Former Fighters to Organize Protests Again, Required Laws Not Yet Submitted to Federal Parliament

SARAJEVO, (Patria) - A meeting was held today at the camp of former fighters in Sarajevo, where it was concluded that the 30-day deadline for holding a session of the House of Representatives of the Parliament of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, at which proposals on the veteran allowance and public disclosure of the register would be submitted to the procedure, has expired.

The fighters announced new protests if the conclusions of the Federal Parliament are not respected by Wednesday, June 27. The fighters stated that Minister of Veterans Salko Bukvarević did not comply with what was requested of him by the Federal Parliament and that they do not accept the draft law submitted to them.

On Friday, Bukvarević said that the Draft Law on the Rights of Demobilized Fighters and Their Families was submitted to the Government of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina for adoption on Thursday.

The fighters from the camp in Sarajevo say that the authorities are again forcing them onto the streets, and they also requested that Bakir Izetbegović and Dragan Čović enable the holding of a session of the Parliament of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

We recall that on May 23, all-day protests by fighters were held in front of the Federal Parliament building, and the House of Representatives then adopted conclusions regarding the fighters' demands.

- The House of Representatives demands that the relevant ministry and the Government of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina submit the Draft Law on the Rights of Demobilized Fighters and Members of Their Families to an urgent parliamentary procedure, no later than within 30 days, with the obligation to incorporate into the draft law the issue of publishing the unique register of fighters and the veteran allowance. In the conclusions, the House of Representatives also commits to considering, within 30 days, the Draft Law on Veterans' Associations of Special Social Importance, with the requirement that the issue of the number and financing of veterans' associations be incorporated into it.