RETURNEES IN FEAR OF WINTER DUE TO INADEQUATE ACCOMMODATION

SARAJEVO, Sept 5 (Hina) - More than 23,000 refugees, categorised as members of minority groups, have returned to their homes in Bosnia- Herzegovina in the first seven months of this year, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees reported Tuesday. According to the UNHCR, the total number of returnees of minority communities was 23,352, with 3,601 refugees returning in July only. The numbers of such returns have doubled since last year in the same period. UNHCR Mission Chief to Bosnia-Herzegovina, Werner Blatter, said Tuesday this was without doubt an encouraging development of events. He did, however, express concern that many of the returnees did not have adequate housing facilities, particularly for the upcoming winter period. Securing adequate accommodation must be a priority both for local authorities and the international community, otherwise many of the returnees will have to return to places of their temporary accommodation, Blatter said. According to some estimates, almost 30,000 refugees and displaced persons in Bosnia-Herzegovina are living in tents awaiting to move into their pre-war homes. The European Commission office in Bosnia-Herzegovina announced Tuesday additional 3,749,000 euro would be allocated to the reconstruction of damaged homes in various areas of the country. The newly-granted funds are a part of a package of the so-called integrated programme of return, worth 50.1 million euro, intended for returnees of the minority communities. (hina) lml