MPS ACQUAINTED WITH AMENDMENTS TO RESTITUTION LAW

ZAGREB, July 11 (Hina) - Croatia's parliament on Wednesday evening considered a bill of amendments to the law on the restitution for property confiscated during the Yugoslav Communist rule. Justice Minister Stjepan Ivanisevic presented the bill drafted by the Government. Minister Ivanisevic said the principle on the sort of restitution was altered so that the amendments envisaged the restitution in kind rather than payment in cash wherever possible. The right to get restitution will be given to all individuals, including those who have become Croatia's nationals since 1996 when the said law was passed. In addition, the amendments stipulate the restitution of the property seized before the Communist rule. The right to the restitution will be acknowledged to persons who were Yugoslav citizens and had permanent residence in Croatia at the moment of the confiscation of their assets. Land where no buildings were built in the meantime should be given back to their owners who possessed it before the nationalisation. The government will pay an indemnity to the owner of the land where some facilities were constructed. Forests and agricultural land will also be given back to the owners prior to the confiscation wherever possible or those persons will get other adequate sites, Ivanisevic said. The right to pre-emptive buying for former owners is regulated so that they will have the right to buy the flats and houses in question the coming 15 years. So far, the pre-emption has been permanent. During the discussion, a majority of MPs said it was necessary to redress old wrongs without inflicting the new ones. On behalf of the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) bench, Marina Matulovic Dropulic, said the changes to the law were necessary, but she wondered how much the alterations would cost given that at present the state had no enough means for this purpose. On behalf of the Croatian Peasants' Party (HSS) bench, Ljubica Lalic, said the recent ownership transformation and privatisation of some companies should not have been carried out prior to the de- nationalisation, as new injustice was done. On behalf of the Istrian Democratic Union (IDS) bench, Damir Kajin, cautioned some procedures in the restitution would take too much time, for instance over 10 years, and older owners would not live long enough to see compensation. Sabor members proposed that the circle of inheritors should be enlarged in accordance with the law on inheritance and wills. (hina) ms