CROATIAN MINISTERS PROMISES HELP TO CROAT RETURNEES TO BOSNIA

SARAJEVO/BANJA LUKA, April 14 (Hina) - Croatian Public Works, Reconstruction and Construction Minister Radimir Cacic on Monday visited Banja Luka and Jajce in Bosnia-Herzegovina and confirmed the Croatian government's readiness to continue aiding Croat returnees to that country. #L# Cacic met with Banja Luka Bishop Franjo Komarica. On that occasion Cacic pointed out that he was not satisfied with the current rate of Croats returning to the Banja Luka region. During the war, 70,000 Croats were expelled from that area alone while less than 10,000 have returned to their homes. Later during the day Minister Cacic met in Jajce with Bosnia- Herzegovina Minister for Refugees and Human Rights Mirsad Kebo and his deputy Ivica Marinovic. On that occasion the ministers handed keys to over 87 houses in the Jajce region that were reconstructed with funds secured by the Croatian government. Jajce is just one of 35 municipalities in Bosnia where Croatia is directly funding reconstruction projects with the aim of enabling returns for all Croats who wish to return to their pre-war homes. Cacic promised that aid from Croatia would continue while Minister Kebo expressed his gratitude to the Croatian government for its efforts to support refugee returns and in that way assist the Bosnian government which is faced with a lack of budget fund for these purposes. (Hina) sp it