IMPLEMENTATION OF THE LAW ON SUPPLEMENTARY RIGHTS OF WAR DEFENDERS AND THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS ("Official Gazette of the Croatian Armed Forces" No.: 6/18, 4/21, 7/22, 11/23)
1. RIGHT TO HEALTH INSURANCE
Persons referred to in Article 1 of this Law, if they cannot achieve the status of insured person according to the regulations in the field of health insurance, exercise this right according to this Law.
The person liable for paying contributions for health insurance is the Ministry.
2. RIGHT TO ONE-TIME FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR TREATMENT
Members of the families of killed, deceased, missing veterans, war invalids and their family members, family members of deceased war invalids, recipients of war awards and decorations and demobilized veterans, as well as family members of unemployed demobilized veterans, are entitled to one-time financial assistance from the Ministry for treatment and the purchase of medical supplies and medicines, as well as assistance to cover material costs incurred during treatment, for needs that are not determined by regulations in the field of health insurance or can be partially realized under these regulations.
3. RIGHT TO ORTHOPEDIC ASSISTANCE
War invalids who have been determined by the competent body to have a war invalidity and the competent medical commission to need orthopedic and other aids, are entitled to orthopedic and other aids in accordance with this Law.
Persons from paragraph (1) of this article exercise their right to orthopedic and other aids according to the procedure and in the manner established by regulations in the field of health insurance, with the Ministry reimbursing part of the funds not covered by the payment of health insurance, up to twice the amount covered by the same.
4. RIGHT TO MEDICAL PREVENTION AND REHABILITATION
The right to medical prevention and rehabilitation includes preventive health examinations, spa and climatic treatment and sports rehabilitation.
The Ministry, in cooperation and consultation with all competent health institutions and institutions in the county, will develop special preventive health care programs for high-risk target groups classified as war invalids, recipients of war awards and decorations, and demobilized veterans.
The Ministry will ensure the right to spa and climatic treatment for persons referred to in Article 1 of this Act under the conditions to be determined by implementing regulations.
The Ministry will encourage rehabilitation through various forms of sports activities for war invalids, recipients of war awards and decorations, and demobilized veterans.
The implementation of the rights under this Article is carried out in accordance with available budgetary funds.
5. RIGHT TO PRIORITY IN ENROLLMENT IN EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS
Children of killed, deceased and missing veterans, children of deceased war invalids, children of deceased recipients of war awards and decorations, children of deceased demobilized veterans, children of war invalids and children of demobilized veterans have the right to priority in enrollment, under the same conditions, in educational institutions (secondary and higher education institutions of undergraduate study founded/co-founded by the County and local government units, taking into account the following priorities:
a) children of killed, deceased and missing veterans, children of war invalids 100% of group I, children of deceased war invalids, children of deceased recipients of war awards and decorations and children of deceased demobilized veterans,
b) children of war invalids 100% of group II, children of war invalids from III. to IV. disability groups and children of recipients of war awards and decorations,
c) children of war invalids from V to X disability groups and children of demobilized veterans.
6. RIGHT TO PRIORITY IN ACCOMMODATION IN STUDENT DORMITORIES
Persons from Article 12 of this Act have priority under the same conditions for accommodation in student dormitories in the County, in accordance with the relevant act of the competent body-institution.
7. RIGHT TO PRIORITY IN AWARDING SCHOLARSHIPS
Persons from Article 12 of this Act have priority under the same conditions when approving scholarships, in accordance with the relevant act of the competent county or representative bodies of local self-government units, in such a way that they will be included in implementing acts as a special category that is evaluated by priority in accordance with Article 12 of this Act.
8. RIGHT TO RELIEVEMENTS IN PAYING FEES IN EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS
When studying regularly at public higher education institutions for undergraduate and graduate studies in the County, the Ministry will co-finance the enrollment fee for the new academic year for children of Homeland War veterans, in accordance with the priorities set out in Article 12 of this Act.
9. RIGHT TO ADDITIONAL EDUCATION, VOCATIONAL TRAINING AND RE-QUALIFICATION
For disabled war veterans and demobilized veterans who were unable to complete regular education due to war activities, as well as for those who, due to changed needs on the labor market, need additional education, vocational training for certain professions and re-qualification, the Ministry, in cooperation with competent bodies and institutions, or education organizers, will subsidize the development of appropriate programs, which will enable the acquisition of titles in deficit and other professions for the purpose of easier and faster employment.
The right is also exercised by children of veterans under the prescribed appropriate conditions.
10. RIGHT TO PRIORITY IN EMPLOYMENT UNDER EQUAL CONDITIONS
Persons referred to in Article 1 of this Act shall exercise the right to priority employment under the conditions set out in this Act and in the act establishing the uniform criteria and rules for the application of priority in the employment of persons referred to in Article 1 of this Act, which shall be adopted by the Government of the HNC at the proposal of the Ministry.
County administrative bodies, county administrative organizations, local self-government units, as well as all legal entities founded by the County, local self-government units, or which are financed from the Budget with a participation of at least 25%, and public institutions, shall, when hiring, ensure priority for persons referred to in Article (1) of this Act.
Legal entities shall have a continuous obligation to include a note in the text of the public advertisement for each new employment that priority for employment under equal conditions shall be given to persons referred to in Article 1 of this Act.
The Government of the HNC shall adopt the act referred to in Article 18, paragraph (1) within 60 days of the entry into force of this Act.
11. THE RIGHT TO PRIORITY WHEN USING THE EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM
Persons from Article 1 of this Act who are on the records of the employment service, under equal conditions, have priority when using programs intended for employment.
Children of deceased, deceased and missing veterans, children of deceased war disabled veterans and deceased winners of war awards and decorations, children of war disabled veterans and retired veterans can use this right only until their first permanent employment within the framework of the acquired professional qualification.
Competent employment services are obliged to prescribe in their acts that when using the employment program, priority is given to persons from paragraphs (1) and (2) of Article 19 in the established order.
12. ASSISTANCE IN SELF-EMPLOYMENT PROJECTS; CREATION OF JOB POSITIONS AND OTHER FORMS OF EMPLOYMENT
In order to create new jobs intended for the employment of persons referred to in Article 1 of this Act, the Ministry will co-finance self-employment projects through incentives for the establishment and development of cooperatives and the performance of registered activities or family farms, as well as incentives for the work of veterans-farmers who produce and perform other tasks related to that production in order to ensure the existence of their families and/or improve the quality of life.
Projects will be co-financed by allocating funds, assistance programs in the realization of loans from financial institutions, appropriate forms of cooperation with competent institutions, economic entities, veterans' cooperatives, associations and other forms of association with the aim of entrepreneurship, resocialization and increased social and business affirmation.
13. RIGHT TO PRIORITY IN RENTING AND PURCHASING BUSINESS PREMISES UNDER EQUAL CONDITIONS
Persons referred to in Article 1 of this Act shall have priority under equal conditions when leasing and purchasing a business premises owned by the County or local self-government units.
The right may be exercised provided that the purpose of the lease or purchase is self-employment or the performance of the main activity, and not sublease.
14. RIGHT TO ASSISTANCE IN HOUSING CARE
The right to assistance in housing care within the meaning of this Act includes:
a) the right to purchase apartments owned by the Ministry-County on more favorable terms,
b) the right to subsidize interest rates when taking out a loan for housing care, for the construction or purchase of an appropriate housing facility, with the possibility of using the benefits of subsidies established by this Act,
c) the right to non-refundable financial assistance in the construction or renovation of an individual housing facility.
Apartments allocated for use under previous regulations by the administrative body whose legal successor is the Ministry as a form of housing care for persons from Article 1 of this Act are subject to real estate transactions, and their value is determined at the average construction price of 1m2m, with the following categories being completely exempt from the price thus determined: children without both parents whose parents died in the Homeland War, war invalids of 100% I. and II. groups and families of fallen veterans in the Homeland War.
The right to purchase an apartment is held by the user in whose name the decision on the allocation of the apartment for use is written or his heir of the first non-successive order in the event of the user's death, if he submits a written request to the Ministry for the purchase of the apartment within four years from the entry into force of this Act.
An apartment purchase agreement drawn up taking into account the principles of the regulations that define special discounts on the value of the apartment is concluded, provided that the Government of HNC gives its consent to the Purchase Agreement by a special Decision.
If the apartment user does not submit a request within the prescribed period, he/she will be deemed to have agreed to a long-term lease agreement under more favorable terms.
15. LEGAL SUBSIDIZATION OF THE OBLIGATION TO PAY FEES FOR THE PURPOSE OF SATISFYING HOUSING NEEDS
Persons referred to in Article 1 of this Act, with the aim of meeting their housing needs, through individual or collective housing construction, may, according to the bases and criteria prescribed by local self-government units, under the conditions set out in Article 24 of this Act, be subsidized in a certain percentage of the obligation to pay the following fees:
a) fees for allocated urban construction land,
b) fees for the development of urban construction land,
c) fees for the benefits-rent of urban construction land and
d) fees for the construction and maintenance of shelters/shelters.
If the Ministry implements construction, purchase programs or otherwise acquires housing units, they may be subsidized in the payment of all fees set out in this Article.
The alienation of a facility for which the right to housing care from Article 25, paragraph 1), items a) and b) of this Act has been exercised is prohibited within 5 years from the date of exercising the right.
The note prohibiting alienation shall be made in the land registers.
Funds intended for housing care for persons referred to in Article 1 of this Act shall be provided: within the County Budget, with funds obtained through real estate transactions, support from other levels of government, through donations, as well as other forms of financing.
The Ministry shall develop and implement housing care programs depending on the available funds in the County Budget.
16. RIGHT TO COMPENSATION OF FUNERAL COSTS
In the event of the death of a war invalid, recipient of war awards and decorations, a close family member of a deceased, deceased, missing veteran, a close family member of a deceased, deceased, missing veteran, a beneficiary of family disability benefits, as well as in the event of the death of a child of a deceased veteran who is not a beneficiary of family disability benefits and who is not older than 40 years old, and in the event of the death of an unemployed demobilized veteran, the family member who buries the deceased is entitled to compensation for funeral costs in the amount of one average net salary of employees in the County, from the previous year.
A family member, or the person who buries the deceased veteran after the exhumation, is also entitled to funeral costs.
If the deceased person has no family members, funeral costs are reimbursed to the natural or legal person, and to the competent association that buries the deceased and in whose name the invoices are issued.
Funds to cover the funeral costs of a deceased family member of a deceased veteran who is a beneficiary of family disability benefits, as well as in the event of the death of a child of a deceased veteran who is not a beneficiary of family disability benefits, who is not older than 40 years of age and who has received war awards and decorations, are provided in the County Budget.
Funds to cover the funeral costs of a deceased war veteran who is a disabled veteran and an unemployed demobilized veteran are provided in the Budget of local self-government units.
The right to compensation for funeral costs expires within one year from the date of the established fact of death or exhumation of the persons referred to in Article 30 of this Act.
17. RIGHT TO A COMPENSATION FOR THE ERECTION OF A TOMBSTONE OR MEMORIAL MARK
The Ministry will provide a one-time financial assistance for the construction and erection of a tombstone for fallen, deceased and missing veterans and deceased recipients of war awards and decorations who are buried in the County, in accordance with the conceptual design of a single tombstone or in another appropriate manner.
The Ministry will, within the available funds, participate in the financing of the erection of joint memorials for fallen veterans from the Homeland War.
18. THE RIGHT OF RECIPIENTS OF WAR RECOGNITIONS AND AWARDS TO NOTIFICATION OF THE DEATH THROUGH THE MEDIA, ORGANIZING A FUNERAL WITH STATE HONORS AND THE RIGHT TO A PLACE TOGETHER AT THE LOCATIONS OF MERITABLE PERSONS
The right to be notified of a death through the media, to organize a funeral with state honors and the right to a burial place at the locations of deserving persons are exercised by winners of war awards and decorations.
The right is realized through associations, with the financial support of the Ministry, and in accordance with the corresponding act of the competent authority.
19. RIGHT TO ONE-TIME FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR SOCIAL AND OTHER EXTRAORDINARY NEEDS
Persons referred to in Article 1 of this Act who are in a state of social need and in extraordinary circumstances caused by force majeure have the right to one-time financial assistance, which will be granted by the Ministry or local self-government units in accordance with the provided budgetary funds.
20. RIGHT TO PRIORITY WITHOUT WAITING IN QUEUES IN PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS
The competent body of the County and local self-government units will ensure that notices are posted in visible places (public administration institutions and bodies, health institutions, judicial institutions and other public institutions) that priority without waiting in line is given to seriously disabled war veterans and parents of fallen veterans, who will prove their status with appropriate ID cards.
21. RIGHT TO PRIORITY OF ACCOMMODATION AND RIGHT TO PRIORITY IN ACCOMMODATION IN GERIATRIC CENTERS
The Ministry will, in accordance with available funds, participate in co-financing the costs of accommodation of veterans in geriatric centers.
Family members of killed, deceased, missing veterans, war invalids, recipients of war awards and decorations and demobilized veterans have priority in accommodation in geriatric homes in accordance with the relevant act of the competent body.
22. RIGHT TO ADJUSTMENT OF ACCESS AND REMOVAL OF ARCHITECTURAL BARRIERS IN PUBLIC PLACES
War invalids who are unable to move without a wheelchair and visually impaired and blind war invalids have the right to remove architectural and urban barriers for access to public places and entrances to public institutions.
The competent institutions are obliged to adjust accesses and remove architectural barriers so that persons can access them.
23. RIGHT TO FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR MARKINg SIGNIFICANT DATES, PRESERVING THE DIGNITY AND VALUES OF THE HOMELAND WAR
In order to protect the dignity and values of the Homeland War, through associations and other organizational bodies, the Ministry will, within the available funds, participate in financing the marking of significant dates and other activities to promote the values of the Homeland War.
24. RIGHT TO MONEY EXISTENTIAL COMPENSATION OF A DEmobilized WARRIOR AND A FAMILY MEMBER OF A DECEASED DEmobilized WARRIOR
The right to monetary existential compensation in the amount of 6 KM per month spent in the Armed Forces of BiH may be exercised by a demobilized war veteran who has reached the age of 53 until reaching the age of 57, under the following conditions: a) that he was a member of the Armed Forces of BiH for at least 12 months; b) that he has been registered as an unemployed person with the competent employment service for at least 12 months before submitting the application for exercising the right; c) that he has a permanent residence in the territory of the HNC region; d) that he earns monthly income in the amount of less than 50% of the minimum pension paid in the Federation of BiH for the month of December of the calendar year preceding the year of exercising the right; e) that he/she has no income from property or capital, and if he/she has such income, it is not in the amount exceeding 50% of the minimum pension paid in the FBiH for the month of December of the calendar year preceding the year of exercising the right.
The right to a financial subsistence allowance in the amount of 6 KM per month spent in the Armed Forces of BiH may be exercised by the spouse of a deceased demobilized veteran who is between the ages of 53 and 57, who meets the conditions set out in points b), s), d) and e) of paragraph 1 of Article 39a. of this Law, provided that he/she was a member of the Armed Forces of BiH for at least 12 months.
The right to financial subsistence allowance is granted to children without both parents residing in the HNC region, who attend regular primary/secondary school education until the end of regular secondary school or higher education until they reach the age of 25, when they submit a request for exercising the right: a) after the death of the parent who is the beneficiary of the said right and b) after the death of the parent who at the time of death met the conditions from points a) and c) of this article.
The HNC government will adopt an act every six months that determines the coefficient for the calculation and the amount of financial subsistence allowance in accordance with the funds provided for this purpose for the budget year.
The procedure for exercising the right under this Act is ensured in accordance with the provisions of the same, according to the conditions, criteria, procedure and deadlines established in the text of the public announcement, and the public procurement procedure, and for issues not regulated by this Act, the relevant provisions of the Administrative Procedure Act shall apply.
Requests from persons for recognition of rights financed from the County Budget shall be submitted with appropriate documentation to the Ministry, which shall be decided in the first instance by an authorized body or official of the Ministry.
Protection of rights under this Act shall be ensured by filing an appeal, which may be filed within eight days against first-instance decisions, and the Minister shall decide on it.
Requests from persons for recognition of rights financed from the Budget of local self-government units, shall be submitted with appropriate documentation to the competent service or department of the local self-government unit, which shall be resolved in the first instance, and the competent County Ministry shall decide on appeals filed against first-instance decisions.