ZAGREB, Oct 9 (Hina) - Since the establishment of Croatia's independence the issue of denationalization, compensation, indemnities has been the focus of Croatia's public. The Croatian Government considered this as the most difficult
legal and political question. The stance of the former owners, who were expecting the restitution of the property or the compensation, clashed with the views of the current owners who were demanding the protection of vested rights, the Justice Minister Miroslav Separovic said at the beginning of the Parliament House of Representatives' 11th session that resumed on Wednesday.
ZAGREB, Oct 9 (Hina) - Since the establishment of Croatia's
independence the issue of denationalization, compensation,
indemnities has been the focus of Croatia's public.
The Croatian Government considered this as the most difficult
legal and political question. The stance of the former owners, who
were expecting the restitution of the property or the compensation,
clashed with the views of the current owners who were demanding the
protection of vested rights, the Justice Minister Miroslav
Separovic said at the beginning of the Parliament House of
Representatives' 11th session that resumed on Wednesday. #L#
According to figures a total of 25,059 people lodged 67,433
claims for the restitution of their property. More than 1,800
claims refer to the restitution of firms, about 14,500 claims ask
for flats and business premises, while there are more than 49,000
claims for building sites and more than 1,700 of them for movables.
In the report on the denationalization bill Minister Separovic
said that by proposing a settlement to this problem the Croatian
Government had in mind also other priorities such as defence, care
for Homeland War victims and the entire economic progress, and
that's why denationalization must not be a restrictive factor.
Drawing up the final denationalization bill the government
relied on the legal and political principles that by redressing the
old wrongs it should not make fresh wrongs. The government decided
to solve claims for the restitution of property taken away since
May 15, 1945.
In order not to create bigger state's liabilities than it was
necessary through denationalization, the Government decided on
pecuniary compensation or compensation in shares up to maximum 3.7
million kunas.
To protect the vested rights of tenants in the nationalized
(state-owned) flats, the government let occupants of those flats to
have right to buy them. However, the confiscated flats will be
returned into the ownership of former owners who will not be
allowed then to move into them, as the current occupants can stay
there. Tenants of such apartments will pay rents to owners in line
with a bill on occupational lease.
The farmland, woodland and offices will be returned to
Croatian citizens.
When foreigners lodged claims for the restitution of the
confiscated property, the Government proposed to solve them on the
principle of the restitution or compensation only if it be
determined by interstate agreements, Separovic said.
Following Separovic's report, a deputy Vice Vukojevic told
parliamentarians about the standpoint of the lower house
legislation committee on this issue. Supporting the final bill on
denationalization, the committee proposed 70 amendments which did
not change the core of the bill.
(hina) jn mš
091423 MET oct 96