Veterans' Pensions to Rise as 20 Percent Reduction Is Abolished
Each month spent in the combat sector will be specially valued, and the law amendments go to public consultation as early as Friday.
Each month spent in the combat sector will be specially valued, and the law amendments go to public consultation as early as Friday.
A portion of Croatian veterans could soon receive higher pensions. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Croatian Veterans Tomo Medved presented on Wednesday a plan to amend two laws, with the most significant change being the abolition of the long-standing pension reduction. The proposals will be published for public consultation on Friday, August 7, 2026.
Specifically, the amendments concern the Law on Croatian Veterans from the Homeland War and Members of Their Families, and the Law on Active Military Personnel, Police Officers, and Authorized Officials. The central change is the elimination of the pension reduction that has been in effect since 2002 and affected veterans, soldiers, and police officers retired under regulations for active military and service personnel. Until now, their benefits were reduced by a range of 8 to 20 percent, depending on individual circumstances.
The second key part of the reform changes the formula used to calculate pensions for veterans who have not acquired the status of Croatian war veteran with disability (HRVI) and who retired on other grounds. For them, additional financial valuation will be introduced for each individual month spent in the combat sector.
This means that the final pension amount will depend not only on formal status and total years of service but also on the actual time spent on wartime duties. Minister Medved highlighted this criterion as the fairest way to measure each veteran's wartime contribution.
The Ministry of Croatian Veterans states that these amendments will not apply to disability and survivor pensions, which are defined as separate categories. The public consultation will allow veterans' associations and all other interested parties to submit their comments and proposals before the parliamentary debate. The final proposal is expected to reach MPs during September 2026.
Medved announced the changes at a ceremony naming a bridge on the Mrežnica River after the 14th Home Guard Regiment Slunj. On that occasion, he emphasized that the memory of the Homeland War must not be reduced to memorial plaques and anniversaries.
The real impact of these legal changes will become clear only after the final text is defined. Open questions include the actual increase in pensions, the date from which the new calculation will apply, and whether it will cover all those veterans who have for years warned that their combat service was not adequately valued.
