OPEN LETTER OF RETIRED JNA MILITARY PENSIONERS

ZAGREB, Sep 15 (Hina) - The military pensioners association at the Croatian Pensioners' Trade Union today sent an open letter to the Croatian and international public, requesting the solving of military pensioners' position in Croatia. The association demands that retired JNA military pensioners receive full pensions and get the same disability and health benefits as awarded to Croatian liberation war soldiers. The association demands the Croatian authorities to make possible the purchase of flats for military pensioners under same conditions other Croatian citizens buy flats to which they have tenancy rights. They said in the letter that Croatia had reduced their pensions by about 50 percent since 1 January 1992, and that disability benefits of soldiers of the Croatian liberation war were higher by 200 percent. The letter says that there are 18,000 retired JNA military pensioners in Croatia. 68 percent of them participated in the antifascist war (1941-1945). (hina) jas ks 152112 MET sep 94