ZAGREB, June 11 (Hina) - The Croatian government will make a decision on Thursday on providing housing for returnees, mostly Serb nationals who wish to return to Croatia and who had lived in state owned flats outside areas of special
state concern, the government reported on Wednesday.
ZAGREB, June 11 (Hina) - The Croatian government will make a
decision on Thursday on providing housing for returnees, mostly
Serb nationals who wish to return to Croatia and who had lived in
state owned flats outside areas of special state concern, the
government reported on Wednesday. #L#
The criteria for the eligibility for housing is that those persons
do not own any property (flat or house) in Croatia or in any other
former Yugoslav republic, sources close to the government
reported.
They stressed that this is a housing programme and not the
reinstatement of the institute of tenancy rights.
The source close to the Government claimed that the housing
programme model was made known to the international community and
that a high level of agreement was achieved. The model was also
presented to the European Commission, the OSCE and the UNHCR. The
source noted that only the OSCE mission had some objections to the
model.
According to the model, returnees to Croatia would be secured flats
through the government's stimulated housing programme (POS). The
government would ensure the funds for the housing programme from
the 2004 budget.
The apartments will be bought by the state and then loaned to
returnees under the same conditions that are currently implemented
in areas of special state concern. The level of rental costs would
be equal to those in areas of special state concern. If occupants
wish to become owners of these apartments they will be given the
opportunity to purchase them under the same conditions as other
citizens included in the POS programme, the source reported.
Returnees will return to Croatia to the areas where they previously
lived and will not compete with other citizens who are currently on
the list of POS housing.
It as further disclosed that returnees would be able to submit their
applications for housing by the end of 2004 to the Ministry of
Public Works, Reconstruction and Construction and would be placed
in their flats by the end of 2006.
Even though there will more than likely be many more submissions the
source said that Croatia will have to provide housing for 5,000 at
the most, because the remainder probably would not meet the set
requirements.
Those who have that rights have the status of refugees according to
an international convention. In Croatia they lived in former
publicly owned apartments.
This does not refer to members of the former Yugoslav Peoples' Army
because they are not considered refugees but rather as being part of
the aggressor forces, the government's source said.
(Hina) sp it sb