RESTORATION OF STOLEN VUKOVAR ARTEFACTS CONTINUES

ILOK, Dec 12 (Hina) - The returning of cultural treasures from Yugoslavia, stolen from Vukovar ten years ago, continues as the second part of a convoy entered Croatia around 15:30 hrs Wednesday through an international border crossing of Nestin, near Ilok. A total of 2,264 artefacts from the Bauer Gallery collection, Vukovar Art Gallery and the Vukovar monastery were returned to Croatia Tuesday. Archaeological material is returning to the Vukovar Museum Wednesday. According to Ruza Maric, the Museum's director, cultural and historic material, such as parts of furniture which were in the Vukovar Museum, should be returned by Thursday, thus ending the several-year process of the restoration to Croatia of stolen treasures from Vukovar stored in the Vojvodina Museum and the Novi Sad Museum. A protocol on the artefacts transport from two Yugoslav cultural institutions to the Vukovar Museum, was signed December 7 at the Foreign Ministry in Belgrade. The official transfer of artefacts from the Vojvodina Museum and the Novi Sad Museum has been scheduled for Thursday in the premises of the Vukovar Museum. (hina) np sb