ZAGREB, Aug 29 (Hina) - The reconstruction of houses, the infrastructure, the school and the church in Kijevo is completed, so there is no reason for the town's residents, currently residing in Knin, not to return to their homes,
Assistant Reconstruction, Public Works and Construction Minister Ljudevit Herceg told a press conference on Thursday.
ZAGREB, Aug 29 (Hina) - The reconstruction of houses, the
infrastructure, the school and the church in Kijevo is completed,
so there is no reason for the town's residents, currently residing
in Knin, not to return to their homes, Assistant Reconstruction,
Public Works and Construction Minister Ljudevit Herceg told a press
conference on Thursday. #L#
The problem is that Kijevo residents would like to keep both state-
owned apartments and houses, Herceg claimed, adding that their
objections to the quality of reconstruction, as recently expressed
in a Croatian Television documentary, were unfounded.
Herceg noted that 373 family houses had been reconstructed in
Kijevo.
He further noted that warnings were sent to 150 families who are
currently living in apartments in Knin, requesting them to vacate
these stated-owned apartments.
Speaking about reconstruction on the whole, Herceg announced that
the Ministry is nearing the end of the reconstruction programme
commenced last year. Of 4,000 houses, 3,250 have been technically
examined and handed over. The houses are currently being furnished
and equipped. The remainder will be completed in about 15-20 days,
he said.
Herceg pointed out that about 400 apartments in Vukovar and Borovo
were currently being reconstructed, and that some would be
completed before the year's end.
Ten schools, dormitories, and gymnasiums have also been completed
and will be put to use at the beginning of this school year.
Also undergoing reconstruction are a dozen churches and about 30
water supply facilities and several roads.
Herceg announced that a new programme would be commenced,
encompassing 3,600 family houses, of which 3,000 will be
reconstructed with funding from the budget, while the remainder is
expected from the international community. The new programme will
start next month and should be completed by the start of the next
school year.
Herceg noted that after the deadline was extended, 38,000
applications for housing reconstruction, mostly owned by Serb
nationals, were submitted. The majority of the applications relate
to houses that were not even damaged or are country houses.
The majority of these will be reconstructed by mid-2004, Herceg
concluded.
(hina) sp/ha sb