Commissioner Vladimir Cucic spoke to RTS on the 25th anniversary of operation “Storm”: Nobody wants a barren land

02.08.2020. The Commissioner for Refugees and Migration Mr. Vladimir Cucic appeared as a guest on the RTS morning program to address the marking of 25 years since operation “Storm” was conducted by Republic of Croatia; stating that the ones who lost out the most are those who drove out their own people.

On the 5th of August, Croatia will once again celebrate operation “Storm”, which 25 years ago led to the forcibly evicted mora than 200,000 Serbs living in the Krajina and which resulted in the murder and disappearance of 1,700 people.

In the interview the Commissioner stated that in his opinion, the situation will be very difficult to change.

“Some 70,000 people have managed their return to the territory of Croatia and parts of Bosnia and Herzegovina and that will be the extent of it I think,” stated Mr. Cucic.

Reiterating that he still feels that the ones who lost out the most in the whole situation are those who forcibly evicted their own people from their homes.

“In this instance, Croatia is the biggest loser given that nobody wants a barren and deserted land,” said the Commissioner.

Addressing the topic of the return of private property and agricultural land belonging to the refugees, Mr. Cucic commented that in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the whole restitution process was completed 3 to 4 years after the hostilities had been concluded.

He went on to say that such a result is a good example of what happens when the international community wants to do something with sincerity.

“Where Croatia is concerned, the biggest problem remains the loss of residency rights on the part of the evicted, and it is becoming clear that these rights have been lost for good,” emphasized the Commissioner.

Refugees are accommodated in Serbia using budgetary and donor resources. Since the beginning of the year and within the framework of the donor driven, Regional Housing Program, some 17 buildings have been accommodated by the refugees concerned, with a further 169 families will be receiving the keys to their new homes in Stara Pazova in the coming days.