2,500 SERB FAMILIES IN E. CROATIA STILL LIVE IN HOUSES OF CRO DISPLACED

( Editorial: --> 3194 ) BILJE/DARDA, Feb 19 (Hina) - The chairwoman of the National Committee for the restoration of trust, Vesna Skare-Ozbolt, and her deputy Ivica Vrkic Thursday visited the Danube River region of eastern Croatia to gain insight into the course of reconstruction, return and the security situation. Skare-Ozbolt said solutions were still being sought for 2,500 Serb families living in houses of displaced persons waiting to return. The job should be completed in March, Skare-Obolt said, adding municipal housing commissions had to make additional efforts in their work. Municipal authorities must detail the problems and closely cooperate with the National Committee for the restoration of trust, Skare-Ozbolt believed, in order to clear individual cases and avoid conflicts. The head of the municipality of Bilje, Darko Varga, said 280 displaced persons had returned to date, adding 370 houses were still occupied. Two-hundred Croatian returnees have to date come back to Darda, said the deputy head of the municipality, Tomislav Ilic. He was dissatisfied with the course of the reconstruction. Skare-Ozbolt and Vrkic also visited Ernestinovo, Laslovo and Antunovac, where they also held talks on the return of the displaced. (hina) ha jn 191731 MET feb 98