Government and politics reject them, neighbours at Ciglane open doors to demobilised soldiers

In front of the BiH Federation Government building, the same picture today, the bravest demobilised soldiers are waiting in tents for when and if their demands will be met, writes the Patria News Agency.

Much more tired than in previous days, but also more cautious, as they fear those "infiltrated" among them. They say they don't want riots. They want to achieve with dignity from the authorities what they deserve – minimal living conditions for their families and themselves. They state that they are not terrorists and that they do not have weapons...

The sun and high temperatures make their stay in the improvised tent settlement difficult. They do not lack food or water. Relief also comes from their temporary neighbours. They often open their apartments for the demobilised soldiers to shower, even though they have never seen them before.

- We are managing. There are people who invite us to shower. I thank the citizens who are helping us. There are those who have left us their phone numbers and whom we can call at any time of the day – Ibrahim Hasanović from Teočak tells Patria.

So far, many comrades-in-arms, as well as some politicians, have visited them. Now they are also expecting Valentin Inzko, the High Representative in BiH. He will visit them after returning from France.

- Of course, it is difficult for us without our families and in the conditions we are in, but there is no turning back – adds Hasanović.

About 200 demobilised soldiers of the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina are not giving up on their demands for the Government to publish a list of all beneficiaries of veteran benefits and privileges, to abolish more than 1,600 veteran associations, and to provide those soldiers who are unemployed or do not have a pension with a monthly supplement of 320 KM and healthcare.

Prime Minister Fadil Novalić and Minister Salko Bukvarević previously stated that there would be no new allocations for this category, which was recently confirmed by the agreement signed by the Government with ten veteran associations. Soldiers in front of the BiH Federation Government claim that the demands can be met through proper redistribution of funds.

Husein Muratović from Zvornik brought lists of people receiving benefits to the Government, claiming they were never in the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina for a single day. He invited the Prime Minister of the Federation of BiH, Fadil Novalić, to receive him so they could go through the lists together.

- Let them transfer civilian war victims to that category, and let them grant soldiers their rights. They are manipulating these people. We demand that while we are unemployed, we have income, as is the case everywhere in the world. When we get employed in a company, let them cancel our social benefits. We want to go to Europe, and that's how it is there. I, Husein Muratović, deny that new millions will be needed for the soldiers. Here is the list, 317 people from this list receive veteran benefits, although they currently live abroad and only come to BiH occasionally, taking 6,000 KM annually and still leaving cursing the late Alija. I invite the Government to form a team of five people from the ministry, we will also form a team, and we will go through every person from Zvornik. On the lists for veteran benefits, there are three times more illegal than real demobilised soldiers. It is like that in every municipality – says Muratović, writes NAP.