Zagreb - War Veterans' Minister Tomo Medved said on Thursday that amendments to the Croatian Homeland War Veterans Act would increase veterans' pensions by three euros for each month spent in the combat sector, thereby, more strongly recognising their contribution to the defence of Croatia.
"We are demonstrating the policy we have consistently pursued from 2016 to this day, a policy of gradual, responsible and financially sustainable increases in the rights of Croatian veterans," Medved said while presenting the legislative amendments in Parliament.
Lawmakers are considering amendments to two laws - the Act on Croatian Homeland War Veterans and Members of Their Families and the Act on Pension Rights of Active Military Personnel, Police Officers and Authorised Officials.
Increase of 3 euros per month in combat sector and 0.50 euros in non-combat sector
A total of 269,000 war veterans and members of their families are receiving pensions, Medved said. For pension beneficiaries covered by the Pension Insurance Act, an increase of 3 euros is proposed for each month spent in the combat sector and 0.50 euros for each month spent in the non-combat sector.
"With the introduction of this supplement and an increase in the lowest pensions, 174,000 Croatian veterans and members of their families will be covered, for which €58 million will be allocated in 2027," the minister said.
In addition, an annual volunteer supplement will be introduced, amounting to 20% of the base amount set by the government for each subsequent year. The base amount for 2027 is €540, meaning that all Homeland War volunteers will receive a supplement of €108.
The supplement will be received by 104,000 people, with a total of €11.3 million to be paid out, the minister said.
The amendments also increase the salaries of caregivers for war veterans with 100 percent disability, from €800 to 1,350.
Minister of Labour, Pension System, Family and Social Policy Alen Ružić said the proposed amendments would also improve the financial situation of soldiers, police officers and all other persons covered by the law.
The law also abolishes the reduction in veterans' pensions introduced in 2002.
SDP MP: Why did it take ten years to abolish the reduction?
SDP lawmaker Arsen Bauk asked why it had taken the HDZ ten years to do so. "Who prevented you from doing it before? Plenković? Former minister Marić? It took Franjo Tuđman less time to create a state than it has taken you to abolish this restriction from 2002," Bauk said.
Medved responded by asking what Bauk had done in 2015, when "special police forces stormed war veterans in the church in St. Mark's Square."
"You reduced pensions so many times, first in 2002 and then in 2014, and in the meantime the government in 2010 also reduced pensions. With this, our government is finally abolishing all reductions dating back to 2002," he said.
MP Bakić: Ministry proposal result of We Can! party's initiative
The ministry's proposal is the result of an initiative by the We Can! party that Parliament rejected in July this year, MP Damir Bakić (We Can!) said.
He recalled that Minister Medved announced the legislative amendments during the summer, shortly after Parliament had debated We Can! party's proposal to increase the pensions of Croatian veterans who continued working after the end of the Homeland War and retired under the Pension Insurance Act.
"The pensions of a large group of veterans who continued working are significantly lower, comparable to those of the general population, and do not adequately reflect their contribution to the country's defence or the more difficult living circumstances resulting from the war," Bakić said.
Medved said it was necessary to distinguish between "a superficial effort aimed at scoring political points and a comprehensive and well-designed proposal for amendments to the law."
Bridge MP Marin Miletić supported the introduction of the annual supplement for volunteers, but called the amount of €108 shamefully small.
The material rights of Croatian veterans have been continuously increasing for years, and not just this time, the minister responded.
DOMINO MP: Extend law to veteran firefighters
Damir Biloglav (DOMiNO) called for the law to apply to firefighters who have veteran status but cannot obtain volunteer status, to which Medved said a bill addressing their status would soon be submitted to Parliament.
Irena Dragić (SDP) believes that the volunteer supplement should also cover those who were serving their mandatory military service in the Yugoslav People's Army (JNA) in 1991, but left the army and joined the Croatian armed forces.
"Are you sure that all soldiers who were serving their mandatory military service at the time were acting in good faith toward the defence of Croatia's sovereignty? They have been granted Croatian veteran status for the period during which they contributed to the Croatian Army. This is by no means a simple question and it cannot be viewed in the way you have presented it," the minister said.