TRAVNIK OFFICIALLY PROCLAIMED OPEN CITY

TRAVNIK, Aug 28 (Hina) - "Today we officially proclaim Travnik an open city", the head of Bosniak (Muslim) authorities in this central Bosnian town, Enver Begovic, told Croat and Bosniak reporters on Thursday, reminding them Travnik was the first town to implement the Dayton return pilot programme. "The decision on Travnik being an open city means a free return of Croats and other refugees and displaced persons", Begovic said, but pointed out this "doesn't mean the process has to be spontaneous." "International organizations and the (Central Bosnian) cantonal ministry for refugees have to ensure first a return to empty houses and flats, and then, in line with realization, several programmes on the reconstruction of houses", Begovic said. This year, the international community would reconstruct some 700 houses, and a 1,000 more next year, he added. There were about 20,000 Bosniaks from other parts of the Bosnian Federation and the Bosnian Serb entity currently in Travnik, Begovic pointed out, adding that 4,500 Serbs from the Vlasicka Plain expressed the desire to return to their villages. This, according to Begovic, must be settled among Bosniaks and Croats in the Federation, and with authorities in Republika Srpska. In order to step up the return process, local authorities in Travnik are closely checking tenancy rights, since it is believed that many Bosniaks whose houses around Travnik have been reconstructed are still living in town, in other people's flats. Concerning incidents and acts of terrorism to which Croat returnees were subjected in Travnik, Begovic pointed out he believed such occurrences would cease with the strengthening of cantonal institutions, the cantonal police in particular. (hina) ha 281834 MET aug 97