SARAJEVO, July 1 (Hina) - Croatia is giving priority to dealing with the problems and status of refugees, paying particular attention to the problems of Croats from Bosnia-Herzegovina, the Croatian ambassador to Bosnia-Herzegovina,
Josip Vrbosic, said in Sarajevo on Tuesday. Speaking at a round-table discussion on the status and return of refugees and displaced Croats from Bosnia-Herzegovina, Vrbosic said that the Croatian government was determined to implement its constitutional obligation to help the Croats in Bosnia-Herzegovina in order to strengthen and improve their position in that country, which would also contribute to a greater stability of Croatia itself. Lovro Pejkovic, assistant minister for public works, reconstruction and construction, said that every year Croatia earmarked 20 million kuna for the reconstruction of the houses of Croat returnees to Bosnia-Herzegovina and provided additional assistan
SARAJEVO, July 1 (Hina) - Croatia is giving priority to dealing with
the problems and status of refugees, paying particular attention to
the problems of Croats from Bosnia-Herzegovina, the Croatian
ambassador to Bosnia-Herzegovina, Josip Vrbosic, said in Sarajevo
on Tuesday.
Speaking at a round-table discussion on the status and return of
refugees and displaced Croats from Bosnia-Herzegovina, Vrbosic
said that the Croatian government was determined to implement its
constitutional obligation to help the Croats in Bosnia-Herzegovina
in order to strengthen and improve their position in that country,
which would also contribute to a greater stability of Croatia
itself.
Lovro Pejkovic, assistant minister for public works,
reconstruction and construction, said that every year Croatia
earmarked 20 million kuna for the reconstruction of the houses of
Croat returnees to Bosnia-Herzegovina and provided additional
assistance for their social welfare, health care and cultural
needs.
Pejkovic went on to say that there were still 6,800 refugees from
Bosnia-Herzegovina in Croatia, including about 4,000 Croats, who
wanted to return to Bosnia-Herzegovina.
Pejkovic confirmed Croatia's readiness to take in all Serb refugees
who are now in Republika Srpska and give them back their property.
However, he pointed out that Croatia could not be expected to act
according to the laws in force in Bosnia-Herzegovina which
guarantee the restitution of apartments that were previously in
social ownership.
Other participants in the discussion, which was organised by the
Croatian Association of Displaced Persons and Refugees from
Bosnia-Herzegovina, pointed out that the return of Croats depended
on the economic situation and a feeling of safety in Bosnia-
Herzegovina, adding that unless these preconditions were met the
number of Croats in that country would continue to fall.
The chairman of Bosnia-Herzegovina's Presidency, Dragan Covic,
under whose auspices the discussion was held, said that it was most
important to break down the prejudice that the Croats did not
perceive Bosnia-Herzegovina as their country and did not want to
return.
(hina) vm sb