Bosnian Federation Grants New Benefits to War Veterans

Lawmakers in the Federation entity on Thursday night adopted new law on war veterans - one of the demands raised by ex-soldiers from the Bosnian war who staged a series of protests in 2017 and 2018.

"They will be entitled to a total of 16 rights, including the right to subsistence payments for those who are in a state of social need and are 57 years old or older," Salko Bukvarevic, the Federation Minister for Issues of Veterans and Disabled Veterans of the Defensive-Liberation War, told FENA news agency.

Each disabled war veteran with a monthly income less than 85 euros will be also able to apply for a regular benefit payment.

"The law provides 2.5 euros for each month spent in the armed forces," Bukvarevic said.

Funding to implement the law will be secured through the rebalancing of this year's Federation entity budget, with an additional 12.5 million euros allocated at Thursday's parliamentary session.

All ex-soldiers who meet the criteria can submit requests, and the Federation Ministry of Defence will then compile a final list of those who are eligible.

The new law will come into force once the Federation's president signs it and it is published in the entity's Official Gazette.

Former members of the Bosnian Army and the Croatian Defence Council staged protests in 2017 and 2018 urging MPs to adopt a new law providing veterans with benefits and to put together a proper register of those who fought in the 1992-95 war.