Officially opening the Centre for counselling, rehabilitation and treatment of Homeland War veterans in the southern town of Sinj on Friday, Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic pledged to revoke the law that reduced veteran pension allowances.

“The Veterans Centre in Sinj is another sign of respect for everything that veterans have done for the freedom and democracy of Croatia, which today’s generations enjoy. Over the next few years, we will allocate additional funds from the 2021-2027 financial perspective and invest in three more veterans’ centres,” the PM announced.

He added that the government would revoke the law that reduced pension allowances by 10% for about 62,000 veterans and their families.

“The first five percent will be restored on 1 July this year, and the remainder on 1 January 2024, after we returned 10% that was abolished at the beginning of our first term in office,” Plenkovic said.

The Veterans Affairs Ministry is implementing the project of establishing veterans’ centres in Croatia as part of the Operational Program Competitiveness and Cohesion. It includes the construction, furnishing and equipping of four veterans’ centres. In addition to the centre in Sinj, a centre was previously opened in Sibenik while two more are under construction in Petrinja and Daruvar.

The value of the centre in Sinj is €8.5 million, 85% of which is from the European Fund for Regional Development. The 130-bed centre will implement the program of rehabilitation and other forms of recovery for Croatian war invalids and war veterans. Its services and facilities will be available to 2,500 users a year.