“We are very worried and hope that the pilgrims from Ireland will come back,” said Medjugorje-based Donna Ostojic. “Places here are not closed because of Covid, they are closed because there are no visitors.”
Together they run Paddy Travel, a transport company which provides services to groups of pilgrims including the 20,000 who come from Ireland each year. After almost two years “many of the young people have gone. They have gone to Germany and to Ireland, imagine that,” said Ms Ostojic.For retailers in Bosnia and Hertzogovenia, there are no pandemic unemployment payments as there are in Ireland. “Businesses have closed, young people have gone away,” she said.
Some tourists are still visiting and a few places are open as they try to cover their expenses but in Medjugorje and surrounding villages, Ms Ostojic said the population had dropped by about 5,000 people.