FBiH Budget Adoption Puts Veterans on Hold

SARAJEVO, (Patria) - The adoption of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina budget for this year would pave the way for the final harmonization of the Law on Demobilized Veterans, a law concerning the basic rights of veterans and the Law on Recipients of the Highest War Decorations, Aljo Bošnjaković, president of the Coordination of the Army of RBiH, told Faktor.

We remind you that the harmonization of the laws has been ongoing for over a year, and the talks include representatives of the Federal Ministry for Veterans' Affairs, cantonal ministers for veterans' affairs, and representatives of the Army of RBiH and HVO components.

With amendments to the Law on Demobilized Veterans, unemployed veteran returnees to the smaller BiH entity of RS, veterans without income living in the Brčko District, and unemployed spouses of deceased veterans would be included in the right to an existential monetary allowance.

- We are waiting for the adoption of the FBiH budget for this year. As is known, the session of the House of Representatives of the Parliament of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina is scheduled for January 24 and 25. Then, confirmation by the House of Peoples of the FBiH remains. The adoption is important to us because the Draft Budget for this year includes funds that were available to the Federal Ministry for Veterans' Affairs in 2019, i.e., before this pandemic, when they were not reduced by 20 million KM. If these items are adopted, then no additional funds are needed for the implementation of the harmonized laws. Immediately after that, we would forward the laws to the FBiH Government because they are quite harmonized. We expect the Government to comment on these laws by the end of January - Bošnjaković told us.

After the FBiH Government's comment, the amendments to the laws would be sent to the parliamentary procedure.

- With amendments to the Law on the Rights of Demobilized Veterans and their Families, unemployed demobilized veterans, returnees to RS, regardless of age, would be included in the right to an existential monetary allowance financed from the federal level. Veterans living in Brčko District, as well as unemployed spouses of deceased veterans, would also be included - Bošnjaković told us.

He says that it has not yet been determined how many beneficiaries of the existential monetary allowance would be included.

The figure of around 2,000 veterans from the RS and around 800 living in the Brčko District is being considered.

We remind you that currently, unemployed demobilized veterans aged 57 and over are entitled to an existential monetary allowance from the federal level, amounting to five KM per month of service in defense. Unemployed demobilized veterans under 57 are entitled to an existential monetary allowance from the cantonal level, which amounts to five KM per month of service in defense in the Sarajevo and Una-Sana Cantons, while in other cantons it is four or three KM.