ZAGREB, March 10 (Hina) - Public Works, Reconstruction and Construction Minister Radimir Cacic on Friday voiced support to the Association of Croatian Returnees (ZPH), stressing it was unacceptable that the envisaged resources for
reconstruction and return were to be halved, as set by the draft government budget for this year. Cacic said President Stipe Mesic had also expressed support to the requests of returnees. Croatian displaced persons and returnees at Friday's session of the Association's management board, were also endorsed by the chairwoman of the parliamentary Labour, Social Policy and Health Committee, Snjezana Biga Friganovic of the Social Democratic party, and MPs Jadranka Kosor of the Croatian Democratic Union and Marijan Marsic of the Croatian Peasants' Party. MPs gave a pledge to Cacic and Croatian displaced persons and returnees that they would support them during the voting on th
ZAGREB, March 10 (Hina) - Public Works, Reconstruction and
Construction Minister Radimir Cacic on Friday voiced support to the
Association of Croatian Returnees (ZPH), stressing it was
unacceptable that the envisaged resources for reconstruction and
return were to be halved, as set by the draft government budget for
this year.
Cacic said President Stipe Mesic had also expressed support to the
requests of returnees.
Croatian displaced persons and returnees at Friday's session of the
Association's management board, were also endorsed by the
chairwoman of the parliamentary Labour, Social Policy and Health
Committee, Snjezana Biga Friganovic of the Social Democratic
party, and MPs Jadranka Kosor of the Croatian Democratic Union and
Marijan Marsic of the Croatian Peasants' Party.
MPs gave a pledge to Cacic and Croatian displaced persons and
returnees that they would support them during the voting on the bill
in parliament.
The returnees are requesting that the resources from the government
budget, envisaged at 530 million kuna (about US$66.25 million), be
increased by at least 150 million kuna (US$18.75 million).
Cacic also advocated that the MPs specify that inherited debts
would not be included in the envisaged funds.
He stressed that the Government was counting on a large amount of
financial assistance from the international community to help
solve the problems of return.
Cacic promised displaced persons and returnees that the process of
return and reconstruction would be completed by the year 2002, at
the latest by the end of the present Government's mandate.
According to the Association chairman, Mate Simic, the draft budget
ignores returnees, displaced persons and refugees, thus disabling
them to return and reconstruct their homes.
Cacic voiced disagreement with claims by representatives of the
Association that returnees of Serb nationality were in a more
favourable position because their homes would be reconstructed
more quickly, as this would be financed by the international
community.
Biga-Friganovic stressed that funds arriving from the
international community would be joined with resources from the
budget, and be used for the return and reconstruction of homes of
all Croatian citizens, notwithstanding their nationality.
Simic expressed dissatisfaction with the fact that prime Minister
Ivica Racan had not attended the meeting, although he had been
invited.
(hina) lml jn