DJUKIC: HUMAN RIGHTS OF CROATIAN SERBS ARE BEING VIOLATED

ZAGREB, Dec 13 (Hina) - The President of the Serb People's Party (SNS), Milan Djukic, said on Thursday that human rights of Serbs in Croatia were now being systematically violated, as against during the HDZ rule. Djukic said the government's announcements, according to which the return process would be completed by the end of 2002 and the reconstruction process by the end of 2003, were irresponsible. According to him, 50 percent of property should be returned and 20,000 citizens from Bosnia should be accommodated, which is theoretically and practically impossible. Djukic also criticised the 2002 state budget, which did not ensure funds for the economic revival of areas of special state care, because cuts had also been made in the local authorities' budgets. "All this is slowing down the return and reconstruction process even to the detriment of Bosnian Croats," Djukic stressed and added that the violation of human rights could also be seen in the lack of care for temporary users of property, let alone the real owners. In his opinion, Croatia is one of the very few countries in which human rights of all citizens are being violated. (hina) it sb