SERB ORTHODOX COMMUNITY IN ZAGREB RESTITUTED PART OF PROPERTY

ZAGREB, Nov 28 (Hina) - The Serb Orthodox Community in Zagreb has been given back part of the property it owned at the time of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia (1918-1941) but was nationalised after World War Two. The property consists of several attractive office premises in the very heart of Zagreb. This is one third of the entire office premises the Community once owned, its legal counsellors said on Tuesday. The Community has submitted one thousand requests seeking the return of seized property since a denationalisation law came into force on 1 July 1997. As regards the occupancy of the offices under new property-rights conditions, the owners decided that current occupiers may stay on the premises. They will now pay their commitments to the Serb Orthodox Community under new owner-occupier contracts. Besides the office premises, the Community owned 50 flats on attractive locations in the capital. Tenancy rights bearers were entitled to purchase the flats, buying them under equal conditions as all other bearers with the same status under other owners. The government is obliged to pay former owners compensation in the amount the flats were worth. In Croatia, the Serb Orthodox Community also owns substantial pieces of building and agricultural land, and forests. (hina) ha jn