ZAGREB, Oct 31 (Hina) - The Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Mission to Croatia on Thursday welcomed a Croatian government decision facilitating the restitution of property belonging to refugees from Croatia,
and recalled that owners whose occupied property had not been physically returned by the government were entitled to state compensation.
ZAGREB, Oct 31 (Hina) - The Organisation for Security and
Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Mission to Croatia on Thursday
welcomed a Croatian government decision facilitating the
restitution of property belonging to refugees from Croatia, and
recalled that owners whose occupied property had not been
physically returned by the government were entitled to state
compensation. #L#
"The Sustainable Return of Refugees and Expelled Persons" project
envisages that by the end of 2003 housing will be provided for
almost 4,000 families currently occupying private property, which
should permit the return of these properties to the owners without
delay, the Mission said in a statement.
The Mission recalls that October 31 triggers another obligation the
government imposed on itself in the Amendments to the Law on Areas
of Special State Concern. As of Thursday, the Ministry for Public
Works, Reconstruction and Construction must either physically
return occupied private property claimed by the owner prior to 1
August or pay compensation to owners for continued use of their
property to house temporary occupants, the statement read.
"The OSCE Mission is informed that almost eight thousand occupied
properties have not been returned to their owners. Of these, more
than three and a half thousand are now entitled to compensation,"
the statement noted.
(hina) rml sb