CROATIAN RETURNEES DEMAND TALKS WITH PRIME MINISTER RACAN

ZAGREB, April 7 (Hina) - The steering committee of the Association of Croatian Returnees (ZPH) demanded talks with Prime Minister Ivica Racan on budget funds earmarked for the reconstruction in 2000, this was concluded at the ZPH streering committee session held Friday. It was stressed at the session that unless they receive satisfying answers from the Premier, public protests would be organised. The ZPH believes that 530 million kuna (DM132 million) from the budget earmarked for the reconstruction of houses of returnees are insufficient. Therefore, they will demand that the Premier explain how the Government plans to satisfy the needs of Croatian returnees with the funds. The streering committee of the ZPH also pointed to the frustrations of Croatian returnees about the fact that the international community earmarked EURO55 million for the return of Serbs at a donors conference in Croatia. According to Josip Kompanovic and other members of the steering committee, this could lead to the increase of tension between nations and incidents among returnees, because Croatian returnees will be in worse economic situation than Serb returnees. Public Works, Reconstruction and Building Assistant Minister Ljudevit Herceg, who was a guest at the session, said that the Ministry planned to build 1,423 houses in the Croatian Danube River region and 500 houses in other parts of Croatia by the beginning of the school year. A public bid for constructors will be announced tomorrow, Herceg said. (hina) it mm