CROATIA GETS 5 MILLION OUT OF 69 MILLION EURO AID OF EURO COMMISSION

ZAGREB, March 23 (Hina) - Out of 69 million Euro approved by the European Commission for relief aid to Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia and Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY), five million Euro is allocated for Croatia, the office of the EC Special Envoy to Zagreb, reported on Tuesday. "The aid will be managed by the European Community Humanitarian Office (ECHO)," the office said in a statement. This year, the ECHO will provide food supplies to 50,000 beneficiaries "according to strict vulnerability criteria among refugees, returnees and remainees," the statement read adding that this food aid programme is expected to end in early autumn. ECHO is to finance a programme "entirely devoted to assist those returning home to Croatia," it read adding that "through at least three ECHO implementing partners, returnees to the war-affected areas will be entitled to receive a "return package" consisting of food, basic non-food items (household goods) ..." Through UNHCR, the ECHO will offer its financial support to the non- governmental organisations (NGO) which chiefly deal with protection and legal advice for the victims of the conflict in the Croatian territory. (hina) ms