RETURNEES SEEK MORE FUNDS FOR RECONSTRUCTION, RETURN

ZAGREB, Mar 10 (Hina) - The Croatian Returnees' Association (ZPH) on Friday requested party benches in the Croatian National Sabor to support an increase in funds needed for reconstruction and the accommodation of refugees. Following today's session of the ZPH steering board, a statement was issued saying funds for reconstruction and refugee accommodation for this year must not be reduced by more than 10 percent, which is the real decrease rate of the budget in comparison to 1999. The ZPH demands that 964 million kuna of budgetary funds be set aside for the reconstruction of family houses. Of that amount, 140 million kuna would be intended for subsidies for the reconstruction of houses belonging to the I-IV damage category and the return of refugees' own funds invested into reconstruction. A total of 250 million kuna are sought for refugee care and another 167 million for the operation of the Agency for Real Estate Transactions. The ZPH also wants the Government to suggest in urgent procedure the postponement of the Law on Changes to the Law on the Status of Expelled Persons and Refugees, which put out of force Article 14, Items 2 and 7, which protected expelled persons from eviction. The ZPH claims the reconstruction process did not have the desired pace and a large number of expelled persons have not been provided with conditions for the return. The Government and Sabor have also been requested not to reduce budgetary subsidies for municipalities and towns from the areas of special state concern by more than ten percent, and that once the budget is adopted (by the end of April at the latest), a special session is held, with the aim of establishing a transparent dynamics of reconstruction and return. (hina) rml