CRO GOVT. COMMISSION FOR DISABLED PEOPLE HOLDS 1ST MEETING

ZAGREB, June 30 (Hina) - The Croatian Government's commission for disabled people, held a meeting with representatives of disabled persons' associations, in Zagreb on Monday. The commission was set up in April this year to protect and promote interests of disabled persons. Monday's gathering is one of at least two obligatory meetings a year with representatives of associations of disabled persons and of disabled children's parents. Participants of the meeting supported a social welfare law which was passed in Croatian Parliament last week. The law comes into effect on January 1, 1998, and additional 90 million kuna (approximately US$ 15 million) should be earmarked from a 1998 state budget for social welfare. One of the new things ensured by the law is the abolition of the current Social Welfare Fund and establishment of social welfare centres. Under the law, the personal disability benefit will be introduced and both individuals and corporate bodies can establish old people's homes, which is very important for Croatia where about 13 percent of the population is older than 65 years. Representatives of the associations said that it was necessary to solve efficiently problems of disabled persons' unemployment, to introduce four-hour working time a day, to grant accelerated retirement scheme and to solve their housing problems. (hina) mš 301638 MET jun 97