GOVT DISCUSSES OSCE REMARKS ON FLAT LEASING IN E. CROATIA

( Editorial: --> 9677 ) ZAGREB, Feb 5 (Hina) - At a closed session Thursday, the Croatian Government discussed remarks by the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe on a decree on leasing state-owned flats in eastern Croatia. According to a statement of the Government's Communications Office, the Government adopted an agreement reached yesterday by vice premier Ljerka Mintas-Hodak and OSCE Ambassador to Croatia Tim Guldimann, stipulating that a working group for operative procedures of the return give additional consideration to the complaints. The working group held the first meeting today. In line with by-law regulations, data on state-owned flats in the Danube river region and their tenants will be collected by 15 March. The same deadline applies for submission of requests for lease deeds. In line with the by-law, all other legal effects of it will come into effect after the expiry of the deadline, in order to secure sufficient time for gaining full knowledge into and interpretation of some by-law regulations, as well as for a discussion on the mentioned remarks, said the government statement. The by-law was adopted by the government on 22 January. According to the by-law, those who have tenant rights in the Danube area have to submit a request to draw up a contract about the leasing of the flat by 15 March. People who are not in the flats at the moment and do not have tenancy rights have to leave the flats eight days after receiving notice that they had been ensured temporary accommodation in places in Croatia where they had lived before, if they do not have a habitable house or flat in Croatia. Guldimann said Wednesday the by-law was contradictory to the equality of all refugees before the law, whether it was those living in the Danube area or those returning to the area. (hina) ha jn 051642 MET feb 98