Matic made the statement during his appearance on a public affairs talk show on the national television network HTV on Sunday afternoon. He added that this was not the case with other ministries whose budgets had been cut.

When asked about the publication of the Homeland War Veterans' Register, Matic said that the register would definitely be made public, because it was one of the election promises made by the ruling coalition. He said that consultations were under way on how to do it, adding that an expert commission would be set up to find the best way of doing it. He said he did not know any veteran who was opposed to the publication of the register.

Matic said that the number of nearly 500,000 people with veteran status was not disputable and that many of them had been given such status "benevolently". He said that the main problem was about 70,000 veterans and their families with entitlements such as pensions and disability allowances.

Matic said that he personally had reported to the State Prosecutor's Office five fake veterans who had been accorded veteran status unlawfully, but that he had never received any response as to what action had been taken against them.

The minister said he wanted to change the image of veterans in society and give them back their dignity through resocialisation and employment. He said that some 28,000-30,000 veterans were unemployed, and that they should be given work and included in society, adding that employment programmes for war veterans were being designed.

Matic said he would create a new medal, "Homeland War Hero", as the highest medal for courage.