COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION OF CROATIAN DEFENDERS TREATED from post-traumatic stress disorder REPUBLIC OF CROATIAN

The Association of Croatian Veterans Treated for PTSD in the Republic of Croatia is a partner organization in the EU project ”Analysis of social factors that affect the quality of life of the veteran population - guidelines for the future. " The aim of the project is to improve the quality of life of Croatian veterans and victims of the Homeland War by conducting scientific research on the basis of which guidelines will be created for the improvement of legal provisions governing the rights of veterans.. We hereby invite all citizens to fill out an anonymous online survey that will be the basis for conducting six scientific studies., the topics of these tests have been determined in advance through prior consultation with relevant experts and will be conducted on an adequate number of samples., and they concern:
1) Public opinion about veterans and the image created in the media;
2) Health care for veterans;
3) Veterans' work activity and involvement in social entrepreneurship;
4) War tourism in the Republic of Croatia;
5) Psychosocial status of veterans' families;
6) Veterans' communication with decision makers;
The obtained data will be processed by statistical analyzes within professional and scientific research, which will result in exact indicators and conclusions in the development of guidelines for policy development.. Engaged professors from three scientific organizations will participate in the research (Ivo Pilar Institute of Social Sciences, University of Zadar, Croatian Catholic University) who will present their work in scientific articles and guidelines for drafting guidelines. The developed guidelines will be presented to decision makers during six structured dialogues, and each of them will be organized in a different city in order to achieve regional equality of involvement in the policy-making process.
Survey link: -HERE-

With the help of the City of Križevci and other donors and associations that operate from that area, and through the work of the members, the premises in which UHBL PTSD KKŽ sv. Marko Križevčanin. The rooms are equipped with new carpentry and radiators, the ceiling has been lowered and the walls have been refreshed, which has significantly affected the appearance and functionality of the office and contributed to the creation of a more comfortable space for work and living..

In Ogulin 20.02.2021. The regular reporting assembly of UHBO PTSD of Karlovac County was held on. Representatives of the community also attended the assembly, and the president of the community addressed the audience with appropriate words, Tihomir Trešćec. President of UHBO PTSD KŽ, Anton Bertović addressed the audience and presented a report on the work and plans for this year. Both sides expressed a desire to this year, if circumstances permit, by the community organize workshops for members of the association to help members cope with everyday stress. Also, members will be informed and involved in all activities organized by the community, and for which there is interest.

Association of Croatian Guards Veterans Associations (ZUV HGP), Association of Croatian Veterans Treated for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder of the Republic of Croatia (ZUHBL PTSP RH)and other partner organizations plan to implement the project ”Analysis of social factors that affect the quality of life of the veteran population - guidelines for the future "with the aim of improving the quality of life of Croatian veterans and victims of the Homeland War. The project started in October 2020. The, and the implementation is planned for thirty-six months, ie. until November 2023. The. With this project, defenders have a direct opportunity to participate in the improvement of legal provisions governing their rights. The main goals of the project are public opinion polls, and the obtained data will be processed as part of professional and scientific research in which renowned professors of three scientific organizations will participate (Ivo Pilar Institute of Social Sciences, Croatian Catholic University and University of Zadar) who will present their work in scientific articles and guidelines for drafting guidelines. The topics of these examinations concern: public opinion about veterans and images created in the media, health care for veterans, work activities of veterans and their involvement in social entrepreneurship, war tourism in the Republic of Croatia, the psychosocial status of the veteran’s family, communications of veterans with decision makers. The developed guidelines will be presented to decision makers during six structured dialogues in which veterans will participate, representatives of the nonprofit and for-profit sectors, social partners, local / regional self-government units, members of the scientific community, representatives of line ministries, agency and institution. The overall evaluation of the proposed guidelines will be presented at the final national conference in Zagreb, and the results of the project will be compared with the new Croatian Veterans Act and presented to the public, while all project activities will be published on the web portal of the Thematic Network. After the completion of the project, it is expected to change several legal provisions that will have a direct and long-term effect on the war veteran population., a to su: improving the health care system for veterans, facilitated employment and systematic encouragement of the establishment of social enterprises (veterans' cooperatives), improving and accelerating the communication of veterans with decision makers. The project aims to achieve more open communication between the war veteran population and the public, which is why media pluralism and objectivity will be explored. The long-term goal of the project is to enrich the offer of war and adrenaline tourism in the Republic of Croatia, and this through the direct employment of veterans (encouraging seasonal and year-round engagement of veterans by travel agencies). The research and articles created during the project will greatly contribute to the development of a scientific approach in solving the problems of the veteran population and enrich the academic community for important discoveries.. The project encourages the synergy of veterans' associations throughout the Republic of Croatia, and further expansion of the thematic network will be simplified thanks to a common web portal. The portal will bring together all the associations initially involved in the project as well as those yet to join the thematic network, and the general public – informing about current events on the project, reporting on the results of surveys and research, giving insight into the outcomes of structured dialogues. The portal will publish the guidelines and useful information for veterans (educational materials, instructions on medical care, etc.). The project employs a total of five people, one each in the Association of Special Police from the Homeland War of the Republic of Croatia, War Veterans Association 4. Guards Brigade ”few” and the Association of Veterans Associations of Croatian Guards, and two persons will be employed by the HVIDR Association. Fifty-five people were hired as external collaborators, nine of them from the Ivo Pilar Institute of Social Sciences, five from the Croatian Catholic University and one person from the University of Zadar. The project is funded by the European Social Fund and the Ministry of Labor, pension system, family and social policy.

On Sunday 3. January 2021. President of the Association Tihomir Trešćec, together with psychiatrists doc.dr.sc. Spiro Janovic et al. Herman Vukušić, he visited the earthquake-affected areas of Petrinja and Glina. The purpose of the visit was to gain insight into the needs for providing psycho-social assistance and other therapeutic interventions to earthquake-stricken people., with special emphasis on veterans and persons providing assistance in the affected areas. An interview was held with the Commander of the National Civil Protection Headquarters in Petrinja, gosp. Mladen Vinković and with the organizers of psychosocial assistance and mobile teams of the Red Cross in the earthquake-affected areas with which support and cooperation have been agreed.. In Glina, they also visited representatives and members of the member association from Sisak-Moslavina County who are active in providing assistance in the field and take care of the condition and needs of their members., but also fellow citizens. Aware of the gravity of the situation, the president offered help and informed the leadership of the local association about the actions taken by local associations from other counties to help the residents of the hard-hit areas..

In December, members of the Zagreb association laid wreaths and lit candles in Vukovar and Skabrnja in memory of Homeland War victims.. At the places of the casualties and at the memorials, they remembered all the comrades who are no longer with us, but also all the innocent victims of the war, civilian, children, women and the elderly. The importance of visiting the place of suffering and preserving the memory of all victims is visible even in these difficult times when we especially need togetherness and support..

U 2020. year, the community conducted a survey of a random sample of members conducted a survey on the needs and affinities of Croatian veterans in dealing with PTSD and stress. The aim of the research was to record the activities that, in the opinion of the respondents, would have the best impact on improving their condition. The survey was anonymous and the prepared analysis is available on the community page under the category Knowledge Base - Publications .

Representatives of the Association of Croatian Veterans Treated for PTSD in the Republic of Croatia participated 29. November 2020. at the Trokut-Novska Commemoration in memory of 314 of Croatian veterans killed during the Homeland War on the West Slavonian battlefield. The commemoration is also a reminder of 29. November 1991. The, at the beginning of Operation Hurricane-91, in which they are fighting together, members of units from many parts of Croatia within the OG "Posavina" embarked on one of the largest and most successful war operations. Like every year, delegations of family members of the dead, dead and missing Croatian veterans,
together with a delegation of Croatian war invalids, of war commanders and representatives of associations from the Homeland War paid tribute by laying a wreath and lighting candles at the memorial "Triangle".

conference 9. The Knowledge Center called Strong in Community was held on Thursday 15. November 2020. at the Academia Hotel. The conference was also attended by Ms.. Mirela Buterin envoy of the Vice President
Government and Minister of Croatian Veterans Mr.. Tome Medveda and Mrs.. Milena Suknaić Head of the Programs Department of the City of Zagreb. The emphasis of this year's conference was on the positive impact of veterans 'and victims' associations on the community through various forms of humanitarian work and volunteering, which is often neglected nowadays., undervalued and invisible. Julija Budimir Bekan presented the work of the Association 4.
Guards Brigade, Ljiljana Alvir work of the Association of Families of Detained and Missing Croatian Veterans, and Ivana Klanac the work of the Association of Veterans of Croatian Guards. Valentino Rajković, Ivica Kuprešak as representatives of HVIDRA RH and Željko Jakobčić, representative of the Association of Volunteers and Veterans of the Military Police from the Homeland War, presented the work of civil protection of the City of Zagreb. They stressed that Croatian defenders helped a large number of people who needed help, but it is also emphasized how to pay attention to those people, especially Croatian veterans, which
remained isolated. The actions carried out in the media were not covered, but that was not their goal either, rather, the main goal was to help people in need. Members of the associations underwent special courses for firefighters to be able to help in rescue and rescue operations. Among other things, they participated in the removal of the tower of the Zagreb Cathedral. They have given their obol and will always give it for the citizens of this state. Experts in the field of psychiatry and psychology also participated in the conference. Dr. Spiro Janovic gave a lecture in which he explained what is actually true about Covid-19 , that is, what science says is true. He ended his lecture with a sentence: "Take care of yourself, because if we are not good, what will happen to those who need our help?". Oliver Ojdanić gave a lecture on PTSD in the new normal, and Tina Peraica, prof. social pedagogy and Kristina Stojanović, prof. Psychology with the presentation "Our everyday stress in the age of the new normal" shared with us the results of testing personality traits, a strategy for coping with stress and quality of life during the Covid-19 pandemic.