ZAGREB, Nov 18 (Hina) - The Mission of the Organisation for Security +and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) is very content with the positive +attitude of members of housing commissions who were present at the +Third Information Conference
in Pozega (around 150km east of +Zagreb) on Tuesday, OSCE spokesman in Croatia, Mark Thompson said +on Wednesday.+ "We were impressed by the positive (...) and very practical +attitude, the attitude of people who want to implement the return +programme and to make it work," Thompson told a regular conference +held by the OSCE together with the UN High Commissioner for Refugees +(UNHCR) mission in Croatia.+ "We noticed less confusion and no resistance to the programme by +contrast to the previous two such information conferences," he +added.+ The third Information Conference on the Return Programme for +reconstruction in Pozega was organised on Tuesday by the Croa
ZAGREB, Nov 18 (Hina) - The Mission of the Organisation for Security
and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) is very content with the positive
attitude of members of housing commissions who were present at the
Third Information Conference in Pozega (around 150km east of
Zagreb) on Tuesday, OSCE spokesman in Croatia, Mark Thompson said
on Wednesday.
"We were impressed by the positive (...) and very practical
attitude, the attitude of people who want to implement the return
programme and to make it work," Thompson told a regular conference
held by the OSCE together with the UN High Commissioner for Refugees
(UNHCR) mission in Croatia.
"We noticed less confusion and no resistance to the programme by
contrast to the previous two such information conferences," he
added.
The third Information Conference on the Return Programme for
reconstruction in Pozega was organised on Tuesday by the Croatian
government Offices for Cooperation with the OSCE, and attended by
representatives of central authorities, county and local
administration, as well as Housing Commissions.
He expressed satisfaction with the fact that the Government had
adopted recommendations by international and Croatian experts on
changes to laws pertaining to the Programme of Return.
"These changes (...) will ensure the equality of eligible persons
regarding entitlements and benefits and obligations," as envisaged
by the Programme of Return, Thompson stressed.
Thompson recalled an article recently published in a Croatian
daily, which cited the Mayor of the eastern Croatian town of
Vukovar, Vladimir Stengl, claiming that one third of all flats in
Vukovar were occupied by illegal tenants.
"Of course, there is a problem of illegal occupation, we think that
but Mr. Stengl's figures represent a fairly serious exaggeration,"
Thompson said.
Out of the 443 cases mentioned in the article, 282 flats are
occupied by persons on the basis of decisions on the temporary
allocation of flats issued by the local authorities of the former
Republic of Srpska Krajina, which, under the Croatian Government's
Programme for Return, is legal.
Besides, Thompson added, Mayor Stengl also spoke about "internal
displaced persons", which the Programme for Return does not
recognise as a category.
After the first month of OSCE monitoring the police in the Croatian
Danube River region, Thompson said that relations between the
police and OSCE observers were improving, and the rate of
ethnically-motivated is consistent with the average rate through
the years.
"We are glad that there is no increase in that rate, but it is also
disappointing to see that there is also no improvement there," he
added.
Thompson endorsed a section of the UN Security Council Presidential
Statement on Croatia issued on November 9, which expressed concern
regarding the trend of intimidation against Serbs in the Danubian
area, which is linked to their continuing departure from the
region.
He expressed satisfaction with the opening and announcement of a
tender for long-term concessions to frequencies for electronic
media in the Danubian area, as promised by the Government.
"The Ministry of Maritime Affairs, Transport and Communications
has given assurances that those stations which have short-term
licences will be able to continue broadcasting and operating
normally until the outcome of the tender which has now been
announced," Thompson said.
Spokesman for the UNHCR in Croatia, Andrej Mahecic, described
Tuesday's Information Conference in Pozega as "another positive
step in the implementation of the return programme".
"The conference shows that the return programme is a reality and
that its principles are accepted," Mahecic said.
Wednesday's press conference was held on the seventh anniversary of
the fall of the city of Vukovar.
"Regarding the significance of this date, UNHCR would like to
express its continued sympathy for the victims that suffered during
the fall of Vukovar," he stressed.
The UNHCR continues to express its clear will that those who have
been indicted and proven to be war criminals will be brought to
justice, Mahecic said.
(hina) lml