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The Government of the Republic of Serbia

In the service of citizens

Speedier solution to refugee problems needed

Belgrade, 23 December 2008

Deputy Prime Minister Jovan Krkobabic today stated that, at the forum “Dialogue with the UN High Commissioner for Refugees“, a Serbian delegation demanded that refuge problems are solved through principled means as soon as possible, regardless of the country the refugees live in.

Jovan Krkobabic

At a press conference, Krkobabic recalled that the forum was held in Geneva from December 9 to 11, adding that the Serbian delegation pointed to problems such as the return of refugees to Croatia, pension rights, the restitution of personal property and obtaining of the rights for pensions and free shares, as well as to other difficulties refugees are dealing with.

The Minister said that there are numerous unsolved issues between Serbia and Croatia concerning refugees and IDPs, adding that EU membership is impossible for either country until these problems are solved.

Krkobabic said that both countries are on the path to the EU and it is absolutely impossible to acquire membership without meeting basic conditions.

Of 800,000 refugees 97,000 must return to Croatia, said Krkobabic, adding that according to Croatia the number of refugees who have the right to return is 75,000.

Krkobabic said that there were 42,000 cases in which Serbs who are Croatian citizens were deprived of tenants rights, while nearly 40,000 are waiting to claim their rights to a pension.

He said that cases of only 35 pensioners have been settled up until now, adding that another major problem is the issue of missing persons. According to Serbia 2,500 people went missing in Croatia.

He stressed that Serbia wants the exhumation done of nearly 500 graves discovered in Croatia, about which it is still impossible to ascertain if they are mass graves or not.

Krkobabic said that Serbia is one of the six countries in the world with a long term refugee problem, adding that currently there are nearly half a million refugees and internally displaced persons from Kosovo in Serbia.

He said that UN High Commissioner for Refugees Antonio Guterres has recommended organising a donor conference to help refugees and those who decide to return to their homeland.