SERB DEMOCRATIC FORUM OPENS OFFICE IN NOVSKA

NOVSKA, Sept 20 (Hina) - The Serb Democratic Forum (SDF) opened an office in Novska Thursday, the fourth such office in western Slavonia. The office was opened by Canadian Ambassador to Croatia Dennis A. Snider, whose country financed the equipment of the office. Attending the ceremony were also UNHCR and municipal officials. SDF Novska branch president Obrad Ivanovic said this and other SDF branch offices were entrusted with providing legal and other assistance to returnees and facilitating their social integration as well as drawing up new projects for the reconstruction of houses and municipal infrastructure for all citizens, regardless of their nationality. The SDF nominates such projects for financing by western countries and if accepted, they are financed through humanitarian organisations, Obradovic said. Ambassador Snider is satisfied that his country sponsored the opening of the Novska office and believes speedier integration of returnees in the Croatian society will facilitate Croatia's integration into the European Union. Several dozen locals protested against the fact the office was opened at the house of Andrija Cokorac, whose son, they claim, was sentenced in absence to seven years in prison for torturing captured Croatian soldiers at a Serb-run prison in 1991. The protesters said they would send a petition to the Canadian and US embassies asking that the office be relocated to another house. (hina) sb rml