Burial with military honours

Killed Croatian veterans after exhumation and identification, as well as deceased disabled Croatian Homeland War veterans and Croatian veterans have the right to be buried with military honours

The following persons have the right to burial and military honours:
 
  • deceased Croatian Homeland War veterans referred to in Article 6, paragraph 1, items a) and b) of the Act after exhumation and identification
  • deceased disabled Croatian Homeland War veterans
  • deceased Croatian Homeland War veterans.

The Ministry of Croatian Veterans bears the costs of transportation and burial of the remains with military honours if the family informs in a timely manner the competent first-instance authority about the burial, i.e. the competent administrative departments of the counties or the City Office for Veterans of the City of Zagreb depending on the place of residence of the deceased, which will then issue orders to cover the costs in the amount stipulated by the Ordinance.

The list and contact details of administrative departments per county are available on the website of the Croatian County Association, and the contact details of the Zagreb City Office for War Veterans are available on the website of the City of Zagreb.
 

Transportation and burial costs

The costs of transportation and burial of the remains of a deceased Croatian Homeland War veteran referred to in Article 6, paragraph 1, item a) and item b) of the Act include:
 
a) funeral and/or cremation equipment: wooden coffin, tombstone (cross or other), textile covers, tin insert, plastic bag with a zip fastener, small coffin sign (cross or other), letters and numbers for the coffin, plate with text and cover

b) costs of burial and/or cremation and/or memorial service: services pertaining to the use of the morgue, cold room, cremation, loudspeakers, bells, excavation of the grave pit, removal of earth, removal and return of the cover plate, handling mortal remains, use of trolleys, grouting of the grave, etc.
c) music to accompany the funeral procession and to pay military honours: playing or singing the national anthem and performing the designated music after the deceased has been lowered into the grave, or during the memorial service at the crematorium, provided for in the regulation referred to in Article 15 of the Ordinance
d) a wreath of fresh flowers with the coat of arms of the Republic of Croatia (up to 110,00 EUR incl. VAT)
e) printing obituaries (up to 30 pieces, with or without photo)
f) publication of burial notices in one Croatian daily newspaper (up to 60,00 EUR incl. VAT)
g) transportation of the deceased from the place of identification to the place of burial
h) the flag of the Republic of Croatia for covering the coffin with military honours and
i) a grave site with a concrete frame in accordance with Article 7 of the Ordinance.

The costs of transportation and burial of the remains of a deceased Croatian Homeland War veteran and the deceased disabled Croatian Homeland War veteran include:
 
a) funeral and/or cremation equipment: wooden coffin, basic urn, tombstone (cross or other), textile covers, tin insert, plastic bag with a zip fastener, small coffin sign (cross or other), letters and numbers for the coffin, plate with text and cover (up to 300,00 EUR incl. VAT)
b) costs of burial and/or cremation and/or memorial service: services pertaining to the use of the morgue, cold room, loudspeakers, crematorium, bells, excavation of the grave pit, removal of earth, removal and return of the cover plate, handling mortal remains, use of trolleys, grouting of the grave, laying the urn etc. (up to 200,00 EUR incl. VAT)
c) performance of the designated music when the deceased is being lowered into the grave, or during the memorial service (in the net amount of 67,00 EUR)
d) a wreath of fresh flowers with the coat of arms of the Republic of Croatia (up to 110,00 EUR incl. VAT)
e) transportation of the deceased from the place of identification to the place of burial within the Republic of Croatia (up to 0,95 EUR per km incl. VAT),
f) transportation of the deceased outside the Republic of Croatia (up to do 0,95 EUR/km, but up to 730,00 EUR, incl. VAT),
g) the flag of the Republic of Croatia for covering the coffin with military honours and
h) a grave site with a concrete frame in accordance with Article 9 of the Ordinance.

Submitting an application

The right to burial with military honours (if the family so wishes) is provided by issuing an order if the death is notified in a timely manner to the competent authority or by a refund to the person who paid the burial costs and submitted an application within 90 days of the burial.

The application is to be submitted to the competent administrative department of the county or to the City Office for Veterans of the City of Zagreb, depending on the place of residence of the deceased, provided that the personal data of the applicant are provided and the following documentation enclosed:
 
  • a copy of the decision on the recognised disabled Croatian Homeland War veteran status, i.e. a copy of the certificate on the Croatian veteran status
  • certificate of the fact of death or death certificate
  • request/application for reimbursement of funeral costs (submitted by the natural or legal person who paid the invoice)
  • original invoice
  • a copy of the applicant’s current account or protected account.