Sarajevo, Pantović stated that the annual death rate among Serbs is ten times higher than the birth rate, describing the community as being on the verge of extinction.

According to Pantović, the demographic shift is a long-term consequence of the 1990s war, which forced mass displacement. Unlike the aftermath of World War II, where populations returned to rebuild, the displacement following the recent conflict has proven permanent. He noted that Sarajevo, which was the second-largest Serb city in the region in 1991, has seen a significant loss of its highly educated Serb population.

In addition to Sarajevo, Pantović highlighted critical demographic declines in Drvar, Bosansko Grahovo, Bosanski Petrovac, and Glamoč. He specifically noted that in Bosansko Grahovo, no children were born in 2024. He also observed that more Serb children are currently being born in Mostar than in Sarajevo.