The property in Bosnia and Herzegovina has been returned almost 100% to its pre-war owners, the interlocutors of "Vremen" agree. Nevertheless, the very difficult economic situation and the lack of jobs greatly complicate the life of all citizens of BiH, including returnees, despite, as Mario Nenadić, Assistant Minister for Human Rights and Refugees of BiH and Drago Vuleta, Assistant Minister for Refugees and Displaced Persons of Republika Srpska say , the huge help of the international community and the investments of the state, that is, the entity.
"WEATHER": How do you comment on the return process in relation to the total number of refugees and displaced persons in BiH?
PROPERTY RETURN IN BIH IS 99,9 PERCENT: Drago Vuleta...
Mario Nenadic: In the period from 1992 to 1995, approximately 2,2 million people left their homes in BiH, which is more than half of the pre-war domiciled population according to the 1991 census. About 1,2 million people requested refugee protection in more than 100 countries around the world, and the countries of the region accepted about 40 percent of the total number of refugees from Bosnia and Herzegovina. At the same time, almost a million people are internally displaced in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Apart from the demographic destruction, about 460.000 housing units, which is almost half of the total housing stock in Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1991, were partially or completely destroyed. Of this number, almost 80 percent of housing units were either completely destroyed or severely damaged. The return to Bosnia and Herzegovina began immediately after the end of the conflict. So far, about a million returnees have been registered in Bosnia and Herzegovina, almost half of whom are so-called returnees. "minority". Out of a total of 1.050.000 recorded returns, about 600.000 or 67 percent refer to the return of displaced persons, and the remaining about 450.000 or 43 percent to the return of refugees. About 220.000 properties were returned to their pre-war owners and holders of occupancy rights, which makes the rate of implementation of property laws of 99,9 percent in BiH, which makes us a unique positive example in similar conflict situations.
…and Mario Nenadic
Drago Vuleta: If we talk about the return through statistical figures, then it cannot be said that it is successful, since according to the official data of the UNHCR for Bosnia and Herzegovina, the total number of returns to the Republika Srpska is 267.807. However, we are sure that the number is much higher because many of the returnees are not officially registered. It is certain that the Republika Srpska returned property and tenancy rights to refugees and displaced persons in 99,9 percent of cases, of which about 100.000 conditional housing units, and that in the meantime another 72.000 housing units were restored. It follows that more than 170.000 families, or about 600.000 people, could return.
And if we talk about the total number of refugees who were in the Republika Srpska, and they were mostly refugees from the Republic of Croatia, there were over 60.000 of them at the time of the exodus, and according to official data from 2000, 25.000 such persons remained in the Republika Srpska. The rest mostly went to the Republic of Serbia. There are currently 8600 refugees in the Republic of Srpska.
What are the problems of returnees today?
Mario Nenadic: Today, almost two decades after the signing of the peace agreement, about half of the estimated number of refugees and displaced persons in BiH are still outside their pre-war homes and numerous challenges remain in terms of ensuring access to the rights guaranteed by Annex 7 of the Dayton Peace Agreement (DPA). Since the real needs of refugees, displaced persons and returnees in Bosnia and Herzegovina greatly exceed the available aid, this huge disproportion of needs and possibilities still remains one of the most significant problems in planning and realizing the goals from Annex 7. The largest number of refugees and displaced persons still cannot return because their pre-war property has not yet been restored or because the terrain in their places of return has not been cleared of mines, there is no basic infrastructure, and there are scarce employment opportunities. Many people who did not own any property before the war, did not even have the opportunity to take advantage of a project that would enable them and their families to find a permanent solution through reconstruction, sustainability measures and more. At the same time, many returnees who have returned so far are facing a difficult social situation that threatens the possibility of their survival in the places of return. Economic opportunities are still very scarce, infrastructure, including electricity, is often lacking, and access to rights and services such as health care, education, social security and pensions is limited. In some cases, the primary difficulty for return is the changed social environment in which returnees and displaced persons find themselves, especially young people who are looking for opportunities for higher education and employment. Another difficulty is the difficult possibility of retaining acquired rights in places of displacement, including rights that cannot be transferred upon return, and were acquired in countries of temporary acceptance and protection.
Drago Vuleta: The problems of returnees in Republika Srpska, as well as in the whole of Bosnia and Herzegovina, are more or less the same and overlap with the problems of the domicile population, which is mainly an existential issue, i.e. the lack of jobs. When it comes to security and political reasons, which used to be a problem for returnees, that is no longer the case.
How the return was carried out? Was there any state or local government assistance?, and how much money was spent in total? What role did donations and other foreign aid play??
Mario Nenadic: The main guideline in the implementation of the process of return to BiH is Annex 7 (Agreement on Refugees and Displaced Persons) of the Dayton Peace Agreement (Annex 7 DMS).
All regulations and documents important for solving the problems of displaced and refugee persons are based on Annex 7 of the DMS. In the period from the signing of the Dayton Agreement until 2002, the process was led by the international community in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and after that the responsibility was transferred from the international community to the institutions in Bosnia and Herzegovina. After the Dayton Agreement, more than 330.000 housing units were rebuilt or renovated. There are no precise data on the amount of investment by the international community for the needs of Annex 7 of the DMS, although it is a huge amount, because a huge amount of work was done at the time when the international community was managing the reconstruction process in BiH.
In the period since the authority for these issues was transferred to the authorities in BiH, we are obliged to keep our records and we know that almost one billion KM was invested in the return sector in BiH, of which about 400 million KM was invested in housing renovation, and more than 500 KM million was invested in complementary sustainability measures. Today, domestic budget allocations exceed international funding and are constantly increasing.
Drago Vuleta: The return to Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as the return from the entity to the entity, was carried out by the application of property laws according to which property and tenancy rights were returned, so that in this way it was possible for everyone, on the principle of voluntariness, to decide on the choice of place of residence and to freely dispose of their property. Of course, in all of this there was, and still is, help from the competent institutions. When it comes to Republika Srpska, this assistance is provided by the Government of Republika Srpska through the relevant Ministry for Refugees and Displaced Persons. For example, in the period 2001–2013. 232.682.184 KM was allocated for those purposes.
Here we would like to emphasize that since 2006 we have had special grant funds to help with sustainable return, and since then we have implemented around 2000 projects, and they were mainly about helping small businesses, rebuilding infrastructural, cultural and religious buildings, helping with the purchase of agricultural machinery, and to support projects in crafts and agriculture.
Of course, there were also donations and help from the international community, so today we are witnessing the Regional Housing Program, where part of the donor funds were provided for finding permanent housing solutions in four partner countries in the region - Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Republic of Serbia, the Republic of Croatia and Montenegro It's burning.
photo: radoslav cebicRETURNEE: In times of crisis
How were the problems of preserving the multi-ethnicity of the environment solved?
Mario Nenadic: Every serious project in BiH must contain in its basis what is the fundamental principle and is part of the constitutional solutions of BiH and the entities, which is the constitutivity of all three peoples, as well as care for minorities. Project implementers in BiH were also guided by this, and this enabled a large number of people to return to their pre-war addresses. On the other hand, other rights from Annex 7 DMS must also be taken into account, namely the right to choose a place of residence and the right to compensation for property that cannot be returned to displaced persons and refugees. Much more was done on the plan of return than on the plan of assistance for local integration, i.e. of choosing another place of residence. Mostly, these two rights from Annex 7 DMS - the choice of place of residence and compensation for damage to property that cannot be returned - were resolved through the restoration of the property, after which the freedom to dispose of the restored property was left. Somewhat larger interventions for these two issues took place in terms of building and rebuilding communal and social infrastructure in the places where displaced persons settled after the end of the war conflicts in Bosnia and Herzegovina. We also returned the tenancy rights, i.e. apartments to everyone who claimed them by a certain deadline in accordance with the applicable regulations.
Drago Vuleta: Republika Srpska from the very start in the implementation of Annex 7 DMS clearly committed to the principle of voluntariness, it returned all refugees and displaced persons their property and tenancy rights, and those who wanted to return are once again in multi-ethnic environments, as it was before the outbreak of conflict in these areas. Of course, it is not in the same proportion as it was according to the 1991 census, but multi-ethnicity is visible in those areas. The Constitution of Republika Srpska stipulates that representatives of all three constituent peoples must be represented in the executive, judicial and legislative authorities in the ratio of the 1991 census.
How significant is the international factor that has been present in Bosnia and Herzegovina since Dayton for this topic?
Mario Nenadic: The role of the institutions of the international community in Bosnia and Herzegovina in the establishment of peace and reconstruction of the country, the return of refugees and displaced persons is extremely large. They worked and did a lot not only on financing the process of reconstruction and return, but also later, and even today, on persistently searching for suitable solutions and on supporting the competent institutions. On the other hand, there are also areas of activity where competences, in the essential sense, had to be transferred to the government institutions in BiH a long time ago, but we are actively working on these issues and we hope that soon we will be able to fully, in accordance with the constitutional and legal solutions, be competent for certain issues, and thus assume full responsibility for them.
Drago Vuleta: An indisputable fact must be highlighted here: if there was no international community, the imposition of property and other legal solutions, which were painful to implement, this process would not have been successfully completed when it comes to the implementation of Annex 7 of the DMS, and that part that was related to the creation of conditions for the smooth return of refugees and displaced persons and the return of their property.
Did they work on integration?/reconciliation after return? Can you give some examples of integration processes?
Mario Nenadic: We work on integrated projects every day and such projects have already produced great results in many places in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Despite all the existing difficulties, there are countless projects that have enabled the return of a large number of people, their good reintegration in the places of return.
The implementation of the revised Strategy for the implementation of Annex 7 of the DMS requires an inclusive, consultative approach of all competent domestic and international actors to this important issue. In this direction, the Ministry of Human Rights and Refugees coordinates daily activities with all interested parties, especially with the competent entity ministries for refugees and displaced persons, and representatives of civil society, in order to enable the participatory approach of refugees and displaced persons, including international agencies. and donors.
Until now, not enough attention has been paid to the financing of integrated and comprehensive projects, and the structural approach, including defining the relationship between the state, entities/cantons and municipal services responsible for issues of access to rights, has not yet been adequately developed and is undoubtedly, with permanent solutions in terms of housing care, particularly important support for employment for the purpose of generating income, as well as ensuring unhindered access to education, health, pension and social protection.
Drago Vuleta: Today, one could say, the process of integration is the basic task of the Ministry for Refugees and Displaced Persons of the RS, both the integration and reintegration of all those who have returned and the integration of refugees and displaced persons who wish to remain in their current place of residence. Here we would like to emphasize that there is no solution to the complete refugee-displacement issue without an even and parallel solution to refugees and displaced persons through all those options provided for in the Dayton Peace Agreement, namely the return and restoration of property, free choice of place of residence, and compensation for property that cannot be returned. There are many examples in the process of integration where many projects were realized, and for the realization of which it was a condition that, in addition to domiciled persons, returnees must also be employed.
