ZAGREB, Aug 26 (Hina) - The Croatian War Veterans' Ministry on Tuesday confirmed that Ivan Skender, arrested in Austria last week in possession of two kilograms of cocaine, had been given an apartment as a war invalid with 60-percent
disability in March 2001.
ZAGREB, Aug 26 (Hina) - The Croatian War Veterans' Ministry on
Tuesday confirmed that Ivan Skender, arrested in Austria last week
in possession of two kilograms of cocaine, had been given an
apartment as a war invalid with 60-percent disability in March
2001. #L#
"It's a good thing that this case has been opened because it proves
what I have been saying for the past three years, namely that a
significant number of questionable decisions were made with regard
to the granting of war invalid status," Minister Ivica Pancic said
on Tuesday.
Pancic said that a revision of Skender's case revealed that his
first request to be granted war invalid status had been turned down
by a medical commission, as he was found to be with less than 20-
percent disability. Several months later, Skender applied again,
after which he was given the status of a war invalid with 60-percent
disability.
The document to that effect was initialled at the ministry, by a
person who did not have the authority to do it, Pancic said.
Based on the commission's decision, Skender was granted the right
to an apartment, but he never purchased it because he failed to send
the ministry the required documentation, so the apartment is still
owned by the state.
Skender's criminal activities were not known to the ministry,
officials at the ministry have said, referring to the document on
his disability.
Pancic said that competent institutions would carry out an
investigation in the case.
(hina) rml