Balkan municipalities implement new childcare subsidies and infrastructure plans

Various municipalities across the Balkans are implementing new measures to address preschool and kindergarten accessibility and costs.

In Croatia, the City of Sinj has approved a monthly aid of 250 euros for parents whose children cannot enroll in local kindergartens due to capacity limits. This measure, intended to ease childcare costs, will run from September 2026 to June 2027. Similarly, the City of Solin will provide monthly subsidies ranging from 213 to 316 euros for children who are unable to secure a spot in local facilities. In Kutina, officials reported that there are currently no waiting lists for kindergarten enrollment, supported by ongoing investments in new preschool infrastructure.

In Montenegro, the Mayor of Nikšić, Marko Kovačević, proposed a plan to cover 50 percent of kindergarten costs this school year, with a goal of covering 100 percent starting in the 2027/28 school year. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, parents in Banja Luka have expressed concerns regarding government subsidies for private childcare, warning that providers might use the 200 KM subsidy as a justification to increase prices rather than providing actual relief to families.