A soldier who destroyed tanks cannot go to spas today; mothers-in-law and armchair warriors are there

Written by: Ernad Metaj 

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Veterans from Srebrenik gathered in the Committee 92-95 publicly criticized the authorities in Tuzla Canton, who rejected the request of disabled war veteran Nihad Mutapčić for financial assistance and spa treatment. 

-    I have announced myself to the minister for veterans' affairs tomorrow. It is a shame that a soldier who destroyed two tanks in the war is treated this way by the authorities. After the rejection, we went to the spas and documented that those who deserve it less than Nihad, whom the Army of BiH was proud of, are going there, Emir Sofić from the Committee 92 – 95 told us.

Nihad would also like to talk to the minister; he is bothered that armchair warriors, mothers-in-law and fathers-in-law of officials are using the rights that belong to veterans.

-    I have chronic PTSD; an animal sleeps better than I do. For years I have barely lived without sleep. I also had an accident after the war, after which I was immobile for seven months. The rejection shook me so much that I think about taking a rope and hanging myself; if I had a bomb, it would be even easier to end my life. All of this hurt me; I did not expect the authorities to treat veterans this way, says Nihad.

He entered the war at the age of 20. He was a member of an anti-tank unit in Gradačac. He says he would most like to go for treatment somewhere abroad, but the reality is that now he cannot even go to Gradačac, which he defended.

There is no work for him, because employers avoid people with his diagnosis and injuries. He receives 48 marks in disability benefits from the state and lives alone. Life after the war has mostly been suffering for him.

-    He lived in a substandard house for a long time. As fellow veterans, we organized ourselves and managed to raise funds so that he could at least have somewhat normal accommodation. We will organize to solve Nihad's treatment and rehabilitation problem, but we are also ready to finally stop the arrogance of politicians in BiH who long ago stopped caring about how veterans live, Sofić told Patria.

Nihad has a finding from an orthopedist and physiatrist that he needs rehabilitation in spas. From all of the above, Nihad deserves that the relevant minister reconsider the entire case. If it weren't for veterans, people like him would not have hefty salaries. The state needs to help Nihad, but also to bring order to the work of veterans' organizations through which the rights of those who defended the state are abused.