Skopljaković: Monetary compensation for recipients of military decorations should be abolished

SARAJEVO, (Patria) - The president of the Croatian Party of BiH, Božo Skopljaković, believes that monetary compensation for recipients of war decorations and awards should be abolished and that money should be directed towards helping the most vulnerable members of the veteran population.

- In order to find the most optimal options for resolving the material rights of the veteran population in the Federation of BiH and, with the aim of constructively contributing to finding financial resources for the payment of veteran allowances, the Croatian Party of BiH wishes to present the first in a series of measures to achieve this goal and achieve a fairer redistribution of financial resources among beneficiaries of veteran rights.

Namely, as is known, at the end of 2005, the Law on Special Rights of Recipients of War Decorations and Awards and their Family Members was adopted in the Federal Parliament. According to this law, which came into force on January 1, 2006, all recipients of war decorations from the military components of HVO, Army of BiH, and MUP gained the right to a monthly compensation in the amount of 50 percent of the average salary in the Federation of BiH. Decorations received for war merits, according to the same law, also formed the basis for acquiring a pension under special regulations (so-called preferential pensions).

Given the fact that monetary compensation for decorations, including war decorations, is not paid anywhere in the world, which is, therefore, a federal precedent, and that at the same time thousands of veterans are without any material rights, the Croatian Party of BiH wishes to initiate, and even a debate in BiH society, whether such an approach is socially acceptable.

In our opinion - IT IS NOT! Therefore, we believe that the Federal Parliament should make a decision, i.e., amend the legal regulations, and abolish the payment of monthly compensation for decorations.

For example, in the Republic of Croatia, monetary compensation is not paid for war decorations awarded by the President of the Republic of Croatia to members of the Croatian Army; moreover, a decoration is not even a basis for acquiring a pension under special regulations. These same decorations, awarded by the President of the Republic of Croatia to members of the HVO, such as the Croatian Trillium, enable monthly compensation and the right to a preferential pension in the Federation of BiH. Moreover, according to the same law, these acquired rights of recipients of war decorations are inherited. Grandchildren inherit their grandfather's decorations!

It is evident that a significant portion of the veteran population has long been living below the existential minimum, and that an allowance of 320 KM, which is the amount of monthly compensation for recipients of war decorations, would be of great help to many. At the same time, numerous recipients of war decorations, i.e., beneficiaries of legally prescribed monthly compensation, generally have high pensions under special regulations, very often two, or are in high or highest party or state positions in BiH, so the compensation of 320 KM means absolutely nothing to them in existential terms.

Since there are more than five thousand beneficiaries of compensation for decorations, and among them are the wealthiest residents of this country, we believe that this money should be redirected to the five thousand most materially endangered veterans in this country.

Therefore, the position of the Croatian Party of BiH is to initiate this initiative as soon as possible, within the framework of amendments to the law on the rights of the veteran population - emphasized the president of HS BiH, Božo Skopljaković.