Ljiljana Bozic-Krstanovic of the Centre for Peace from Osijek said the Croatian government had the responsibility and obligation to create conditions for the return of its citizens who fled the country during the 1990s war.
She said the key obstacles to refugee returns were housing, economic uncertainty, discrimination in finding employment, fear for personal safety, and lengthy administrative and court proceedings.
According to Bozic-Krstanovic, the refugee problem is a regional problem and the failure of refugees to exercise their rights must be treated equally and not depending on which country they fled or on ethnicity.
"It is necessary to create conditions for a free and sustainable return for all who wish to return. Refugees have to decide to return, but the recognition of their rights cannot be made conditional on the physical return or other assumptions because this puts refugees in an unequal position in relation to other citizens," she said.
The round-table debate was attended by representatives of government and nongovernmental institutions and international organisations. It was organised by the Centre for Peace, Legal Advice and Psychosocial Assistance from Vukovar.