Veterans make a breakthrough: – A day of joy – VG

In addition, the FRP goes against the government parties and assures together with the other opposition parties that there is no cut in legal assistance.

– A day of joy for the cause of wounded veterans, says Secretary General Øystein K. Wemberg of the SIOPS Veterans Association.

Knut Olav Wågsås (51), who was awarded compensation after his service in Lebanon 30 years ago, says he is happy that there seems to be consensus in the committee.

– I am very sure that political Norway is united by its veterans. But there are details where we haven’t finished the job, and veterans are eagerly and carefully following, he says.

SIOPS has long believed that the compensation scheme for veterans who have had mental health problems after serving in Norway has been reduced.

On Thursday, the Storting’s Foreign Affairs Committee presented the Storting with a recommendation on the Government’s report on veterans and a series of proposals for changes that Rødt has submitted.

Everyone agrees on this

In the recommendation of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, a general parliamentary majority is in favor of several of the changes proposed by Rødt:

They want new limitation rules, which emphasize that they should apply to all veterans, including those who were injured before 2010.

– It is natural that the right to have your case reevaluated should not be limited by the time the employment relationship is customary. Making a clear distinction after 10 years may mean that people who with good reasons should receive compensation could have been excluded from compensation, conservative Hårek Elvenes tells VG.

They also want to make sure that specialist statements are not dismissed without further specialist comment or new medical evaluation.

– Specialist statements will carry considerable weight as they are specialists’ statements. If the idea of ​​time is established, it must be based on thorough evaluations and an almost unassailable process, Elvenes says.

FRP went against the ruling parties

Red also wanted to make sure that legal aid to veterans was not reduced to public rates. Not all parties were in favor of this: Conservatives, Liberals, and Christian Democrats were against

But the Labor Party, the Socialist People’s Party and the Green Party together secure a majority so that the cost is not reduced. So says Frps Morten Wold.

“We want to show veterans the necessary respect by embracing what we are doing now, both in appreciation and in recognition of the efforts they have made for all of us through the tasks they have done in many parts of the world,” he says.

Moxnes is very satisfied:

– I am very happy that Rødt has once again gained support for veterans at the Storting and support for important rights, he says.

The committee does not support Rødt’s proposal for a full review of whether the practice was hardened in violation of regulations.

But the red-green parties and the FRP agree to ask that veterans who have cases where decisions may conflict with applicable law be allowed to retake their case.

Conservatives don’t think this is a good idea

– You may then run the risk of more people trying to get your case to be presented again with the same reasoning, and then you will find yourself in a situation where you have to take a position in all cases again. Ultimately, a review of all cases will be very time consuming and will delay the processing time of the case. It is unfortunate for veterans who have their case under consideration, says Elvenes.

Defense Minister Frank-Bakke Jensen has previously told VG that the task force that evaluated the scheme concluded that it has generally worked well.