ZAGREB, June 20 (Hina) - Croatian Homeland Defence War Veterans' Minister Ivica Pancic said today in parliament the biggest changes the new bill on Croatian veterans will bring are the realisation of rights and control of their
realisation, and declined to state when the new bill will be submitted. In reply to criticism by MPs during a discussion on the report about the realisation of veterans' rights last year, Pancic dismissed claims that the new bill would annul many rights. He announced that there will be certain changes, and stressed that the main aim is to force government bodies to implement the law, and change what cannot be implemented in the law. He pointed out the importance of drawing up a unified data base on veterans. Parties of the ruling coalition supported the report, but the opposition announced it would vote against its adoption as, they said, the rights of veterans are constantly
ZAGREB, June 20 (Hina) - Croatian Homeland Defence War Veterans'
Minister Ivica Pancic said today in parliament the biggest changes
the new bill on Croatian veterans will bring are the realisation of
rights and control of their realisation, and declined to state when
the new bill will be submitted.
In reply to criticism by MPs during a discussion on the report about
the realisation of veterans' rights last year, Pancic dismissed
claims that the new bill would annul many rights. He announced that
there will be certain changes, and stressed that the main aim is to
force government bodies to implement the law, and change what
cannot be implemented in the law.
He pointed out the importance of drawing up a unified data base on
veterans.
Parties of the ruling coalition supported the report, but the
opposition announced it would vote against its adoption as, they
said, the rights of veterans are constantly being diminished, and
veterans often insulted.
Independent of party affiliation, MPs agreed that the
psychological and social assistance to the veterans must be
increased, and should not be ghettoised in the solving of their
housing issues.
The Sabor also discussed a report on the work of the Croatian
Pension Insurance Institute (HZMO) for last year. The Institute's
director, Srecko Vukovic, said the numbers of those insured by the
Institute and working clients last December was almost identical,
so the ratio was one pensioner to 1.36 working person.
At the same time, the ratio of the average pension in the average
salary of everybody employed in Croatia was only 37.24 percent,
which points to very low pensions, Vukovic warned.
Last year the transfers from the government budget to the HZMO
increased due to the low payment of contributions for pension
insurance, because companies are financially undisciplined, they
report employees to the lowest basic salary, and the state is not
paying a part of its commitments for pensions realised by more
favourable conditions, he stressed.
The report on the work of the HZMO for last year is too general, it
lacks precise data on managing its portfolio and other property of
the Institute, and does not suggest concrete measures for
overcoming the accumulated problems in the pension system, most MPs
said.
(hina) lml sb