ABOUT 14,000 CROATS WISH TO RETURN TO BANJA LUKA AREA

MOSTAR, Feb 25 (Hina) - According to the latest information, more than 14,000 Croats wish to return to the area of Banja Luka (northern Bosnia-Herzegovina) and the number of those wishing to return to the northern Posavina region is even higher, Banja Luka Bishop Franjo Komarica told reporters in Mostar on Thursday. Komarica stated this after a two-day meeting of the BH Bishops' Conference, which ended on Wednesday night. Seven associations for return to the Posavina region and Banja Luka recently signed a petition asking to be allowed to return as soon as possible. "Representatives of the commission Article 11 have told me that they would support the intention of Croats to return to Posavina that is, to Banja Luka", Komarica reported. Speaking about the repossession of church property, Komarica said that the Bosnian Serb authorities were returning property to the Serb Orthodox church. The same is being done in the Una-Sana Canton (BH Federation), where the Islamic community is being given back its property. However, no property is being repossessed by the Catholic church in both regions, Komarica said adding that repossession was being carried out regardless of the fact that Bosnia-Herzegovina has still not adopted a law on repossession of church property. (hina) mm rml