DECISION BY SERB ENTITY TO STOP RESTITUTION OF REFUGEE FLATS UNACCEPTABLE - OHR

SARAJEVO, June 1 (Hina) - The Office of the High Representative (OHR) in Bosnia-Herzegovina believes the decision by the Bosnian Serb authorities to stop the restitution of flats owned by refugees currently living in Croatia is unacceptable. The OHR will not tolerate the violation of property laws or attempts to obstruct the return of refugees, OHR spokesman Oleg Milisic said in Sarajevo on Thursday. Milisic said one of such attempts was a decision by the Republika Srpska National Assembly to stop the process of returning tenancy rights and flats to the refugees from the Bosnian Serb entity currently living in Croatia. The Bosnian Serb parliament ordered the Ministry for Refugees to immediately stop processing all restitution claims and this decision should remain in force until all Croatian Serb refugees return to their homes, i.e. until 'adequate legal preconditions' are created by the Croatian government. The return of refugees to their pre-war homes cannot be made conditional on anything, Milisic said. "That right particularly cannot be jeopardised by laws which are valid in another state," Milisic said. (hina) jn rml