PRESS CONFERENCE BY HEAD OF CROATIAN GOVT. OFFICE FOR DISPLACED PERSONS AND REFUGEES

AND REFUGEES ZAGREB, Nov 17 (Hina) - At today's press briefing the Head of the Croatian Govt. Office for Displaced Persons and Refugees Dr.Adalbert Rebic recalled the second anniversary of the fall of Vukovar and pointed out that the evicted residents of Vukovar are the best organized group of displaced persons in Croatia." Dr.Rebic also spoke about the economic hardships of Croatia and the difficulties in caring for the displaced persons and refugees, specifying that the families that have given accommodation to displaced persons and refugees have not received the allowances for August, September and October. The hotels have not been paid either. Talking about the refugees from Vares, according to Rebic, are currently sheltered in Kiseljak and Croatia is ready to accept a part of that group as soon as they manage to get to the free territory of the Croatian republic of Herzeg-Bosnia. He added that if they do not manage to leave Kiseljak, UNHCR will be asked to send convoys of humanitarian aid in Kiseljak. Dr.Rebic mentioned the problem of the obligatory deposit of 50 percent of the value of the convoy for passages of the humanitarian convoys through Slovenia. He said that the Croatian Interior Ministry was requested to try to resolve that problem, but wondered whether that can be characterized as "obstruction of passage of convoys". (End) 172013 MET nov 93