SABOR: BENCHES BACK CHANGES TO LAW ON DISABLED WAR VETERANS

ZAGREB, May 21 (Hina) - Most party benches on Wednesday supported the government's intention to reduce differences in the rights of disabled persons from the National Liberation Struggle (the so- called NOB in the Second World War) and those from the recent Croatian Homeland Defence War, through amendments to the law on the protection of disabled war veterans and civilians who became disabled in the wars. #L# The benches agreed that it was necessary to improve the status of families of WW2 anti-fascist fighters. The disability allowances to families would be increased from the current 498 to 831 kuna. Damir Kajin of the Istrian Democratic Assembly (IDS) pointed to the necessity to remove differences in benefits allowed to WW2 anti- fascist fighters and those given to veterans from the Homeland Defence War. The IDS MP said he did not question the rights of Homeland Defence War veterans, but said it was insulting that six to seven thousand NOB fighters did not have the same rights or could not retain the previous ones. Juraj Njavro of the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) responded that there were between 75 and 100 thousand beneficiaries of pensions granted on the basis of engagement in the NOB. He added that the HDZ bench did not oppose the improvement of the material status of NOB fighters, but was against equating the rights of those veterans and veterans from the Homeland Defence War. The latter, according to Njavro, were the ones who succeeded in creating sovereign and independent Croatia after centuries of endeavours. Most benches are in favour of treating Croatians who suffer injuries in UN peace missions in the same way as disabled war veterans. (hina) ms