ZAGREB, March 19 (Hina) - Bosnian citizens arriving in Croatia following evictions from Bosnia's Drvar under the Property Legislation Implementation cannot be considered as qualifying for refugee status, according to the international
law on refugees, the UNHCR in Croatia said in a statement. "According to the Geneva convention and the international regulation on refugees we don't believe that Bosnian citizens who arrived in Knin after being evicted from Drvar are entitled to refugee status," spokesman for the UNHCR Andrej Mahecic told Hina on Tuesday. The UNHCR, as a humanitarian agency, provided the evicted people with limited, immediate assistance (equipment, blankets, sanitary products) in cooperation with the Croatian Red Cross, the statement said. The UNHCR Mission to Croatia supports the rule of law as the fundamental principle for solving the problem of all refugees and displaced persons. The organisat
ZAGREB, March 19 (Hina) - Bosnian citizens arriving in Croatia
following evictions from Bosnia's Drvar under the Property
Legislation Implementation cannot be considered as qualifying for
refugee status, according to the international law on refugees, the
UNHCR in Croatia said in a statement.
"According to the Geneva convention and the international
regulation on refugees we don't believe that Bosnian citizens who
arrived in Knin after being evicted from Drvar are entitled to
refugee status," spokesman for the UNHCR Andrej Mahecic told Hina
on Tuesday.
The UNHCR, as a humanitarian agency, provided the evicted people
with limited, immediate assistance (equipment, blankets, sanitary
products) in cooperation with the Croatian Red Cross, the statement
said.
The UNHCR Mission to Croatia supports the rule of law as the
fundamental principle for solving the problem of all refugees and
displaced persons. The organisation also supports the
implementation of a law on the repossession of property in Bosnia.
The UNHCR supports Croatian government efforts to find acceptable
solutions for the evicted people, in cooperation with respective
Bosnian ministries, the statement said.
According to Bosnian UNHCR assessments, about 850 families in Drvar
live in houses and flats which should be returned to their pre-war
owners. Sarajevo's UNHCR on Monday issued a statement saying there
is nothing disputable about the evictions, because they are being
carried out in line with the law. According to the Sarajevo UNHCR,
they are not entitled to alternative accommodation.
Persons making more than 600 convertible marks do not have the right
to alternative accommodation. A large number of evicted Croats from
Drvar, employed in the Fininvest industry, used to make more than
600 convertible marks.
Zagreb's UNHCR warned about the complicated situation in Knin which
is the result of the recent arrivals. The new arrivals should not
have a negative effect on the current property repossession process
and the reconstruction process in Croatia.
(hina) it sb.