BUGOJNO, Dec 7 (Hina) - The completion of a United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) reconstruction project called "The Return of Minorities" was marked in the central Bosnian town of Bugojno on Monday. The project
ensured the reconstruction of 135 family houses and the return to pre-war homes of 635 persons in six Central Bosnia Canton. The head of the Bugojno UNHCR Office, Towe Fitcher, on this occasion handed keys to the owners of the reconstructed houses. In attendance was a delegation of the Federation of Bosnia-Herzegovina, headed by vice president Ejup Ganic, and representatives of cantonal and municipal authorities, international associations, and returnees. Ganic said the reconstruction project represented a "concrete step towards progress," and added returnees "should be provided with other conditions necessary for normal living, material existence through em
BUGOJNO, Dec 7 (Hina) - The completion of a United Nations High
Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) reconstruction project called
"The Return of Minorities" was marked in the central Bosnian town of
Bugojno on Monday.
The project ensured the reconstruction of 135 family houses and the
return to pre-war homes of 635 persons in six Central Bosnia
Canton.
The head of the Bugojno UNHCR Office, Towe Fitcher, on this occasion
handed keys to the owners of the reconstructed houses.
In attendance was a delegation of the Federation of Bosnia-
Herzegovina, headed by vice president Ejup Ganic, and
representatives of cantonal and municipal authorities,
international associations, and returnees.
Ganic said the reconstruction project represented a "concrete step
towards progress," and added returnees "should be provided with
other conditions necessary for normal living, material existence
through employment (...) which requires bigger financial
investments on the part of international factors."
Those present pointed out the reconstruction project supported the
implementation of Annexe VII of the Dayton peace agreement, which
regulates refugee returns. The project covered municipalities in
Central Bosnia Canton to which minority peoples had returned in
greater numbers.
Thanks to the UNHCR and the European Union, which contributed to the
realisation of the project, 25 Croat and seven Serb houses were
reconstructed in Bugojno, thus enabling the return of another 145
persons.
The cantonal reconstruction and development minister, Slavica
Josipovic, expressed satisfaction with everything that had been
done with regard to returns, but pointed out a lot more had to be
done yet to make the number of returnees even higher.
The head of the UNHCR sub-office for south Bosnia, Lennart
Kotsalainen, said Central Bosnia Canton was a very important area
with regard to returns. In the wake of successful Croat and Serb
returns to Bugojno, the UNHCR would like to make a project for next
year which would further increase the number of returnees, he
added.
(hina) ha