ZAGREB, May 18 (Hina) - Croatian Foreign Minister Tonino Picula on Friday discussed housing problems with representatives of local authorities and members of the Serb community and Bosnian Croat settlers in the central village of
Plaski, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Saturday.
ZAGREB, May 18 (Hina) - Croatian Foreign Minister Tonino Picula on
Friday discussed housing problems with representatives of local
authorities and members of the Serb community and Bosnian Croat
settlers in the central village of Plaski, the Foreign Ministry
said in a statement on Saturday. #L#
Providing normal living conditions to returnees and establishing
trust between the Croat and Serb communities is essential, said
Picula, who visited Plaski at the invitation of local authorities.
The return of all those who want to do so and the functioning of the
rule of law are Croatia's main goals on the path to the European
Union. The Croatian authorities will do all to enable the return of
refugees and displaced people, Picula said.
The most important problem at the moment in Plaski is the
reconstruction of destroyed houses. Although some 400
reconstruction requests have been submitted, only eight houses are
being repaired. Another problem is property restitution and
unemployment. A vast majority of people living in Plaski,
regardless of nationality, want to stay there permanently, and it
was agreed that the state should provide alternative accommodation
for all those waiting for their housing problems to be solved.
Another meeting with Picula was scheduled in around two weeks, by
which time the most difficult housing cases should be solved, which
should strengthen the good relations between the two communities,
the statement reads.
During the visit, Picula held talks with the municipal leadership,
Croatian Serb representatives, headed by Milorad Pupovac, and
Bosnian Croat settlers, who were headed by Tomo Aracic, reads the
statement.
(hina) rml