CRO. SERB REP. SAYS GOVT. DISCRIMINATES AGAINST SERB COMMUNITY

ZAGREB, Jan 28 (Hina) - Not satisfied with the pace of reconstruction and restitution of property for Croatian Serbs, Serb People's Council (SNV) president Milorad Pupovac on Monday said the government discriminated against the Serb community even when it sought international funds for the reconstruction. "It is time the government and Reconstruction Ministry stopped abusing the good will and willingness of the Serb community to contribute to the improvement in this area and finally started taking care of all citizens, and not by ethnic criteria as until now", Pupovac said, adding the SNV would not tolerate this any longer. According to SNV data, around 40,000 requests for the renovation of Serb houses have been submitted so far, half of which (19,500) by refugees currently in Yugoslavia and Bosnia-Herzegovina. Croatian Serbs are not granted renovation documents and it is German humanitarian associations and not the Croatian government that are renovating their pre-war houses, he added. As long as the government promises to return the property to Serbs, to make all citizens equal in the reconstruction process, but fails to say how this is to be done, does not issue documents for the renovation and does not estimate the war damage, we will not believe the government sincerely wishes to discontinue the discriminatory practice regarding the renovation of Serbs' houses, Pupovac said. (hina) np sb,