GOVERNMENT ADOPTS REPORT ON EXHUMATION OF VUKOVAR VICTIMS

( Editorial: --> 8066 ) ZAGREB, July 16 (Hina) - The Croatian Government on Thursday adopted a report on the Exhumation Process of Victims of Serbian Aggression from mass graves in Vukovar, eastern Slavonia. The Government also adopted a Report on Solving the Housing Problems of Croatian Homeland War Victims through the reconstruction of homes, construction of flats and allocation of loans. This is the saddest report this Government has ever prepared, Defence Minister Andrija Hebrang said speaking about the exhumation and identification of Croatian defenders and civilians from mass graves in Vukovar and their burial at the Vukovar New Cemetery. The report was explained in detail by the Croatian Homeland War Defenders Minister Juraj Njavro. Identifications will continue during the summer as well. As of September, when new burials of Vukovar victims take place, the Government will be represented at each funeral by one of its ministers. A Defence Ministry representative attending the burials will have the rank of a general. During funeral days, flags will be lowered at half mast at Defence Ministry and Croatian Homeland War Defenders' Ministry buildings. Government members believe that the news on the burial of Vukovar victims should have priority in the media. The media, especially television, have not adequately covered the burials of Croatian defenders and civilians to date, except for the last one, which was the result of pressure by Homeland War victims' associations, Njavro said. Since 1995, the remains of 2,750 war victims were exhumed and 2,071 were identified, Croatian Deputy Prime Minister Ivica Kostovic said. Croatia is still searching for 1,879 missing and imprisoned defenders and civilians, he said. At today's session, the Government also adopted a report on the accommodation of 10,300 families of Homeland war victims. Reconstruction and Development Minister Jure Radic said that 2,401 (25 per cent) of requests had been resolved in the past 18 months through various programmes. By the end of this year, the housing problems of one half of those families will be solved, Radic added. This programme does not depart considerably from deadlines set in the Law on the Rights of Croatian Defenders, Radic said. Foreign Minister Mate Granic also informed the Government about the Security Council resolution on Prevlaka. The resolution on Prevlaka has once again confirmed and stressed Croatia's sovereignty and territorial integrity, Granic said. (hina) jn rml/mbr 161716 MET jul 98