OSIJEK: RETURNEES URGE GOVT. TO STATE ITS STAND ON ERDUT AGREEMENT

OSIJEK, Nov 18 (Hina) - The leadership of the Association of Returnees' (ZPH) branch in Osijek County has urged the government to state if the Erdut agreement on the peaceful reintegration of eastern Slavonia, Baranja and western Sirmium is still in force. #L# ZPH leader Josip Kompanovic said at a session of the branch's leadership in Osijek on Monday that the agreement was "legally consumed, exhausted and implemented" and that it was "out of date". Kompanovic claims that the effects of the agreement can still be felt in the Croatian Danube river region, particularly in the health and education sectors and the police and judiciary, which in line with the Erdut agreement employed a large number of Serbs who did not originally reside in the area. A large number of them, Kompanovic says, receive wages but do not work or they live in Yugoslavia, which puts returnees in an unfavourable position and hampers the return of all to their homes. The returnees believe that all citizens in the Danube river region should be treated equally and will forward to parliament a letter conveying their disagreement with a proposal to grant minorities double voting rights. (hina) rml sb