When President Stipe Mesic took power, he announced that a major priority of his government would be to promote the return of all of these people to their own homes. Activities are devoted to promoting the return of displaced populations, and providing technical advice to the government on asylum legislation and developing refugee status determination procedures. Some legal and administrative procedures to allow refugees to return to Croatia remain obstructive and need reform, including the restoration of property and occupancy rights and access to personal documents. The successful return of large numbers of people will ultimately depend not only on wide ranging political democratization currently underway, but also on the economic revitalisation of the country s fragile economy. A warm welcome for a young family just arriving back home after several years of exile in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.
Elderly refugees are often among the first to return.
She is on her way back to Sisak, south-east of Zagreb.