8 209 RETURNEES TO OSIJEK-BARANJA AREA OF EASTERN CROATIA

( Editorial: --> 8804 ) OSIJEK, July 20 (Hina) - Officials of the eastern Croatian Osijecko-Baranjska County on Monday discussed the Government's programme for the return and accommodation of refugees, displaced and exiled persons, the adjusting of activities related to this document and preparations for a donors' conference on the reconstruction of Croatia. Our aim today was to inform officials of local self-government units who are not from eastern Croatia with the implementation of the Government programme, especially with the work of housing commissions, said County prefect Srecko Lovrincevic. According to Nada Arbanas, head of the Osijek regional office for refugees and displaced persons "8,209 persons with returnee-status returned to the Osijek-Baranja area (...), and it is estimated that about 2,500 more, who are in the process of acquiring the returnee- status, are temporarily residing in the Danube river region". Arbanas said that her office had so far organised the accommodation of 120 exiled persons. There is still interest in this type of accommodation, she said. According to Zdenko Simunovic, president of the Osijek housing commission, 725 requests for the return of exiled persons have been submitted since March. Thirty-five per cent of these people lost tenancy rights. The clearance of these requests is not within the jurisdiction of the housing commission, but within the jurisdiction of regular courts, Simunovic said. (hina) ha jn 201642 MET jul 98