KISTANJE GIVEN KEYS TO 120 HOMES, SERB RETURNEES EXPECTED KISTANJE, Oct 15 (Hina) - Croats from Janjevo, a village in the southern Yugoslav province Kosovo, who have settled in Kistanje near Knin, on Friday received keys to 120
newly-built houses. The Croats were handed the keys to their new homes by Croatian Development, Immigration and Reconstruction Minister Jure Radic and US Ambassador to Croatia, William Montgomery. The Croat families will leave the houses they have occupied until now so that their owners, Croatian Serb refugees, can return.
KISTANJE, Oct 15 (Hina) - Croats from Janjevo, a village in the
southern Yugoslav province Kosovo, who have settled in Kistanje
near Knin, on Friday received keys to 120 newly-built houses.
The Croats were handed the keys to their new homes by Croatian
Development, Immigration and Reconstruction Minister Jure Radic
and US Ambassador to Croatia, William Montgomery. The Croat
families will leave the houses they have occupied until now so that
their owners, Croatian Serb refugees, can return. #L#
The Croatian Government invested a total of 33 million kuna (about
US$4.7 million) in the construction of the houses, while the US
government supported the project through the Agency for
International Development's (USAID) programme of assistance in the
return, by constructing a water supply system worth two million
kuna (US$0.28 million).
After the ceremony in Kistanje, which was attended by several
hundred Kistanje residents, Radic and Montgomery visited a site in
nearby Djevrske, where reconstruction works are underway on the
pipeline Zecevo-Varivode-Djevrske.
Kistanje municipal head Pasko Erak said today was the most
important day in the history of Janjevo Croats who had lived for
more than 700 years outside of their homeland.
After Janjevo Croats move into their new houses, 20 Serb families
will return to their houses.
Addressing those attending the ceremony, US Ambassador Montgomery
said the Croatian government was trying to secure accommodation for
exiled Croats and enable the return of those citizens who wish to
return to Croatia. He added it was very important for the United
States to support Croatia in such projects and expressed support
for the Croatian government and Kistanje residents.
According to Montgomery, the United States intended to continue
participating in the project until its completion.
Minister Radic said the history of Janjevo Croats was similar to the
history of those Croats who were forced to look for better
opportunities outside of their country. With the establishment of a
free and independent state, Janjevo Croats have found their home in
this beautiful part of the world, said Radic.
While building these houses, we were also thinking of those
Croatian citizens who wish to return to Kistanje, Radic said,
adding the state guaranteed the right to private property and
return to all Serbs wishing to be Croatian citizens.
He called on Janjevo Croats to live together with Serb returnees and
refrain from causing rifts and thanked the US government for their
support.
Commenting on yesterday's report submitted by the head of the
Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Mission
to Croatia, Bernard Poncet, in Vienna, Radic said the report was
ill-intentioned. Kistanje is the best proof that the return process
is underway and that Croatia is the only country where the return of
refugees is proceeding in all directions.
Radic called on Poncet to help in implementing the project of return
"instead of giving false reports".
At the end of the ceremony, Ambassador Montgomery handed keys to
Jakov Golomejic, a Janjevo Croat who has a family of eight, and
Radic handed keys to the family of Josip Mazarekic.
(hina) rml