CROATIA'S REFUGEES PROPOSE BILL ON WAR DAMAGE COMPENSATION

ZAGREB, Oct 12 (Hina) - The 4th conference of the Croatian Displaced Persons' Association, that was being held in Zagreb on Saturday, proposed a bill on war damage's compensation and demanded it be at the agenda of the next session of Croatia's Parliament. Association executive board member Josip Kumpanovic said that according to the bill Croatia should compensate war damage from its budget to all Croatian citizens. The war damage referred to damage caused from August 15, 1991 until "the eventual liberation of all Croatia's areas." Kumpanovic said displace people were expecting the understanding of all Croatian citizens and state, as "the burden of war has not been equally shared." Commenting on the draft act, Justice Minister Miroslav Separovic told the conference that in case the bill should be passed, it would be difficult to recover the war damage. Parliament vice-chairman Vladimir Seks warned that the amount of war damage went beyond potential of paying it from the state budget. He suggested that the bill be sent to the Government that would adjust it to a proposed 1997 budget. A book entitled "Being Close to Return (Nadomak Povratku)", was represented at the end of the conference. The author of the book that collected newspaper articles on refugees' topics is Nada Prkacin, and the author of its preface is Mate Granic, Croatia's Foreign Minister. (hina) mš 121819 MET oct 96