SARAJEVO, Sept 30 (Hina) - Lack of funds could seriously endanger the process of return of refugees to Bosnia-Herzegovina, Werner Blatter, head of the UNHCR Mission in Bosnia-Herzegovina, said on Thursday. Significant results have
been achieved in securing refugees who are returning but lately there have been difficulties in raising funds for continuing the process of return, Blatter said at a press conference in Sarajevo. He added that UNHCR needed urgent financial assistance so that living conditions for returnees could be secured before the winter. About ten days ago, the Office of the High Representative for Bosnia-Herzegovina organised a visit of western ambassadors to towns where refugees are returning but where there is a lack of the most basic living conditions. Immediately after the visit, Norway secured an additional DM250,000 for the repair of houses in Bugojno and another two million
SARAJEVO, Sept 30 (Hina) - Lack of funds could seriously endanger
the process of return of refugees to Bosnia-Herzegovina, Werner
Blatter, head of the UNHCR Mission in Bosnia-Herzegovina, said on
Thursday.
Significant results have been achieved in securing refugees who are
returning but lately there have been difficulties in raising funds
for continuing the process of return, Blatter said at a press
conference in Sarajevo.
He added that UNHCR needed urgent financial assistance so that
living conditions for returnees could be secured before the
winter.
About ten days ago, the Office of the High Representative for
Bosnia-Herzegovina organised a visit of western ambassadors to
towns where refugees are returning but where there is a lack of the
most basic living conditions.
Immediately after the visit, Norway secured an additional
DM250,000 for the repair of houses in Bugojno and another two
million marks for reconstruction in the area of Modrica.
The European Union also paid the 16 million Euros for returnees in
Bosnia which it had promised previously, whereas Switzerland
announced that it would give DM1.6 million for the reconstruction
of 100 destroyed houses in Prijedor.
The UNHCR Mission head said his organisation was fully aware of the
fact that not all displaced and refugees wanted to return to their
homes and that appropriate accommodation had to be secured for them
as well.
He added though that those persons cannot occupy the homes of those
willing to return thus blocking the return process.
According to Blatter, assistance will be provided first for those
refugees wishing to return to their homes.
Blatter said there were still about 30,000 Kosovo refugees in
Bosnia and it was impossible to establish when they could return to
their homes.
Among Kosovo refugees are also Gypsies who are concerned about
their safety in case they return to Kosovo. UNHCR is making efforts
to secure adequate winter accommodation for those people.
Blatter expressed hope that the return of Kosovo refugees would be
somewhat more certain in spring next year.
(hina) rml