Croatian, RS presidents meet

Croatian President Ivo Josipovic and Republic of Srpska (RS) President Milorad Dodik met in Slavonski Brod and discussed possible cross-border cooperation. Dodik has called on all Croat refugees to return to the Serb entity of Bosnia if they wished to do so, adding that there were no systemic problems for their return. Croatian, RS presidents meet “Once again I call on all those who want to return to the RS to do this freely. They will certainly have support from the RS authorities and a guarantee for their safety,” he stressed. The RS president pointed out that security situation in the RS was significantly better but that Croatia and the RS needed to work together in order to solve economic issues which were burdening their citizens. Dodik also said that the fact that Croatia had opened up possibilities for return and regulation of refugees’ ownership rights during the last few years was very important, adding that an additional improvement had been made at the today’s meeting where the refugee representatives presented their problems. Confirming that a special attention was paid to the refugees’ problems at the today’s meeting, regardless of their ethnicity, Josipovic said that there was a new, positive climate which helped ensure all the rights the refugees should have. “We will advocate that both sides intensify the issue of return and regulation of rights and to finally, after all those years, regulate those rights,” the Croat president pointed out. He explained that principles were very clear and that they included right to property, full right to return and that the authorities in Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina and the RS would guarantee their full safety. Josipovic also stressed that Croatia and Serbia had made a special effort in order to plan a project that would allow the refugees to return and access their property and allow all those who wanted to stay to do so. The two presidents laid a wreath at a monument to all children killed during the war in Croatia and Dodik pointed out that all innocent victims deserved condolences and apology. They also discussed the problems of the Slavonski Brod refinery and Dodik announced that EUR 530mn would be invested in modernization and EUR 100mn in improvement of environment standards. Josipovic stressed that “the Croatian side will participate in everything that have to do with ecology in the refinery”. Milorad Dodik and Ivo Josipovic (Beta, file)

Croatian, RS presidents meet

“Once again I call on all those who want to return to the RS to do this freely. They will certainly have support from the RS authorities and a guarantee for their safety,” he stressed.

The RS president pointed out that security situation in the RS was significantly better but that Croatia and the RS needed to work together in order to solve economic issues which were burdening their citizens.

Dodik also said that the fact that Croatia had opened up possibilities for return and regulation of refugees’ ownership rights during the last few years was very important, adding that an additional improvement had been made at the today’s meeting where the refugee representatives presented their problems.

Confirming that a special attention was paid to the refugees’ problems at the today’s meeting, regardless of their ethnicity, Josipović said that there was a new, positive climate which helped ensure all the rights the refugees should have.

“We will advocate that both sides intensify the issue of return and regulation of rights and to finally, after all those years, regulate those rights,” the Croat president pointed out.

He explained that principles were very clear and that they included right to property, full right to return and that the authorities in Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina and the RS would guarantee their full safety.

Josipović also stressed that Croatia and Serbia had made a special effort in order to plan a project that would allow the refugees to return and access their property and allow all those who wanted to stay to do so.

The two presidents laid a wreath at a monument to all children killed during the war in Croatia and Dodik pointed out that all innocent victims deserved condolences and apology.

They also discussed the problems of the Slavonski Brod refinery and Dodik announced that EUR 530mn would be invested in modernization and EUR 100mn in improvement of environment standards. Josipović stressed that “the Croatian side will participate in everything that have to do with ecology in the refinery”.