ZAGREB, Oct 20 (Hina) - A refugee return project worth 23.2 million euros, which is part of the CARDS programme, will be officially launched in the presence of senior state officials on Tuesday, October 22, at Zagreb's Sheraton hotel,
the Ministry of Public Works, Reconstruction and Construction reported.
ZAGREB, Oct 20 (Hina) - A refugee return project worth 23.2 million
euros, which is part of the CARDS programme, will be officially
launched in the presence of senior state officials on Tuesday,
October 22, at Zagreb's Sheraton hotel, the Ministry of Public
Works, Reconstruction and Construction reported. #L#
The European Commission has provided 23.2 million euros for the
return of Croatian refugees within the CARDS 2001 programme, worth
a total of 60 million euros.
Activities from this programme are a continuation of the 1996-2000
Reconstruction programme whose purpose was to create conditions
for refugee returns in areas of special state concern.
The European Commission invested 59 million euros in the
Reconstruction programme. The funds were used for the
reconstruction of some 2,500 housing units, which enabled the
return of more than 10,000 refugees. This year's CARDS refugee
return programme has four components - the reconstruction of
housing units, economic revival, de-mining, and support for non-
government organisations.
The European Commission intends to give 17.2 million euros for the
reconstruction of housing units and public infrastructure.
Three and a half million euros will be given for economic revival,
including financial assistance for returnees, loans for the
revival of former small and medium enterprises and the
establishment of new ones, and support for local economic
development agencies.
Two million euros will be given for the removal of mines from an area
of some two million square metres.
The programme also includes 500,000 euros for non-government
organisations in areas of special state concern.
In order to achieve the maximum effect, the programme will be
implemented in towns and municipalities with the best return
potential. This concept is known under the name EUPOP (European
Union - Reconstruction for Return Programme). So far, the programme
has included the towns of Benkovac, Glina, Karlovac, Knin, Lipik,
Pakrac, Petrinja and Vukovar and the municipalities of Biskupija,
Brestovac, Donji Lapac, Dragalic, Dvor, Djulovac, Ernestinovo,
Gracac, Lovas, Okucani, Stari Jankovci and Vojnic.
The town of Daruvar and the municipalities of Civljane, Ervenik,
Gvozd, Sirac and Sunja have now been included in the programme as
well.
(hina) rml