BENKOVAC, April 25 (Hina) - Croatian Foreign Minister Tonino Picula on Friday spoke with Bosnian Croat settlers in a wider Benkovac area. He then held talks with Serb returnees and local authorities about the process of reconstruction
and return.
BENKOVAC, April 25 (Hina) - Croatian Foreign Minister Tonino Picula
on Friday spoke with Bosnian Croat settlers in a wider Benkovac
area. He then held talks with Serb returnees and local authorities
about the process of reconstruction and return. #L#
After the meeting with Benkovac leaders, which was closed to the
public, Picula told journalists that the reconstruction and return
process had a direct impact on the normalisation of the entire
situation in Croatia as well as on completing the picture of Croatia
in the international community.
Picula, amongst else said, that Bosnian Croats were given an
opportunity to start a new life and so with government assistance
they would be given land and building material to build houses.
"Regardless of the bitterness they carry, they now have some
optimism and enthusiasm because they see that they can make a home
for themselves here," the minister said.
As far as Serb returnees are concerned, Picula said they need to
find a way to strengthen there position in the area.
He added that during his talks with Serb returnees in Biljani, he
saw that they wished to participate in normalising the situation.
"This population is burdened with what happened in the Homeland War
however they wish to contribute to returns in general," Picula
said.
According to the minister, Croatia contributed 93 per cent of its
own funds to the reconstruction process and only 7 per cent were
from foreign funds.
A representative of the UNHCR, Olusey Bajulaiye, who also took part
in the tour today, said that he received assurances about the
government's efforts in assisting the people who wished to live in
the area. When Bosnian Croat settlers build their homes they will
vacate houses that can be returned to their rightful owners and the
UNHCR will take measures to assist that delicate process, Bajulaiye
said.
Benkovac Mayor Branko Kutija stated that before the end of the year
the problem of Croat settlers would be resolved and properties
would be returned to their owners.
Responding to questions by reporters whether he knew that residents
from Biljani took part in war crimes in neighbouring Skabrnja,
Minister Picula said that he would not like to believe that he had
spoken to war criminals. He added that this would humiliate him as a
person and that he could not believe this to be true even though he
was not quite sure.
Picula reminded that the entire region was burdened with suffering
and that one needed to be aware that both Serbs and Croats should
know how to tackle that situation. "Talking to ethnic Serbs from
Biljani, I told them that the government does not wish to
discriminate against anyone when it comes to property restitution
and reconstruction but it is well known who suffered at whose hand,"
he said.
(hina) sp ms sb