ICG SAYS SERB REFUGEE RETURNS STILL CONTENTIOUS IN CROATIA

ZAGREB, Dec 16 (Hina) - The return of Croatian Serbs, who fled the country during the 1990-5 war, continues to be a contentious issue, although the war ended seven years ago, according to the Brussels- based International Crisis Group (ICG). #L# Less than one third of 300,000 Croatian Serbs exiled after the war has returned, the ICG says in a report assessing progress in refugee returns in the Western Balkans. Refugee returns continue to be a contentious issue in Croatia, reads the report Hina received on Monday. The ICG notes that the government is slow in dealing with a discriminatory practice in property restitution, tenancy rights, and reconstruction assistance despite an improved overall climate for returns after the 2000 change of the ruling structure. The return and reintegration of Serb refugees and the full recognition of their rights is still a politically delicate issue, the report says and warns that nationalist right-wing political parties, which mainly object to Serb returns, continue to enjoy significant support among the people. The government, faced by international community pressure to stop the discrimination and facilitate returns on one side and by pressure from the nationalist right-wing on the other, has adopted halfway measures to soothe the international community but is not meeting commitments, says the ICG. The report recalls that Croatian authorities have made a commitment regarding an unconditional return of Serb refugees and the country's transformation into a genuine European democracy. The international community should continue insisting on having Croatia fulfil its obligations regarding full refugee returns and reintegration, and clearly say that Croatia cannot expect progress in terms of European integration unless its results improved, the ICG says. The ethnic Serbs who fled Croatia have mainly gone to Yugoslavia and Bosnia. (hina) ha