ZAGREB, March 21 (Hina) - An agreement on cooperation between Homeland War veterans' associations and the War Veterans' Ministry, which defines that issues related to care for veterans should be resolved through dialogue and permanent
communication, has caused rifts among veterans' associations. The agreement was signed by 12 most numerous associations a couple of days ago and the influential Disabled Croatian Homeland War Veterans (HVIDRA) association was not among the signatories. The association's president Marinko Liovic said the authorities were using the agreement to weaken the veterans electorate, which opposed the ruling coalition's policy, ahead of the upcoming local election. Speaking at a news conference, Liovic said that he personally had not been invited to the meeting. He accused the authorities of using various methods, such as cancelling most war veterans' benefits for the import of cars, to deepen
ZAGREB, March 21 (Hina) - An agreement on cooperation between
Homeland War veterans' associations and the War Veterans'
Ministry, which defines that issues related to care for veterans
should be resolved through dialogue and permanent communication,
has caused rifts among veterans' associations. The agreement was
signed by 12 most numerous associations a couple of days ago and the
influential Disabled Croatian Homeland War Veterans (HVIDRA)
association was not among the signatories.
The association's president Marinko Liovic said the authorities
were using the agreement to weaken the veterans electorate, which
opposed the ruling coalition's policy, ahead of the upcoming local
election.
Speaking at a news conference, Liovic said that he personally had
not been invited to the meeting. He accused the authorities of using
various methods, such as cancelling most war veterans' benefits for
the import of cars, to deepen the rift between the veterans, making
them feel legally unprotected.
Liovic requested the replacement of War Veterans Minister Ivica
Pancic because he was not able to realise "the veterans' legal
rights" but was reducing them increasingly.
(hina) sb rml