Status of a Croatian Homeland War veteran

A Croatian Homeland War Veteran is a person who has participated in an organised manner in defending the independence, territorial integrity and sovereignty of the Republic of Croatia

The status of a Croatian Homeland War Veteran may be obtained by:
  • a member of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Croatia (National Guard Corps, Croatian Army, Ministry of Defence, Police, Ministry of the Interior and Croatian Defence Forces)
  • a member of the armed detachments of the National Protection Service who was directly engaged as a member of the combat sector for at least 100 days in the period from 30 July 1991 to 31 December 1991
  • a member of the armed detachments of the National Protection Service who did not have the obligation to participate in the reserve or did not regulate the obligation of military service if they were directly engaged as a member of the combat sector for at least 30 days in the period from 30 July 1991 to 31 December 1991
  • a member of the armed detachments of the National Protection Service who was directly engaged as a member of the combat sector, and who died in the period from 30 July 1991 to 31 December 1991
  • a member of the armed detachments of the National Protection Service who was directly engaged as a member of the combat sector, and who disappeared in the period from 30 July 1991 to 31 December 1991
  • a member of the armed detachments of the National Protection Service who was directly engaged as a member of the combat sector, and who was detained in an enemy camp, prison or other enemy facility in the period from 30 July 1991 to 31 December 1991

Obstacles for obtaining the status of a Croatian veteran

Statuses and rights under the Act on Croatian Homeland War Veterans and their Family Members may not be obtained by:
  • members, accomplices or collaborators of enemy military and paramilitary units who took part in the armed aggression against the Republic of Croatia, as well as members of their families based on their death
  • persons who, according to the criminal records kept by the Ministry of Justice, have been convicted by a final court judgement for criminal offences under TITLE THIRTY-TWO (XXXII) CRIMINAL OFFENCES AGAINST THE REPUBLIC OF CROATIA of the Criminal Code (Official Gazette 125/11, 144/12, 56/15 and 61/15) or for criminal offences under TITLE TWELVE (XII) CRIMINAL OFFENCES AGAINST THE REPUBLIC OF CROATIA of the Criminal Code (Official Gazette 110/97, 27/98 – corrigendum, 50/00 – Decision of the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Croatia, 129/00, 51/01, 11/03, 190/03 – Decision of the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Croatia, 105/04, 84/05 – corrigendum, 71/06, 110/07, 152/08 and 57/11) or for criminal offences under TITLE FOURTEEN (XIV) CRIMINAL OFFENCES AGAINST THE SECURITY OF THE REPUBLIC OF CROATIA of the Basic Criminal Code of the Republic of Croatia (Official Gazette 31/93, 39/93, 108/95, 16/96 and 28/96) or for criminal offences under TITLE NINETEEN (XIX) CRIMINAL OFFENCES AGAINST THE REPUBLIC OF CROATIA of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Croatia (Official Gazette 32/93, 38/93, 16/96 and 28/96) committed while defending the sovereignty of the Republic of Croatia, as well as members of their families on the basis of their death
  • persons who inflicted their injuries themselves in order to avoid military service
  • persons who failed to respond to the mobilisation or persons who left the unit voluntarily (exceptionally, if they rejoined the unit voluntarily or subsequently responded to the mobilisation after receiving the call of the competent authority).
Submitting an application
Members of units of the Ministry of Defence participating in the Homeland War may submit an application to the Regional Department of Defence, and members of units of the Ministry of the Interior participating in the Homeland War at the headquarters of the Ministry of the Interior or the Police Administration.