The agreement binds Croatia to ensure pensions and care for 850 families of dead HVO (Bosnian Croat Defence Council) soldiers by the end of this year, and to regulate the status of about 4,000 disabled HVO veterans over the next two years.
Under the relevant law which entered into force in Bosnia-Herzegovina on 1 January, Sarajevo pays 50 convertible marks (approx. 200 kuna) to the families in concern and disabled HVO veterans every month, while Croatia covers the difference so that they may receive the equivalent to the average pension of 5,000 kuna paid to war veterans in Croatia.
The implementation of this law requires about 116 million kuna from the Croatian budget annually.
Deputies of the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ), the Croatian Party of Rights (HSP) and the Social Democratic Party (SDP) announced their support for the agreement.
SDP and HSP parliamentarians, however, warned that the government's projections failed to include veterans diagnosed with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, who will also apply for pensions.
The debate will resume on Friday.
(1EUR =7.4 kuna)