RADIC DISCUSSES RECONSTRUCTION & PROPERTY ISSUES WITH SERB REPS

( Editorial: --> 8455 ) ZAGREB, April 21 (Hina) - Reconstruction of houses with higher degrees of damage, financial support for the reconstruction of less damaged houses and legal and property issues were main topics of a meeting between Reconstruction and Development Minister Jure Radic and representatives of the Serb community in Croatia, in Zagreb on Tuesday. The Serb representatives were lead by parliamentary representative Milorad Pupovac, the Reconstruction and Development Ministry said in a statement. The Reconstruction and Development Ministry is making no differences as regards the nationality of owners but reconstruction cannot be speedier because of budgetary limitations, said Radic. It was reiterated during the meeting that Croatia would respect private ownership of all returnees but it also had to care for Bosnian Croat refugees. In a statement given to Hina after the meeting, Serb representative Pupovac said it was agreed that, along with some 100 families who would soon get reconstruction benefits for their houses (from I to III damage categories), about hundred families would receive such benefits each month. Obstacles to the assessment of war damage on houses and difficulties on the local level should be removed, Pupovac said. Serb houses from the IV to VI categories of damage, which were destroyed in 1991 in western Slavonia, are on the reconstruction priority list, especially houses belonging to people currently accommodated in the Croatian Danube River region, Pupovac said. It was agreed at the meeting that a programme on the return of property which was given for temporary use to other persons, should be drawn up within next ten days, Pupovac said. This programme should be implemented along with a programme on the accommodation of people currently occupying other people's property, Pupovac added. (hina) rm/mrb 211941 MET apr 98