Proposal of Law on the Rights of Demobilized Fighters and Their Families Established

SARAJEVO, (Patria) - The Government of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, at today's session in Mostar, established and, under urgent procedure, forwarded to the Parliament of FBiH the Proposal of Law on the Rights of Demobilized Fighters and
members of their families.

A demobilized fighter, within the meaning of this law, is considered a member of the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Croatian Defense Council, and the police of the competent internal affairs body, who participated in preparations for defense or in the defense of BiH from September 18, 1991, to April 22, 1996, for a minimum of one year, announced the Public Relations Office of the FBiH Government. 

A demobilized volunteer fighter is also considered a person who, in the same period, as a minor, voluntarily joined the Armed Forces.

Demobilized fighters and members of their families can exercise several rights based on this law. These are rights to health protection, treatment abroad, spa and climate treatment, one-time financial assistance for treatment, priority in using health institution services, transportation costs for treatment in another canton, and free treatment of PTSD.

Also ensured are more favorable conditions and priority in employment, assistance in case of death, financial subsistence allowance, early more favorable retirement, and longer annual leave based on participation in the Armed Forces. 

The financial subsistence allowance will cover demobilized fighters who are 57 years old and older, who were participants in the Armed Forces for at least one year, who have been registered as unemployed for at least one year, and who have no other income.

Among the rights are also housing care, subsidy for payment of fees for utility connections, for allocated urban construction land, and for land development. There are also allocation of funds for sustainable return, free connection to infrastructure networks (water, electricity, gas), priority in placement in retirement homes and gerontology centers, provision of more favorable education conditions, issuance of an identification card for demobilized fighters, and free legal aid.

Along with these rights, a public publication of the unique register of fighters and beneficiaries of rights in the field of fighter and disability protection on the website of the Federal Ministry for Veterans and Disabled Veterans of the Defense-Liberation War is also prescribed. The Federal Ministry of Finance is tasked today to, with the aim of securing funds for the implementation of the Law, prepare as soon as possible the Rebalance of the FBiH Budget for 2019 so that it can also be forwarded to the Parliament of FBiH under urgent procedure.

As envisaged, the application of the Law on the Rights of Demobilized Fighters and Members of Their Families begins on July 1, 2019, with the simultaneous termination of the Agreement reached between the Government of FBiH and veterans' associations on the achieved level of funds in the FBiH Budget at the position of the relevant ministry intended for resolving priority requests of veteran categories.

The Government today tasked the heads of federal bodies to withdraw orders for payment based on employee lawsuits.