PRE-WAR RESIDENTS OF VUKOVAR GET KEYS TO RENOVATED FLATS

VUKOVAR, 28 Oct (Hina) - The keys of 91 apartments in two buildings in Vukovar, reconstructed by the international community, were on Tuesday handed over to their pre-war tenants. The keys handing-over ceremony was attended by the European Union commissioner for external affairs, Hans van den Broek, Croatian President's deputy chief-of-staff Vesna Skare-Ozbolt, Reconstruction and Development Minister Jure Radic, U.N. Transitional Administrator for Eastern Slavonia, William Walker, European Union ambassadors and numerous other guests. The reconstruction of the twelve-storey building 'Danube I' with 71 flats, located not far from the town centre, cost about 2.4 million German marks, allocated by the European Union. The reconstruction works lasted some four months. The second building, with 20 flats, located in the Vukovar district of Borovo, was reconstructed by the Swedish and Dutch governments. The repair works lasted three months and cost about DM 865,000. In line with the rules agreed upon by the Croatian government and UNTAES, all pre-war tenants have the right to return to the reconstructed flats. Return claims have been lodged for 71 out of the total of 91 flats in the two reconstructed buildings. According to the head of the Government Office for Displaced Persons and Returnees, Lovre Pejkovic, out of all received claims, 33 were lodged by returnee families. The buildings have central heating but they have not been furnished. The furniture should be provided by the Ministry of Reconstruction and Development, European Union officials said. The Reconstruction and Development Minister Jure Radic said that the furniture would be transported to Vukovar in the next several days. Addressing the gathered at the key-giving ceremony and the unveiling of a plaque bearing the name the European Union that helped reconstructed 'Danube I', EU's representative Hans van den Broek stressed the importance of simultaneous reconstruction of flats and return of refugees to their pre-war places of residence. I hope that in these flats they will find new happiness and ability not only to work but to live together as well, said van den Broek. Expressing hope that the peaceful reintegration would be completed successfully, van den Broek estimated that the process could be the symbol of reconciliation in the whole of Croatia, but also an example for all those in the world who are trying to overcome difficulties from the past. Thanking the EU and UNTAES for their help in reconstruction, Radic said that Croatia has reconstructed some 62,000 out of 143,000 destroyed houses. He expressed satisfaction with the fact that the international community is helping Croatia in the reconstruction of Vukovar, adding that the international community did not do so in other parts of Croatia. Everyone should make efforts so that people 'could live together and in peace in our Croatian homeland in the European, Croatian Vukovar', Radic said. Describing today's opening of reconstructed flats as another step forward in the peaceful reintegration of the Croatian Danube river region, U.N. Transitional Administrator Walker said that it was the first attempt aimed at showing that pluralism and diversity can and must be established the way they were before the conflict. The international community would be able to achieve long-term aims of peace and stability in the Danube river region with similar projects, he added. After the opening of 'Danube I', the 20-flat building in Borovo was opened by the Swedish and Dutch Ambassadors to Croatia, Ingemar Borjesson and Joseph Scheffers respectively. (hina) jn rm 282045 MET oct 97