MINISTER PROMISES FAIRER RELATIONSHIP TOWARD WAR VETERANS

OSIJEK, April 6 (Hina) - A new law on war veterans will not revoke their rights but the protection of those socially most endangered will be more fair, Veterans Minister Ivica Pancic said in Osijek on Friday at a meeting with representatives of all war veterans' associations. The minister announced the introduction of new rights, for instance an allowance for socially endangered veterans. He pointed to a new method of flat allocation for the current 7,000 requests, saying the funds should be provided by the government and distributed by the Veterans Ministry through local self-government units. In Osijek-Baranja County, 281 flats have been allocated to the victims of last decade's war. Another 923 people are waiting for their housing situation to be settled, said the minister. He added his ministry would incite flat-building in war-affected areas and provide veterans with flats in their places of residence of 1991. "I don't want to make false promises because we all have to be aware of the means at our disposal, which presently is 2.5 billion kuna from the state budget," said Pancic. He recalled there were 16,000 disabled veterans in 1995 and 33,000 presently. The figure is higher because of those who got sick subsequently but also on account of many fake disabled persons, he asserted. The representatives of the veterans associations agreed an inspection among the disabled was necessary, as well as one which would establish who exercised rights illegally. They also pointed to the need of "more aggressive policy in parliament and the government in dealing with current issues." (hina) ha sb