SARAJEVO/BRCKO, Aug 4 (Hina) - Croat officials in Bosnia's north-eastern district of Brcko object to announcements of expropriation of land owned by local Croats, Bosnia's Croatian Peasant Party (HSS BH) said on Sunday.
SARAJEVO/BRCKO, Aug 4 (Hina) - Croat officials in Bosnia's north-
eastern district of Brcko object to announcements of expropriation
of land owned by local Croats, Bosnia's Croatian Peasant Party (HSS
BH) said on Sunday. #L#
Croat representatives in the district's assembly have been
outvoted in connection with the expropriation of land owned by 27
Bosnian Croat families on the location of the Arizona market-place,
which should be replaced by a mall, Brcko deputy mayor Ivan Krndelj
told the vice president of the Bosnian parliament's House of
Peoples and HSS BH president, Ilija Simic.
Construction plans for the mall envisage taking 15 hectares of
farmland owned exclusively by Bosnian Croat families, mainly
returnees.
According to local Croat officials, this constitutes a harsh
violation of the civil and ownership rights of Brcko's Croats. This
could have a negative effect on further refugee returns and be a bad
example for the entire Bosnia, given that the Brcko district should
be a model of integration for the entire Bosnia, they say.
Simic pledged Bosnian authorities would help in the settlement of
this issue, in which he said Croats were truly deprived of their
rights.
(hina) ha