KNIN KNIN, June 16 (Hina) - With the exception of Switzerland, the international community participated too little in reconstruction in Croatia, even though it was obliged to do so, President Stjepan Mesic said in Knin on Monday at a
meeting with local officials.
KNIN, June 16 (Hina) - With the exception of Switzerland, the
international community participated too little in reconstruction
in Croatia, even though it was obliged to do so, President Stjepan
Mesic said in Knin on Monday at a meeting with local officials. #L#
Over the past six years, the Swiss government invested more than 65
million kuna (EUR8.7 mln) in development projects in southern
Croatia's Knin area, of which 20 million (EUR2.7 mln) in
infrastructure.
Addressing the meeting, Mesic said that "in the '90s, the world
watched calmly as a brutal war was being prepared".
"The victims were common citizens," the president said, adding that
besides property, relations with people were also destroyed,
resulting in hatred. He pointed to the need of helping the
establishment of better relations among people.
Croatia is interested in affirming itself as a law-based, well-
organised state, a mature democracy, not because of the world but
because of its citizens, Mesic said, adding this was why all
Croatian nationals must be enabled to return to pre-war homes and
have their property back.
Speaking of war crimes trials, the president said the Hague
tribunal and domestic courts helped in determining guilt as
individual and not collective.
Croatia is capable of resolving all issues and joining the European
Union in 2007, Mesic said.
Speaking about economy, he commended Croatia's road-building
model. With the 450 km of roads being built at the moment, he said
Croatia was the biggest construction site in Europe.
Reconstruction and Construction Minister Radimir Cacic said the
international community had taken part in reconstruction in
Croatia with less than seven percent of all invested funds, with the
exception of Switzerland, which he said invested dozens more times
than the United States.
Cacic said the government last year invested 95 million kuna
(EUR12.7 mln) in reconstruction in the Knin area. Forty thousand
people have come back, half of them Serbs, and currently return
requests from 368 Croats and 1,661 Serbs are being processed, the
minister said, adding there were no obstacles to returns. He said
371 houses and flats in the area had been restituted to pre-war
owners, while 1,171 were being processed.
Swiss Ambassador Paul Widmer said his government had decided to
help all refugees, independently of nationality and faith. The
Swiss government renovated and built 285 houses in the area, he
said, stressing the importance of building the infrastructure.
(EUR1 = 7.5 kuna)
(hina) ha