Croatia announces changes to veterans’ pension system

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Croatian Veterans Tomo Medved attended a ceremony naming a bridge over the Mrežnica River after the 14th Home Guard Regiment of Slunj in Tržić Primišljanski, on the border between Slunj and Tounj.

He said that the Homeland War was the foundation of an independent Croatia, adding that the victors crossed the bridge over the Mrežnica River, although the enemy had sought to slow their advance, CE Report informs via the Croatian government website.

“Croatian defenders carried out their mission with the greatest honor by liberating the occupied territories,” Medved said.

He stressed that the Homeland War did not begin with Operation Storm, but rather ended with it, adding that the operation brought peace to many places in Croatia and that Croatian defenders were responsible for this. He said that the 14th Home Guard Regiment holds a particularly honorable place in the mosaic of this victorious force.

“Operation Storm and the Homeland War are the strongest foundations of the independent and sovereign Croatian state. This must be repeated constantly for the sake of future generations,” the minister stressed.

He noted that there are still many people who have forgotten this truth and need to be reminded of it, while others never knew it and need to be taught.

“This plaque will do that,” Medved said.

Government has abolished two cuts imposed by previous governments

Responding to journalists’ questions about increases in veterans’ pensions, Medved explained that the changes concern amendments to two laws — the Law on Croatian Homeland War Veterans and the Law on Active Military Personnel and Authorized Officials.

He recalled that since 2016, the government has abolished two reductions that previous governments had imposed to the detriment of Croatian veterans.

“Through amendments to the Law on Active Military Personnel, we will abolish the reduction of between 8 and 20 percent that previous governments imposed on Croatian veterans, soldiers and police officers who retired on this basis. The amendments will also address the method of calculation and supplements for Croatian veterans who retired under this law. Every month spent in the combat sector will be specifically taken into account,” Medved said.

Medved announced that the government would now abolish the third reduction, introduced in 2002. Through amendments to the Law on Active Military Personnel, the 8-to-20-percent reduction will be abolished for Croatian veterans, soldiers and police officers who retired on that basis.

Every month spent in the combat sector will be specifically taken into account

Regarding amendments to the Law on Croatian Homeland War Veterans, the minister recalled that the law was drafted in partnership with veterans’ associations and had corrected many injustices and filled numerous gaps.

Today, after many years of implementation, he added, another amendment to the law is being prepared, concerning the method of calculating pensions and supplements for Croatian veterans who retired under this law.

He singled out the recognition of time spent in the combat sector as particularly important. Every month spent in the combat sector will be specifically taken into account in the financial calculation of their pensions, he said.

Medved said that all interested parties would have the opportunity to review the laws and submit their opinions, comments and proposals before they are considered by the Croatian Parliament in September.

He noted that disability and family pensions are a separate category and that the changes concern Croatian veterans who do not have the status of Croatian Homeland War disabled veterans and who receive pensions on other grounds.

“For many years, we have followed and recognized the need to adjust the pensions of these Croatian veterans, but what I emphasize as the fairest form of calculation is precisely the time spent in the war service in the combat sector,” the minister continued.

He added that this period would be specifically taken into account in pension calculations for every Croatian veteran, particularly those who spent the entire Homeland War in the combat sector.

Government takes comprehensive approach to calculating veterans’ pensions

Asked about the fact that the government recently rejected a similar model proposed by the Možemo party, Medved said the two issues had nothing to do with each other.

“That proposed law was superficial and partial,” he said, adding that the proposal did not recognize the combat sector at all and applied only to a smaller number of Croatian veterans.

He said the government was taking a comprehensive approach.

He reiterated that the amendments specifically recognize participation in the combat sector, while the rejected proposal did not provide answers to the issues being addressed by the amendments.

Asked whether the changes also applied to members of the Croatian Defence Council (HVO), given that the government had previously done much to equalize Croatian veterans and HVO members, Medved said this was a completely incorrect interpretation of the law.

“I will not answer that question at all. I call on everyone who enters into a discussion on this issue to first study the laws and examine the basis for calculating pensions,” he replied.

Photo Croatian government website