CACIC: THERE WILL BE NO FORCIBLE EVICTION FROM 'PINIJE' HOTEL

ZAGREB, June 9 (Hina) - Displaced persons, situated in the "Pinije" hotel in the seaside town Petricani near Zadar, who started a protest on June 6 facing a possibility of being moved out the hotel, will not forcibly be expelled from the hotel, said Minister of Public Works, Reconstruction and Construction, Radimir Cacic. Cacic told a news conference in Zagreb on Friday that in line with the displaced persons' request his ministry would forward its representatives to establish priorities in the reconstruction. Subsequently they will agree with the hotel's owner to continue providing meals for displaced persons. They should also set a time term for the movement so that at least a part of the hotel be free for the coming tourist season. A wrong impression was made that the Government had anything about the eviction of the displaced people from this hotel near Zadar, Cacic told reporters adding that the Government had considered the movement of refugees from hotels in Zagreb. The "Pinije" hotel, which is accommodating 270 displaced persons, was purchased by a private entrepreneur, Ante Kovacevic, this March. It was sold by the Privatisation Investment Fund "Velebit" that is actually a fund of war veterans and refugees. Therefore Cacic expects that if such a fund sells this hotel it has solved the issue of the further accommodation of the displaced people. This was not the function of the Government, but his ministry's displaced persons department had to be engaged in efforts to settle the problem, Cacic explained. According to him, the public works, reconstruction and construction ministry settled all its debts and it owes nothing to the new owner of the hotel in question. (hina) ms