HOUSING COMMISSIONS ESTABLISHED IN ALL LIKA-SENJ MUNICIPALITIES

( Editorial: --> 2224 ) UDBINA, Sept 22 (Hina) - Pursuant to the government's Programme of Return, housing commissions have been established in all municipalities in the Lika-Senj County. The commissions will be responsible for the reception and accommodation of returnees. There are difficulties with accommodating Serb nationals who are returning to the region as there is a shortage of residential units to cater for the accommodation of people currently occupying the houses previously owned by the Serbs. To date, 620 Serb nationals have returned and there are a further 47 requests for return to Donji Lapac, yet there is only accommodation for ten families. Municipal heads of the municipalities in the Lika-Senj County met in Udbina on Tuesday with representatives of several humanitarian organisations. The meeting, regarding the implementation of the programme of return, the work of the housing commissions with reception and accommodation of returnees from other regions of Croatia and Yugoslavia in the Lika-Senj County, was initiated by the Regional Office of the Organisation for Cooperation and Security in Europe (OSCE) in Korenica. The municipal heads cautioned that the status of Croats from Bosnia-Herzegovina was still unsettled and that these people could not return to their homes in Republika Srpska or the Croat-Muslim Federation. OSCE regional office head in Korenica William Ozkatan stated that OSCE monitors had not come across any incidents in the field and that there were no cases where returnees were not able to obtain personal documents. Representatives of humanitarian organisations attending the meeting spoke about reconstruction aid. The International Association of Lutherans is involved in the reconstruction of 60 homes in the Donji Lapac region which should be completed by the winter. A representatives of the FLAG Programme, Lawrence M. Lyan, said that his association is soon to open its office in Knin with the objective of assisting small and middle sized businesses. (Hina) sp jn/rml 221648 MET sep 98