RETURNEES: PARLIAMENT, GOVT AREN'T DOING ENOUGH FOR DANUBE REGION

VUKOVAR, Nov 26 (Hina) - The Croatian parliament and government are still not doing enough for the war-affected Danube region and its citizens, who live in far worse conditions than citizens in other Croatian areas, it was said at Monday's meeting of the Vukovar Association of Returnees. The economic situation in Croatia was described as particularly unfavourable. The government has been asked to appoint a special coordinator for economy in the Danube region, and speed up the reconstruction of the Vukovar city centre. According to the association's data, around 30,000 persons, or 62.4 percent of all people expelled in 1991, have returned to Vukovar- Srijem County so far. The actual number of returnees is higher than 40,000, the head of the regional office for displaced persons and refugees, Ante Drmic, said. He added that 13,000 more persons were waiting to return to the county, including 8,600 to Vukovar. The heads of the border municipalities of Tovarnik, Lovas, Nijemci and Tompojevci warned that the overall security of citizens in the area was declining due to the vicinity of the Yugoslav border, which, he said, was poorly guarded against different forms of crime, which required stronger presence of the Croatian police along the border. Parliamentary representatives were asked to submit an amendment to the draft state budget for 2002 seeking more funds for the Croatian Mine Action Centre. (hina) np