GOVT PRESENTS RETURN PROCEDURE FOR PERSONS WHO LEFT CROATIA

( Editorial: --> 3670 ) ZAGREB, March 31 (Hina) - The Croatian Government on Tuesday presented a document entitled "The Procedure of Return for Persons Who Left the Republic of Croatia," which regulates the issuing of documents and the return of Croatian citizens who left Croatia during the war and wish to return. Government members announced the signing of bilateral agreements with Yugoslavia and Republika Srpska as well as the adoption of a comprehensive and detailed plan of return of all displaced people and refugees. The procedure of return of persons who left Croatia regulates the one-way return and is subject to discussion with international representatives, Government members told reporters while presenting the document in Zagreb. According to the Procedure, a person who wishes to return to Croatia should personally submit an application for return to a Croatian diplomatic mission in the country he or she is currently living in. The applicant shall present valid personal documents or other papers he or she has. In case the applicant does not have papers, he or she will fill in a questionnaire and write a biography. The Croatian Interior Ministry will process the request in three months at the latest. A person who receives a Croatian citizenship certificate will then submit a request for the issuing of a travel document to the authorised diplomatic mission so that he or she can return. The diplomatic mission will in the meantime get a certificate on the returnee's accommodation conditions from the Reconstruction and Development Ministry. While waiting for their travel document to be issued, persons who applied for return will have the possibility of (three to five days long) group visits to towns they left. The visits will have to be announced to Croatian diplomatic missions two weeks in advance, with the presentation of a valid document proving foreigner or refugee status in the country a refugee is currently living in. The applicant for return to Croatia will be freed from paying fees for the procedure of acquiring Croatian papers and travel documents. Asked what was new in the procedure of return, spokesman for the Croatian Foreign Ministry, Zeljko Trkanjec, said the most important change was the possibility to apply for Croatian papers in Croatian diplomatic missions and consulates. "The Government wanted to show again its willingness to enable all those who want to return to do so," said the head of the Office for Displaced Persons and Refugees, Lovre Pejkovic. Presenting the number of persons who want to return to Croatia, Pejkovic said that Yugoslavia has information on 24,000 persons who want to return while Republika Srpska does not have a detailed list. It is estimated however that about 3,500 people want to return from Republika Srpska to Croatia, Pejkovic said. (hina) jn rm/mrb 311614 MET mar 98