In recent days, political tensions have escalated in Croatia over proposed changes to pension benefits for veterans who continued working after the war and later retired. The initiative was launched by the parliamentary group Možemo, which has been pushing for amendments to the Law on Veterans' Pensions. According to their proposal, these veterans—many of whom served during the Homeland War and then contributed additional years of work before retiring—should receive a significant increase in their pensions, averaging around 20 percent. This move aims to better recognize both their military service and their subsequent civilian contributions.
The proposal was submitted by Možemo's parliamentary representative, Damir Bakić, following discussions held in the committees responsible for legislation and social policy within the Croatian Parliament. Despite the detailed nature of the proposal, the government led by Prime Minister Andrej Plenković did not provide any written response, a situation that Bakić described as unprecedented in recent legislative sessions. He questioned whether the government felt ashamed of its stance or sought to avoid public scrutiny regarding its position on this issue.
The debate surrounding the proposed changes has intensified, particularly due to strong opposition from members of the ruling party, HDZ, and its coalition partners. During the plenary session scheduled for the following day, the discussion will focus on these proposals, with a vote planned for Friday. Although the majority of HDZ members did not voice substantial objections to the content of the proposals, they were largely formal in their rejection. One notable point raised was related to the lowest pensions under the current system, according to Bakić.
Criticism of Možemo’s initiative has also come from former minister Marin Piletić, who accused the party of manipulation. In a Facebook post, he claimed that Možemo had proposed changes to two laws involving just three articles aimed at increasing the pensions of 68,000 Croatian veterans. However, he argued that the proposal failed to include approximately 90 percent of veterans who already receive higher pensions under the 2017 law enacted by the HDZ-led government. Piletić called the proposal the most deceitful and dangerous political pamphlet from Možemo in recent times, emphasizing that the party claims to correct injustices while neglecting broader implications.
Despite the criticism, Možemo remains committed to its initiative. Bakić emphasized that the party would continue advocating for legal changes to improve the pensions of more than 70,000 veterans. He noted that even some HDZ members, such as Josip Đakić, acknowledged the merit of the proposal but chose not to support it due to its origin from Možemo. Bakić warned that if these changes are not implemented within the next two years, Možemo would introduce them once it gains power.
The controversy highlights deepening divisions between the ruling party and opposition groups over how to address historical grievances and ensure fair treatment of veterans. While Možemo insists on recognizing dual contributions—both military and civilian—the ruling party appears resistant to making significant changes to the existing pension framework. As the debate continues, the outcome of the upcoming vote could further shape the political landscape in Croatia, potentially influencing future policies and public perception of the government's commitment to veterans' welfare.
5 reports
Večernji listIndependentCenterFactual 85Objective 7018 days agoA political conflict between the HDZ and the Možemo party in the district of Gornja Dubrava has escalated, with the HDZ focusing on the lack of bike lanes as a key issue. Marko Periša, an HDZ city councilor, and his colleague Neven Mikša have released videos highlighting the absence of connected bike paths in eastern Zagreb, arguing that this hinders safe daily mobility. The Možemo party has responded, suggesting their stance contradicts that of the HDZ.
Bias read (Center): The article presents both sides of the political dispute without overtly favoring one over the other. It reports on actions taken by both parties—HDZ members highlighting the lack of bike lanes and Možemo responding with counterpoints—without using biased language or selectively omitting information
Why these scores (Factual 85 · Objective 70): Accurately reports the number of candidates and their backgrounds. Provides factual details about the process and candidates, maintaining a neutral tone.
N1 HrvatskaIndependentLeftFactual 85Objective 6518 days agoThe article reports that the Croatian government led by Prime Minister Andrej Plenković has not formally responded in writing to proposals submitted by the Možemo parliamentary group regarding increasing pensions for veterans who continued working after the war. The proposals aim to increase pensions by an average of 20% through amendments to the Law on Veterans' Pensions, aiming to better recognize both their wartime service and work experience. A representative of Možemo, Damir Bakić, stated that this lack of written response is unprecedented in recent years and questioned whether the Plenkō
Bias read (Left): The article frames the government's non-response as a potential embarrassment and implies criticism toward the ruling HDZ party, using rhetorical questions and emphasizing the significance of the proposed pension increases for veterans. The tone suggests disapproval of the government's stance.
Why these scores (Factual 85 · Objective 65): Factual reporting on the candidate selection process and political clashes is clear. Objectivity is slightly compromised by the emotive language used during the debate.
Index.hrIndependentRight14 days agoMarin Piletić, former minister of labor, pensions, family, and social policy from the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ), criticized the center-left party Možemo for their proposed changes to two laws aimed at increasing pensions for 68,000 Croatian veterans who continued working after the war and are now transitioning into regular pensions. Piletić accused Možemo of manipulating the issue by proposing amendments to just three articles across two laws while excluding most veterans who already receive higher pensions under the 2017 Law on Croatian Veterans and Their Family Members. He called the proposal the worst political pamphlet from Možemo in recent times and noted that Možemo later labeled the proposal a mistake. The HDZ opposed the proposed changes, which did not gain support from MPs during debate. Možemo representatives argued that the proposals would better value the contributions of these veterans and cited support from some HDZ members.
Bias read (Right): The article presents Marin Piletić’s criticism of Možemo’s pension proposal through his perspective, emphasizing accusations of manipulation and labeling the proposal as the 'worst political pamphlet' from Možemo. The framing highlights Piletić’s claims against Možemo, with limited counterpoints and
N1 HrvatskaIndependentRight14 days ago Piletić: "The most vile and offensive political pamphlet we can in recent times"Marin Piletić, former minister of labor, pensions, family, and social policy, criticized the Možemo! party on social media for their initiative to increase pensions for Croatian veterans who have retired from service. He argued that the party's proposal would change two laws with only three articles to raise pensions for approximately 68,000 veterans. However, he pointed out that 90% of these veterans already receive higher pensions under the 2017 law introduced by the HDZ government, proposed by then Minister of Veterans Tome Medved. Piletić accused Možemo! of making a mistake by not considering this existing legislation and called their recent political campaign the 'most despicable and dangerous political pamphlet' Možemo has produced recently.
Bias read (Right): The article presents a critique from a former government official against a political party's policy proposal, using strong negative language ('most despicable and dangerous political pamphlet') and emphasizing the opposition's alleged errors while highlighting the previous government's legislative
N1 HrvatskaIndependentLeft14 days ago We can: HDZ and DP voted against the pension increase for more than 70,000 defendersThe ruling majority in Croatia's parliament, consisting of HDZ and DP, rejected two proposed laws aimed at increasing pensions for over 70,000 retired soldiers who left active service. The proposal was put forward by the opposition party Možemo, which criticized the ruling parties for voting against the measure without providing any arguments, while resorting to insults and false accusations. Možemo's parliamentary representative, Damir Bakić, stated that the decision demonstrated hypocrisy, as the ruling parties claim to support veterans but refused to act on this issue. He emphasized that the proposal had been acknowledged as valid by HDZ member Josip Đakić during committee discussions, yet the ruling coalition still opposed it due to its origin from Možemo. Možemo has vowed to continue pushing for these legal changes and will introduce them again if they come into power within the next two years.
Bias read (Left): The article frames the rejection of pension increases for veterans as an act of hypocrisy and criticism towards the ruling parties, using strong language such as 'without arguments' and 'lavina uvreda i kleveta' (a flood of insults and lies). It emphasizes the opposition's stance and portrays the HD
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