ZAGREB, Sept 5 (Hina) - After only half an hour, representatives of Homeland War associations left Wednesday's meeting with Deputy Prime Minister Goran Granic as they oppose the government's social policy measures for this and next
year. "The latest version of the government's starting points is even stricter towards Homeland War veterans and their families," Tomislav Mercep said on behalf of the associations. The government's draft is anti-constitutional, unfair and immoral, he added. The associations say it is utterly immoral to turn Croatian war veterans into social cases whose existence is increasingly endangered. They cannot accept the government's measures. Also present at the meeting was War Veterans' Minister Ivica Pancic, who told reporters negotiations had just begun and that his ministry was open to all suggestions and remarks from veterans' associations. He announced further meetings with them. T
ZAGREB, Sept 5 (Hina) - After only half an hour, representatives of
Homeland War associations left Wednesday's meeting with Deputy
Prime Minister Goran Granic as they oppose the government's social
policy measures for this and next year.
"The latest version of the government's starting points is even
stricter towards Homeland War veterans and their families,"
Tomislav Mercep said on behalf of the associations.
The government's draft is anti-constitutional, unfair and immoral,
he added.
The associations say it is utterly immoral to turn Croatian war
veterans into social cases whose existence is increasingly
endangered. They cannot accept the government's measures.
Also present at the meeting was War Veterans' Minister Ivica
Pancic, who told reporters negotiations had just begun and that his
ministry was open to all suggestions and remarks from veterans'
associations. He announced further meetings with them.
The government, among else, proposes lowering the base for
veterans' disability benefits from 160 to 115 percent of the
average monthly salary, and discontinuing the exemption of
veterans from paying taxes, surtaxes and contributions on wages,
wage compensation and pensions.
(hina) ha sb