ZAGREB, Jan 8 (Hina) - The political dimension of the return of refugees and displaced people to Croatia no longer exists, however, returns continue to represent a major economic problem which Croatia cannot solve without
international assistance, it was said at a meeting between Croatia's First Deputy Prime Minister Goran Granic and OSCE's High Commissioner on National Minorities Max van der Stoel in Zagreb on Monday. According to a statement issued by the Government Office for Public Relations, Granic told the official of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) the year 2000 had been intensive regarding efforts aimed at improving the minority policy. Progress has been achieved generally in relation to all minorities, including the Serb minority and its return, the statement quoted Granic as saying. The political dimension of returns does not exist any more because the stand of the Croat
ZAGREB, Jan 8 (Hina) - The political dimension of the return of
refugees and displaced people to Croatia no longer exists, however,
returns continue to represent a major economic problem which
Croatia cannot solve without international assistance, it was said
at a meeting between Croatia's First Deputy Prime Minister Goran
Granic and OSCE's High Commissioner on National Minorities Max van
der Stoel in Zagreb on Monday.
According to a statement issued by the Government Office for Public
Relations, Granic told the official of the Organisation for
Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) the year 2000 had been
intensive regarding efforts aimed at improving the minority
policy. Progress has been achieved generally in relation to all
minorities, including the Serb minority and its return, the
statement quoted Granic as saying.
The political dimension of returns does not exist any more because
the stand of the Croatian government is unambiguous: every Croatian
citizen has the right to return and chose the place of residence,
Granic said.
Granic informed van der Stoel about the legal obstacles which had
been removed during 2000 to a significant extent (including changes
to the Law on Reconstruction and the Law on the Areas of Special
State Concern). The final measures would be taken in the coming
month, he added.
The government has also completed consultations with the Supreme
Court regarding the harmonisation of court cases concerning
property restitution, as well as with the State Attorney's Office,
which represents citizens in cases of property restitution.
Those measures have enabled a new approach to the problem of return
regardless of one's nationality or belonging to a social group,
reads the statement, adding those processes have accelerated over
the last couple of months.
Granic also pointed to the problem of financial funds needed for
return. The Croatian government has, within its limits, secured
assistance for the permanent accommodation of refugees wishing to
stay in Croatia and partially for those wishing to return to Bosnia-
Herzegovina, Granic said.
However, that assistance is not sufficient, he said, urging the
international community to help speed up the return process and
pointing to the example of the Swiss government's assistance to
Sibenik-Knin County.
Van der Stoel wanted to know about the problem of multiple illegal
occupancies of other people's property, referring to 88 such cases
registered by the OSCE and UNHCR missions in Croatia.
Granic said one third of those cases had been resolved.
(hina) rml