PEOPLE WITH CROATIAN PASSPORT ARE RESPONSIBILITY OF CROATIA

( Editorial: --> 2458 ) ZAGREB, Sept 23 (Hina) - Sweden will use coercive measures to oust 185 Bosnian Croats with Croatian passports from Sweden. The principles of international law obliges countries to take care of their citizens, said Swedish officials, explaining the deportation to Croatia of Croats from Bosnia-Herzegovina who fled to Sweden during the Homeland War. The first ten deported Bosnian Croats arrived in Croatia on August 18. Rijeka-based Novi List daily announced the arrival of another 600. Asked to provide information about the issue, a representative of the Swedish ministry for migration and political asylum, Anders Loenn, said 300 persons would be returned to Croatia and Bosnia- Herzegovina. He said about 5,000 Croats from Bosnia-Herzegovina requested asylum in Sweden. They all entered Sweden with Croatian passports. By issuing them passports, Croatia assumed on the obligation to take care of these people, as of every other Croatian citizen, Loenn said. For this reason, Swedish authorities did not automatically approve them permanent resident permits. Loenn stressed that more than 3,000 Croats from Bosnia-Herzegovina received resident permits, for reasons of humanitarian nature. The rest returned on a voluntary basis. All those who decided to return received financial support from the Swedish government, 10,000 krona for an adult, and 5,000 krona per child, with the total amount per family amounting to 40,000 krona at the most. Croatian President Franjo Tudjman said during his recent visit to Ilok (eastern Croatia) that the most important task of the government is the return of Croatian citizens who had left for other countries during the Homeland War. "If they do not wish to return, the Croatian authorities have the obligation to take care of Croats that had been forced to flee Bosnia-Herzegovina, and those who are returning home from other countries," Tudjman said. (hina) lml jn 231420 MET sep 98