War veterans, former members of the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina (ARBiH) and the Croat Defence Council (HVO), expressed discontent with the outcome of the Thursday session of a parliamentary commission that discussed the harmonised version of the Law on the Rights of Veterans, announcing they would block border crossings.

The veterans previously blocked two highways in the north and a border crossing in the south of the country earlier this week, demanding the adoption of the harmonised law version, which would include their demands – a single veterans’ register, the right to receive veterans’ allowance and abolition of the financing of the veterans’ association.

Jasenko Tufekcic, Deputy Speaker of the House of Peoples of the Federation (FBiH) entity, one of the two chambers of the Parliament that should adopt the law, said the commission needed some more time but that they would reach the most quality solution.

The FBiH House of Peoples adopted on June 26 the Draft Law on the Rights of Veterans in the form adopted by the FBiH Government. The House of Peoples did not adopt the amendments adopted by the House of Representatives, which the Government also rejected.

This means the two chambers had to align the adopted versions of the Law. The main difference between the two versions concerns the amount of veterans’ allowance.

“The commission again approved the basic text of the Law which was proposed by the FBiH Government and which was adopted by both chambers. The commission also approved the amendments that were adopted by the House of Representatives and that the Government accepted as its own,” Tufekcic said, adding, “We approved the amendments that the Government rejected and which were adopted by both chambers.”

He pointed out that each of the commission members will receive in the written form what the commission agreed on and “we will once again check if that's it.”

Tufekcic announced a meeting with the FBiH prime minister and entity president as well as their deputies to discuss the matter next week.

“I told the veterans many times that I am part of that team. Anyone who thinks they can force me with ultimatums and deadlines to do something in a day, two or three is wrong,” Tufekcic said.

Prior to the commission's session, which took place in the southern Bosnian city of Mostar, the veterans entered a verbal conflict with police which secured the building where the session took place, some of them even threatening they would commit a suicide.