113 SERBS HAVE RETURNED TO SIBENIK-KNIN COUNTY

SIBENIK, July 22 (Hina) - One hundred and thirteen Croatian citizens of Serb nationality have returned to the Sibenik-Knin County between 21 February and 22 July 1997, the head of the County's police, Drago Matic, said on Tuesday. This figure does not include Serbs who have returned to the Knin municipality which is not part of the Sibenik-Knin County police department, Matic said. Serbs who return to villages which they left to go to the Danube region of eastern Croatia or to the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia are endangered or privileged as much as other Croatian citizens, he stressed. Serbs who have returned to date, Matic recalled, have done so in line with a programme of bringing together families separated by the war. To date no Serbs have returned on the basis of an agreement between the Croatian Government and the international community, he added. Personal safety is guaranteed to Serb returnees as to other Croatian citizens, Matic said, adding that, as data show, general security in return-areas is exactly equal to other areas controlled by the Sibenik-Knin County police. Returnees and Orthodox priests have indeed suffered verbal abuse, the head of police said, but added that there have been no attacks, physical threats or obstructions to services in Orthodox churches. No incident has occurred between returnees and those temporarily situated in their houses either, nor has illegal resale of Croatian Serb-owned vacation houses taken place, Matic concluded. (hina) ha mm 221547 MET jul 97