2018 War Veterans Amendment Act passes through first reading

The 2018 War Veterans Amendment Act today had its first reading in the SVK Parliament’s plenary. The Amendment Act will enable the MOD to refurbish a building as a residential home for elderly veterans and thus meet one of the goals set out in the SVK Government Manifesto Commitments, whilst at the same time fulfilling yet another pledge in the Slovak National Party (SNS) Manifesto. The SVK Cabinet gave its consent to the MOD-sponsored Amendment Act in January 2018.
 

 

The Amendment Act determines the extent of the services and the costs of accommodation and catering to be covered by the residential facility. It allows veterans to live in the residential home along with their spouses or unmarried dependents as partners with whom they share a common household. This is about providing the war veterans who have run into difficulty with accommodation with a long-term affordable place to stay. The Amendment Act counts with the possibility that the MOD will pay a share of their cost of accommodation, provided that they are unable to do so out of their own pension. To qualify for a placement, they must meet the criteria set out in the legislation.

In case of vacancies, the residential home will also be open to ex-service personnel. To be precise, to those who receive a military pension or a military disablement pension with a minimum service period of 25 years, or 15 years and more, depending on the length of the active duty contract. The MOD is planning to refurbish a building in an already existing facility that falls under the remit of the department.

As of today, Slovakia registers 173 WWII veterans and over 7,500 contemporary veterans.