During the war conflicts in the territory of the Republic of Croatia, approximately 550.000 people were recorded who left their residences and settled temporarily in other areas of Croatia that were not directly threatened by war activities at that time. At the same time, Croatia accepted 400.000 refugees from Bosnia and Herzegovina. At the same time, the competent authorities at the time estimated that 250.000 persons of Serbian nationality left Croatia.
Since the beginning of the implementation of activities related to the return of exiles, returnees and refugees, the Croatian authorities, on the basis of the reconstruction and housing program, have facilitated the return of a total of 355.000 people, of which 133.000 minority returnees, mostly of Serbian nationality, have been recorded in Croatia. To date, Croatia has spent 5,5 billion euros from the state budget for the implementation of national programs of return, care for exiles, returnees and refugees, reconstruction and housing (five percent of this amount was secured through international donations).
Out of the total number of minority returnees, the largest number was recorded in Sisak-Moslavina County (35.000), ล ibenik-Knin County (25.000), Zadar County (17.700), Karlovac County (15.800) and Lika-Senj County (10.700).
Through the reconstruction program in accordance with the Law on Reconstruction, the Republic of Croatia restored and built 150.000 housing units damaged or completely destroyed during the war, worth 2,2 billion euros.
In addition to the reconstruction program, Croatia provided housing for 35.000 families through the housing care program in accordance with the Law on Areas of Special State Care and the Regulation on Determining the Status of Former Holders of Tenancy Rights and Their Family Members, as well as the conditions and procedures for their housing care, of which 8200 families refer to former holders of tenancy rights in and outside the area of โโspecial state care. As part of the implementation of the housing care program for exiles and refugees, Croatia returned to their owners 19.280 residential buildings that had been given for temporary use in accordance with the Law on Temporary Acquisition and Management of Certain Assets. In this case, we are dealing with buildings whose owners are mainly members of the Serbian national minority who left their residences during and after the law enforcement operation "Storm". At this moment, it remains to return to the owners of another 39 residential buildings.
The funds secured in the state budget of the Republic of Croatia for the implementation of the program of return, reconstruction and housing in 2014 amount to HRK 300 million, i.e. EUR 40 million.
Exiles and refugees who return to their places of residence, in accordance with the Law on the Status of Exiles and Refugees, can exercise the right to the status of returnee, within which they acquire the right to health care and financial assistance for a period of six months.
REGIONAL HOUSING CARE PROGRAM: In relation to activities related to the remaining return of exiles, returnees and refugees, Croatia has nominated the remaining needs for resolution within the Regional Housing Program (RPSZ). In addition to Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and Serbia participate in this program. The same program enables refugees to make a final decision and choice in terms of integration in the country of their current residence or return to their pre-war residence. Within the framework of the RPSZ, it is foreseen to provide a permanent housing solution for 74.000 and 27.000 families, respectively, and the value of the entire program is 580 million euros. In addition to the partner countries, the EU, USA, UNHCR and OSCE participate in the program, and it is financed and supervised by the Council of Europe Development Bank (CEB).
On December 3, 2013, Croatia and CEB signed the Framework Agreement defining the legal framework for the use of financial resources from the RPSZ Fund.
The Law on Confirmation of the Framework Agreement was ratified by the Croatian Parliament and entered into force on June 1, 2014. Through the RPSZ in Croatia, it is planned to provide housing for 3541 families, i.e. 8529 persons, and for these purposes funds worth 119,7 million euros are needed. Of the mentioned number of families, 2900 of them refer to former holders of occupancy rights. Croatia's planned contribution to the entire program amounts to 25 percent of the planned funds, i.e. 29,9 million euros.
At the moment, Croatia has donation funds in the amount of 10,9 million euros, for the use of which the following projects have been proposed and approved:
- Construction of a multi-apartment building in Korenica, where 29 families of former tenants are planned to be housed. The grant agreement was signed on February 28, 2014, and construction of the facility began in mid-June of this year. The planned completion of the works is June 2015.
- Construction of two apartment buildings in Knin with a total capacity of 40 residential units. This project will provide housing for 40 families of former tenancy rights holders and a smaller part of beneficiaries housed in the organized accommodation "Strmica". Construction is planned for the beginning of February 2015. The grant agreement was signed on June 23, 2014.
- Reconstruction of the Home for the elderly and infirm in Glina, where 75 people from organized accommodation will be accommodated. The signing of the Grant Agreement is expected during the fall of 2014.
- Purchase of 101 apartments for the needs of former holders of occupancy rights in and outside the area of โโspecial state care. The grant agreement was signed on June 23, 2014, and the purchase is planned for the end of this year and the beginning of next year.
In addition to the above, Croatia was granted new donor funds in the amount of 10 million euros, and preparations for the nomination of new projects have begun. The new project for the construction of a multi-dwelling unit with 21 apartments for the needs of the former holders of tenancy rights in the city of Benkovac will be submitted to the CEB for approval by September 1, 2014 at the latest.
At this moment, Croatia is the only country within the Regional Housing Care Program in which the implementation of that program has started, and therefore the only country that has started using funds from the RPSZ Fund.
FASTER CASE RESOLUTION: Croatia has fully determined, through the legislative framework, the procedures for solving the remaining housing issues of persons in the status of exiles, returnees and refugees, in accordance with the Law on Areas of Special State Care, in accordance with the Regulation on determining the status of former holders of tenancy rights and their family members, and with the conditions and procedure of their housing provision, as well as in accordance with the Law on Reconstruction. Furthermore, upon securing a housing unit and the return of persons to the Republic of Croatia, persons may, at their own request, exercise their rights in accordance with the Law on the Status of Exiles and Refugees.
The key problem for returning is certainly the time that has passed since leaving the place of residence until today, in which life circumstances have changed greatly. In order to resolve the remaining requests for housing more quickly and efficiently, the authority to determine the right to housing was transferred to the offices in the counties and the administrative body of the City of Zagreb as first-level bodies, while the Office for Reconstruction and Housing became second-level. and the implementing body. This has increased the number of officers handling cases. The aim of these changes is to try to administratively solve the cases in the first instance in the shortest possible time and to act in such a way as to find adequate accommodation for the established rights to housing care in the shortest possible time.
The legislative framework also enables the purchase of state-owned housing units in and outside the area of โโspecial state care. The purchase price is calculated at preferential prices, which are significantly lower than the market price of apartments.
According to past experiences, apart from the insurance of housing units itself, it can be noted that the current economic situation in the Republic of Croatia is a very important prerequisite for return. Namely, currently there are slightly less than 300.000 unemployed people in the Republic of Croatia and that number has significantly decreased due to temporary employment within the tourist season, since before the tourist season the number of unemployed people was higher than 380.000 people (the unemployment rate is 18 percent).
For this reason, it has been observed that some of the refugees to neighboring countries take the keys to the assigned apartments, pay the rent, but do not decide to physically return at the same time, since they probably have a job and a source of permanent income in the country of their current residence. They make the final decision to return when they find a source of income and/or after their family members finish their education. Therefore, integration in all segments of life is very important so that the returnee family can organize life in the returnee environment smoothly and independently. It is important to mention here that almost 25 years have passed since the war events of the 90s and the fact that at that time the children are now adults, who founded their own families and reintegrated as such in the countries of escape, regardless of what they achieved some of the above described forms of housing care in Croatia.
One of the problems of the returnee population, regardless of nationality, is the purchase of housing units. The reason is the same, no matter how much the prices are below market values, they as such in this economic situation represent a big problem for returnee families.
In its work, the State Office for Reconstruction and Housing Care encounters situations where certain legislative regulations are obstacles for part of the returnee population in realizing their rights. This Office resolves such situations in such a way that, in cooperation with other state administration bodies, it makes proposals for solutions aimed at ensuring the rights of returnees in all segments.
In view of the above, and within the framework of the financial resources available to the State Office for Reconstruction and Housing, the Republic of Croatia is making maximum efforts to enable the return and integration of exiles, returnees and refugees, both through national housing programs and through the Regional Housing Program . However, it can also be seen from the above that the problem of return is not only the securing of housing units, but also a number of other preconditions due to which the decision and the final moment of return to Croatia are made at the individual level of each individual.
