14 buses of demobilized soldiers arrive in Sarajevo, traffic blocked in front of Parliament

SARAJEVO, (Patria) - Strong police forces are securing the building of the Federal Parliament ahead of the sessions of the House of Representatives, which will include the Draft Law on the Rights of Demobilized soldiers. Hundreds of demobilized soldiers gathered in front of the Federal Parliament building, after which traffic was blocked in that part of the city. Members of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Sarajevo Canton are on the ground and are providing security. 

The Patria agency was confirmed by the Ministry of Internal Affairs that 14 buses with demobilized soldiers from all parts of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina arrived in Sarajevo this morning. The soldiers are carrying flags of the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina as well as flags of the Croatian Defence Council, and they state that they have not come to cause problems, but only to seek their rights.

 

 

Thousands of former members of the Army of RBiH and HVO are demanding that the authorities abolish funding for around 1,600 veteran associations operating in the Federation, demanding basic financial compensation for demobilized soldiers who do not have a pension or are not employed, while at the same time demanding that the authorities publish a list of those receiving veteran benefits.

Demobilized soldiers believe that a large number of those on these lists were not participants in the war, while real soldiers receive no help from the state and live on the edge of poverty. 

The government has so far refused to publish this list.