Good morning everybody. In light of numerous reports, the Office of the High Representative condemns the continued looting of apartments by some occupants before these properties are returned to their rightful owners. Looting is a criminal act and the perpetrators must be identified and prosecuted. The Office of the High Representative encourages anyone who has any knowledge of looting or recent willful damage to apartments to come forward and report these cases to the police or to the municipal prosecutor's office. The Office of the High Representative also calls upon the municipal housing authorities to take their legal responsibility in this matter more seriously.
Administrative silence following a reinstatement where looting occurs is unacceptable and unlawful.
The municipal officials who fail to act when looting is reported will also be prosecuted. During the coming months, OHR will work closely with the public prosecutors in the investigation of all cases of looting. Other measures such as mandatory fines to be paid by the municipality in which the looting occurs are also under consideration. Secondly, some information concerning the rights under the process of privatization. Displaced persons from the Federation currently residing in the RS are eligible to participate in either the Federation or the RS privatization process.