PENSIONS AND RELIEF AID FOR SERBS WHO REMAIN IN W. SLAVONIA

PAKRAC, May 22 (Hina) - So far 549 residents of Serb nationality from liberated areas of Pakrac and Lipik in western Slavonia have received Croatian citizenship certificates, and 1,312 of them have submitted requests for the certificate, according to today's figures from Pakrac's register office. At the same time 218 people have asked to get old-age pensions, and about hundred of requests have been approved, according to the Pakrac pension fund. The pensions will started to be delivered from June 1, and will include money that should be paid for April and May. The Red Cross Pakrac office has dispatched so far humanitarian aid to 500 families with 1,386 members from the area in question. The Red Cross delivers free bread every day up to 600 kilograms. Through the Red Cross about 700 family messages have been sent, mostly to Bosnia-Herzegovina and Serbia. Croatian administration ministry officials in Pakrac reported that 1,734 Serbs had left western Slavonia for Bosnia on their own will in organized convoys escorted by UNHCR so far. Primary schools will commence lessons tomorrow, There have been lately more and more offers for exchange of houses in the area with Croats from Serb-occupied Banja Luka area, northwestern Bosnia. (hina) jn mms 221522 MET may 95