OSCE welcomes Croatia's refugee project, recalls compensation deadline for non-returned properties

ZAGREB, 31 October 2002 - The OSCE Mission to Croatia welcomed on Thursday the Government's adoption of a refugee project that will facilitate the return of occupied properties to their owners.

The Mission also recalls that as of today owners whose occupied property has not been physically returned by the Government are entitled to state compensation.

The Sustainable Return of Refugees and Expelled Persons Project envisages that by the end of 2003 housing will be provided for almost four thousands families currently occupying private property. This should permit the return of these properties to the owners without further delay.

The 31 October date triggers another obligation the Government imposed upon itself in the Amendments to the Law on Areas of Special State Concern. As of today, the Ministry for Public Works, Reconstruction and Construction must either physically return occupied private property claimed by the owner prior to 1 August or pay compensation to owners for continued use of their property to house temporary occupants.

The OSCE Mission is informed that almost eight thousand occupied properties have not been returned to their owners. Of those, more than 3.5 thousand are now entitled to compensation.

The Mission recalls that the right to compensation for current use does not eliminate legal claims for compensation for the State's past use of private property for temporary accommodation.