CRO IMIGRATION MINISTRY DELEGATION MEETS CZECH OFFICIALS IN PRAGUE

( Editorial: --> 9105 ) PRAGUE, Oct 16 (Hina) - A delegation of the Croatian Immigration and Return Ministry, headed by Deputy Minister Josip Juras, met on Friday with the Croatian Cultural Council's president Herwing Sitek at the Croatian Embassy in Prague. The institution is located in Olomouc and is the only Croat institution working in the Czech Republic. Talks focused on the Croatian minority's living in the Czech Republic, and on concrete help to Croats throughout scholarships. About 1,000 autochthonous Croats live in the Czech Republic at present, Sitek said. The Croatian delegation was also received by Andrej Sulitka, director of the National Minority at the Czech Government Council for national minorities and its secretary Milan Pospisil. Talks discussed the Czech government's cultural and other help programmes for the Croatian minority. Juras explained to the present how Croatia provides care for the minorities in Croatia, with special emphasis on the Czech minority, and described the work of the Immigration and Return Ministry and its role in the Croats' return to Croatia. Sulitka promised he would work towards a possibility of Czech state budget assistance to the Croatian minority. The Croatian delegation also held a working meeting with Croats living and working in the Czech Republic. They pointed out the interest for returning and investing in Croatia was expressed, and to the problems faced in returning. (hina) it/ha 162243 MET oct 98