DISPUTE BETWEEN CROAT VETERANS AND FEDERAL MINISTRY SETTLED

SARAJEVO, Dec 20 (Hina) - A dispute between local Croat war veterans and the relevant ministry of the Croat-Muslim federal government on Friday was solved after authorities in cantons, populated mostly by Croats, produced lists of beneficiaries of social welfare and disability allowances, paid from the budget, to the government of the Federation of Bosnia-Herzegovina. #L# "The lists from six cantons were handed over and instructions were issued for the payment of two overdue pensions (disability allowances)," the federal minister for war veterans, Suada Hadzovic, said on Friday. She confirmed that this information was also forwarded to protesters who on Friday morning continued with blockading several roads in southern Bosnia-Herzegovina and border crossings with Croatia, but after the information they lifted blockades they had staged in the past few days. Minister Hadzovic explained that the produced documents were sufficient for the start for the federal finance police to check whether there were cases of abuse of the entitlements and to check the exact amount of funding necessary for this purpose. Every month the Bosnian federal government earmarks about 10 million euros for pensions for 82,000 invalids - former members of the Army of Bosnia-Herzegovina - and families of the killed soldiers. Monthly about 2.5 million euros are ensured for war veterans of the Croat Defence Council (HVO). Approximately the same amount is ensured by Zagreb for Croat war veterans and disabled war veterans in Bosnia, and those budgetary means are paid to personal bank accounts of beneficiaries via Zagrebacka Bank and without the mediation of Bosnian federal authorities. (hina) ms sb