ZAGREB ZAGREB, Sept 24 (Hina) - A successful return of Croatian emigrants depends on the revival of Croatia's economy and until this happens the return of emigrants from Germany can be facilitated only through strong cooperation
between Croatian institutions and Caritas social services in Germany, said participants in a three-day meeting called "Successful Return", which ended in Zagreb on Friday. The event, which was organised by the Ministry of Development, Immigration, and Reconstruction and Deutscher Caritasverband, gathered about 50 Caritas social workers from Germany and Croatia as well as representatives from the ministries of development and social care. Participants in the seminar agreed that a successful return required establishing priorities and a return programme. Emigrants who are returning to Croatia are encountering most problems in the field of health insurance, which
ZAGREB, Sept 24 (Hina) - A successful return of Croatian emigrants
depends on the revival of Croatia's economy and until this happens
the return of emigrants from Germany can be facilitated only
through strong cooperation between Croatian institutions and
Caritas social services in Germany, said participants in a three-
day meeting called "Successful Return", which ended in Zagreb on
Friday.
The event, which was organised by the Ministry of Development,
Immigration, and Reconstruction and Deutscher Caritasverband,
gathered about 50 Caritas social workers from Germany and Croatia
as well as representatives from the ministries of development and
social care.
Participants in the seminar agreed that a successful return
required establishing priorities and a return programme.
Emigrants who are returning to Croatia are encountering most
problems in the field of health insurance, which in Croatia is at a
much lower level than in Germany. This is why almost one half of
emigrants of the third generation are not returning to Croatia,
said Tihomir Vucic, coordinator of research on return.
Ivan Cizic of the Institute of Social Sciences "Ivo Pilar" in Zagreb
said the seminar had confirmed the fact that Croats had been
emigrating to Germany convinced that they would find only temporary
employment, but they stayed there several decades. After the
establishment of the Croatian state, an increasing number of
emigrants want to return to their country, Cizmic said, adding the
return was being hampered mostly by administrative, psychological,
and social problems as well as the attitude of the Croatian public
toward the returnees.
(hina) rml