Homeland War Veterans Act amended

Zagreb - The Croatian parliament on Wednesday amended the Homeland War Veterans Act, increasing disability allowances for veterans of the 1991-1995 war of independence and laying down a legal basis for establishing an institution for the long-term accommodation of veterans who cannot look after themselves.

The provisions concerning pension insurance were changed to allow veterans to work in addition to receiving a pension and thus ensure that they stay on the labour market for as long as possible.

MP Stipo Mlinarić (Homeland Movement) appealed to veterans not to try to kill themselves. "Don't try to kill yourselves for the sake of your parents and your children. No one in this parliament chamber is worth it," he said.

Mlinarić said that 3,500 veterans had committed suicide to date, "an entire brigade", while "in the 32 years of Croatian statehood none of the politicians has done that."

"Every evil comes to an end and so will this robbery, corruption and belittling," the Homeland Movement MP said.