CROATIAN DEVELOPMENT MINISTER VISITS EXILED KOSOVO CROATS

PETRINJA, Nov 6 (Hina) - Croatia's Development, Immigration and Reconstruction Minister Jure Radic on Saturday visited Croats exiled from the Kosovo parishes of Letnica and Vrnavokol, who arrived in Croatia last Saturday and found temporary accommodation in the refugee camp 'Dumace' near Petrinja. A total of 285 Kosovo Croats, including 133 children, are accommodated in 60 makeshift houses. Welcoming the refugees on behalf of President Franjo Tudjman, the Government and the Croatian National Sabor, Radic said the Kosovo Croats were forced to come to Croatia by the great-Serbian aggression on Kosovo. Radic recalled that the ancestors of Kosovo Croats had left Croatia 700 years ago. Now that Croatia is independent, it should accept displaced Kosovo Croats as those who will build and protect it, he added. The displaced Kosovo Croats will be permanently settled in the Lika region. The process of settlement will start within a month, in groups of twenty. Houses for the first group of Kosovo Croats to settle Lika will be built in a month. The Croats will be given state- owned houses for a period of ten years, and after ten years they will become the owners. Land spots will also be given for use for a period of 30 years and each household will be given several sheep. There are plans to give Kosovo Croats entrepreneurship loans and jobs in construction as well as to include them in reconstruction programmes. The parish priest of Letnica, Friar Nikola Duckic, thanked the President, the Government and the Parliament for the successful relocation and reception of Kosovo Croats. The Croats expressed satisfaction with the accommodation and food in the camp. In 1991, there were 4,600 Croats in Letnica and Vrnavokol. In early 1999, only 530 Croats lived in the two parishes and with the departure of 293 Croats for Croatia last weekend only 67 Croats remained in Letnica and Vrnavokol. (hina) rml