RETURNEES MEET ADMINISTRATIVE OBSTACLES - SERB DEMOCRATIC FORUM

ZAGREB, Aug 25 (Hina) - The Serb Democratic Forum on Monday assessed that many Serb returnees were still unable to regulate their status or exercise the right to move in their houses, and accused the Croatian government's office for displaced persons and refugees of "consciously hindering the return of Serb refugees". The chairman of the Forum's presidency, Veljko Djakula, told reporters in Zagreb the government's office for displaced persons and refugees "through administrative obstacles and pressure obstructs the Serb return process", and that it avoided contact with the Forum which, as Djakula said, achieved a very correct cooperation with the ombudsman and the Interior Ministry. Some 850 Serbs returned to the Knin, Korenica and Benkovac area, recently visited by Serb Democratic Forum activists, of whom only 60 came back on the basis of an agreement between the Croatian government with UNHCR and UNTAES. The others returned spontaneously, Djakula said, after they tired of fighting administrative obstacles and delays on the part of the government's office for displaced persons and refugees. "Their lives are no longer in danger, but there are still threats made to them individually, and they cannot move in their houses", Djakula concluded. (hina) ha jn 251554 MET aug 97