BOSNIA SHOULD FOLLOW CROATIA'S EXAMPLE IN IMPLEMENTING REFORMS

SARAJEVO, Dec 7 (Hina) - The World Bank (WB) expects the Bosnia- Herzegovina authorities to, despite all pressures, implement a reform of the social sector, which includes both the reduction and a more just division of funds for military war invalids and the families of killed soldiers, the head of the WB team for social welfare projects, Philip O'Keef, said in Sarajevo on Friday. O'Keef told reporters he expected the Bosnian Federation government to, by the end of this year or during January 2002 at the latest, complete a draft law regulating the rights of military war invalids and the families of killed soldiers. The current situation is unbearable and must be changed as soon as possible, said O'Keef, who coordinates WB social projects in Croatia, Bosnia and Yugoslavia. World Bank officials believe the existing system, which provides for 135,000 war invalids and 92,000 members of the families of killed soldiers, is not sustainable. The number of users of financial assistance must be reduced in order to ensure funds for those who need it the most. The right to financial assistance would in the future be granted only to persons with a more than 50-percent disability. We know these are painful reforms, but they must be carried out, O'Keef said commenting on the harsh protest of all war veterans' associations in Bosnia-Herzegovina against the announced reduction of their rights. He reminded Croatia had faced the same problem earlier and said the measures were giving good results. (hina) it sb