Single mother from Nikšić seeks help from the Municipality: She lives off her deceased husband's pension, even her closest relatives were not supportive

Single mother Milodarka Todorović lived in a shack, under a tent, as a tenant, but never in her own apartment. For the last 15 years, she has been earning a living by selling at the Nikšić market.

"My husband worked for 24 years at Bauxite, paid into the housing fund, was highly ranked, if he had lived, we would have gotten an apartment in 1998, but he died that year. I applied, but they threw me below the ranking list, that's the law," she told TV Vijesti.

On an unplanned miners' plot below Trebjesa, where apartments for workers were to be built, Milodarka and her eleven-year-old son moved into a then-vacant shack, but they were soon forced to spend their nights outdoors.

"The police, the municipality, social services, the bouncers came, they threw things out. I lived there under a tent with my son for a few days," she says.

After that episode, the Bauxites, she says, took pity on her and paid her rent for a year, and she paid for the rest of the year herself, doing the hardest jobs. Her only security was her husband's pension, and she couldn't rely on anyone, not even those closest to her.

"No one helped me, or asked if my child needed anything. My child didn't have any excursions or graduations, when I couldn't. And he didn't complain. I even cleaned buses in Bauxite. I remember well that the manager gave me the job of cleaning buses so I would have an extra 100 euros. However, they wrote it off as a reward for me. And I only received 40 euros of that," said Todorović.

The daily wage at the market does not exceed 15 euros, but she does not complain. She is worried that in a few months they will have to leave the apartment they are renting and that the rent has increased, and they have taken out loans. She is asking the Mayor of the Municipality, Marko Kovačević, for help.

"I know that in refugee buildings and social housing buildings there are a lot of empty apartments, even if people have built houses and regulated them, but kept those apartments. I'm not looking for a permanent apartment, just a temporary one, until I can manage something. My son has grown up, he's 30 or so now, so let's create something," she said.

Although life hasn't been kind to her, Milodarka's cheerful spirit keeps her smile alive, and it's still her trademark. She keeps it special for her son and grandson, who give meaning to every new day.