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CROATIA IS IMPLEMENTING RETURN PROGRAMME - DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

( Editorial: --> 7355 ) ZAGREB, July 13 (Hina) - Croatia does not believe its refugee return plan is a nice document to be shown around the world and at home, but is approaching the document very seriously and implementing it. Croatian European Integration Minister Ljerka Mintas-Hodak said this after Monday's talks with UN special human rights rapporteur Jiri Dienstbier. "Deputy Prime Minister Jure Radic and I have already had a meeting with the heads of all municipalities in the Danube River region," Mintas-Hodak, who is also a Deputy Prime Minister, said. "Today we had a meeting in the Reconstruction and Development Ministry with the prefects of those counties which are to receive returnees, displaced and exiled people and we have agreed to establish housing commissions as soon as possible." All this, along with the fact that the procedure for acquiring documents is underway, "shows that Croatia has taken this document very seriously and has been implementing it", she said. Dienstbier, who described his role as that of a "critic", stressed the need for implementing the return programme. There are still many obstacles, especially on the local and regional levels, he said. The UN special human rights rapporteur said the degree of destruction and lack of jobs for returnees were the main problems he observed during his visit to the region. You can see destroyed and empty towns and villages everywhere. People who want to return and work cannot find jobs. Farmers- returnees are often without water and electricity supply, Dienstbier said. It is not only about human rights, it is about the reconstruction of the country. The Croatian Government, with the help of the international community, should renew infrastructure, because otherwise the return of both Croats and Serbs to this potentially very rich region will be very difficult, he added. A lot can still be done in many fields. Alongside with housing problems, Dienstbier said he observed difficulties in acquiring personal documents. The problem of hatred on the local level cannot be ignored either, Dienstbier said, adding he had already encountered the same problem during his visit to Bosnia-Herzegovina. I have even been told by some people that the return programme has been imposed on Croatia by the international community and that they do not agree with the document, Dienstbier said. Mintas-Hodak replied that Croatia would definitely implement the programme and that individual statements had nothing to do with the official policy. Individual statements, even if they come from the Association of Displaced People, on whether they find the programme suitable or whether or not it has been imposed on Croatia, are not relevant because they do not represent the official stand of the state. Nevertheless one should not make such statements because they are certainly not to Croatia's benefit, Mintas-Hodak said. Croatia will implement the programme but it would also like to do it with the financial help of the international community, she added. "I have informed the special rapporteur about the programmes for reconstruction of infrastructure and the economy in war-ravaged areas which are to be offered for co-financing to the international community at the forthcoming conference on reconstruction and development in Croatia," Mintas-Hodak said. The special rapporteur expressed satisfaction with Croatia's readiness to open a consulate in the Bosnian Serb republic very soon. This will contribute to the resolution of returnee problems on all sides, Dienstbier said. (hina) jn rml /mbr 131632 MET jul 98

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