Government defines criteria: Who is considered a defender, veteran, and organizer of resistance in FBiH

The FBiH Government today, at a session in Sarajevo, adopted and sent to parliamentary procedure under an expedited process the Bill on Amendments to the Law on the Rights of Defenders and Members of Their Families, reports the Patria News Agency.

The aim of the amendments is to implement the rulings of the Constitutional Court of the Federation of BiH of 4.5.2005 and 1.10.2013.

The second reason is the execution of the Recommendation of the United Nations Human Rights Committee in the case of "Prutina, Zlatarac, Kozica and Čekić". Namely, the Committee ordered the member state Bosnia and Herzegovina to abolish the obligation for family members to declare their missing relatives dead in order to be entitled to social benefits or any other form of compensation.

Defenders, within the meaning of the Law, are considered members of the Army of RBiH, HVO, and the police of the competent internal affairs body, members of the Armed Forces who participated in the defense of the sovereignty and integrity of Bosnia and Herzegovina (start of aggression on Ravno municipality) from 18.9.1991 to 23.12.1996, or until the cessation of immediate war danger, and who were demobilized by a decision of the competent military authority, as well as persons who participated in the preparation for defense and in the defense of BiH.

An organizer of resistance is considered a person who organized and led the preparation for defense and the defense of BiH for at least 100 days from 18.9.1991 to 9.4.1992, or was engaged in tasks in institutions or bodies related to defense during that period, and whose status has been confirmed by the Federal Ministry for Affairs of Veterans and Disabled Veterans of the Homeland War.

A veteran is considered a person who joined the units from 18.9.1991 to 31.12.1992 and remained continuously until 23.12.1995, or was demobilized earlier.

All these persons acquire the rights prescribed by the Law in accordance with the established deadlines, it was announced from the FBiH Government.