10 CRO MUNICIPALITIES SIGN COOPERATION FOR RETURN ASSISTANCE

ZAGREB, Mar 5 (Hina) - Ten Croatian municipalities signed agreements on cooperation as part of a programme for refugee return assistance which is being implemented by the International Organisation for Migrations (IOM). According to a statement the IOM Mission to Croatia issued on Friday, mission head Jacques Schutjes on Thursday visited Donji Lapac where he signed a cooperation agreement with municipal head Milan Ledenko. The Return Assistance Programme is financed by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and is aimed at assisting municipalities in reconstruction to improve conditions for the return of displaced persons and refugees. The IOM launched the programme in February 1998 and the USAID intends to invest US$10 million in the course of two years. To date, the agreement on cooperation in the programme has been signed by the municipalities of Darda, Knezevi Vinogradi, Lovas, Erdut, Lipik, Petrinja, Obrovac, Biskupija, Dragalic, and Donji Lapac. An agreement is signed once local authorities draft a return strategy and establish and agree on return goals. The investing level depends directly on the integrity and dynamics of the goals' realisation. (hina) ha