KOSOVO CROATS STAGE PROTEST IN BJELOVAR

BJELOVAR, Feb 17 (Hina) - About 100 Croats from the southern Yugoslav province of Kosovo who settled in Bjelovar-Bilogara County, on Thursday staged a protest in Veliki Bastaji, near central Croatian town of Bjelovar, in front of a house from which a family of five Kosovo Croats, who have been living there since 1992, should have been evicted. Even though, the eviction of the family should take place in ten days, the protesters demanded that the Government, the President and authorised ministries provide the family with a permanent accommodation. About 1,600 Kosovo Croats are accommodated in Djulovec municipality in houses owned by Serbs, who fled their homes after the Croatian military and police operations of "Flash" and "Storm" and who are now returning to the region. Kosovo Croats also expressed concern about forced sales in line with which several Croat families will be forced to flee their temporary accommodation and move out of Serb houses. In their opinion, the best solution would be that the state builds houses for them. They also expect that the state provides the material and land, so a part of Kosovo Croats can build their own houses. The protesters stressed that if Croatia cannot solve problems of Kosovo Croats, it should be said openly and Kosovo Croats should be able to immigrate to other countries. (hina) it