KNIN KNIN, Oct 24 (Hina) - Two contracts were signed on Tuesday in the central Croatian town of Knin under which the US Administration and the Dutch Government should financially back the reconstruction of war-devastated houses, the
recovery of the local economy and infrastructure, and grant favourable (the-so-called humanitarian) loans to citizens. According to the first contract signed by the International Relief Committee for assistance to Croatia (IRC) director Gregory Beck, Knin Mayor Josip Odak and a local partner of the IRC, Maja Marija Meteljan, the U.S Administration will allocate 250,000 dollars to help rebuild 30 houses of Serb returnees and give stimulation to small businesses. The donors committed themselves to assisting Knin in facilitating the two-way return and integration of settlers. The town of Knin assumed a commitment to offer help Serb returnees and issue them identity cards and other document
KNIN, Oct 24 (Hina) - Two contracts were signed on Tuesday in the
central Croatian town of Knin under which the US Administration and
the Dutch Government should financially back the reconstruction of
war-devastated houses, the recovery of the local economy and
infrastructure, and grant favourable (the-so-called
humanitarian) loans to citizens.
According to the first contract signed by the International Relief
Committee for assistance to Croatia (IRC) director Gregory Beck,
Knin Mayor Josip Odak and a local partner of the IRC, Maja Marija
Meteljan, the U.S Administration will allocate 250,000 dollars to
help rebuild 30 houses of Serb returnees and give stimulation to
small businesses.
The donors committed themselves to assisting Knin in facilitating
the two-way return and integration of settlers.
The town of Knin assumed a commitment to offer help Serb returnees
and issue them identity cards and other documents necessary for the
exercise of their social rights. This war-hit town should support
activities the aim of which is to build tolerance and confidence.
Under the second contract, the Dutch Government will earmark
250,000 US dollars for the reconstruction of Serb returnees' houses
and for the accommodation of Croat settlers.
According to Mayor Odak, a part of this money will be used via the
Croatian Agency for Legal Transactions and Real Estate Management
for the purchase of houses which Serbs sell and which can then be
given to Bosnian Croat refugees.
Some means from this fund will be used as favourable loans for the
development in the agriculture.
The contract on the American financial assistance should have been
signed ten days ago, but local authorities insisted on an annex to
the deal which would cover all citizens regardless of their
nationality, namely it should not give privileges to anyone, just
as it is the case with the contract signed with the Dutch
authorities.
Gregory Beck today said that the intention of the original contract
was not to make any divisions but the means were to be used as the
stimulation of the return, whereas the contract's second section
stipulated other forms of assistance for all citizens in Knin.
(hina) ms