CRO PARLIAMENT CONSIDERS EMPLOYMENT OF DEFENDERS A PRIORITY

( Editorial: --> 6433 ) ZAGREB, Oct 7 (Hina) - The Croatian Sabor's (Parliament) House of Representatives on Wednesday continued its session which commenced September 23. Today's discussion focused on the law on the rights of Croatian defenders. The Ministry of Croatian Defenders of the Homeland War will literally and entirely implement the Law on the Rights of Croatian Homeland War Defenders and Members of Their Families, said assistant Homeland War Defenders' Minister, Pero Kovacevic. Even though statistics indicate an increase in employment of demobilised defenders, their further employment remains the fundamental task of the Croatian government and its ministries, said Kovacevic. He said that at the end of June, employment bureaus had 47,714 registered demobilised defenders of whom 29,727 received some form of allowance while at the end of August this year, there were 34,114 unemployed defenders of whom 8,045 received an allowance. Based on the government's national employment policy, the government has prepared implementation procedures for the employment of defenders. One of these measures would mean a decrease in salary deductions as well as loans for small and medium enterprises via the Croatian Bank for Reconstruction and Development. Kovacevic presented a report regarding the implementation of the Act in the period between July last year and June this year, he said that at the end of June there were 13,112 invalid pension (IP) beneficiaries who received an average of US$695. At the same time there were 7,122 beneficiaries receiving family pensions (FP) (at an average of US$758). At the end of June this year, there were 12,860 IP beneficiaries (receiving an average of US$769), and 7,623 FP beneficiaries (receiving an average of US$1000). By the end of June this year, 44,423 permits were issued to import new private vehicles, as were 6,741 permits to import machines and equipment. Permits to import machines and equipment in July last year was 2,600 which is especially good to hear, said Kovacevic as only defenders with a registered business can be issued with these permits which would indicate that defenders are being included in the work force. To date, Croatia has granted 4,237 apartments to victims of the Homeland War and 2,600 housing loans and by the end of the year it is expected that a further 700 apartments will be completed. With regard to awarding honorary ranks, Kovacevic said that by decision of the President of the Republic, to date 15,085 honorary ranks were granted for non-commissioned Croatian war invalids and killed or missing defenders. A further 600 promotions in rank are being prepared and this should resolve the matter, he said. Assistant Defenders' minister, said that exhumation and identification of defenders was continuing as was their proper burial. He noted however, that the burial of defenders in Vukovar was not receiving just media coverage. (Hina) sp 071427 MET oct 98