GRANIC HANDS DECORATIONS TO STAFF OF GOVT OFFICE FOR THE DISPLACED

( Editorial: --> 0558 ) ZAGREB, Dec 23 (Hina) - Croatian Vice Premier and Foreign Minister Mate Granic on Tuesday handed decorations to 17 employees of the Government's Office for Displaced Persons and Refugees on the occasion of the sixth anniversary of the office's work. The employees were decorated with the Croatian Morning Star by Croatian President Franjo Tudjman on Croatia's Statehood Day. Granic said the Government's Office for Displaced Persons and Refugees will be recorded in golden letters in the history of Croatia's Homeland war as the institution which enabled an organised return of displaced persons to their homes. Eight thousand Croats, Hungarians and members of other national minority groups have returned to eastern Croatia on the basis of an agreement on the two-way return, Granic said. Returnee cards were granted to 4,000, he added. Granic said that 2,500 Croatian citizens of Serb nationality made an organised return to other places in Croatia, while 8,000 made a non-organised return. (hina) ha 231445 MET dec 97