HEAD OF OSCE MISSION TO BOSNIA DOUGLAS DAVIDSON VISITED ZEPCE

ZEPCE, Bosnia (December 14,2007) - "The municipality of Zepce is a vibrant local community in which democracy is on a level that is able to ensure that all issues of returnee communities who live in this area will be solved," said Douglas Davidson, Head of the OSCE Mission to Bosnia in Zepce.

Ambassador Davidson and Zepce Mayor Mato Zovko visited returnee settlement, Zeleca.The biggest issue for returnees is unemployment which complicates sustainable return and the life of people in these settlements.

In settlement Preko, where there has been a full return but problems are similar. Ambassador Davidson in his first visit to Zepce promised his assistance to returnees for a sustainable return and said that he is satisfied with the attitude of local authorities, which are committed to providing more assistance to returnees through encouraging agriculture and small businesses.

The municipality of Zepce is one of the first municipalities in Bosnia that completely implemented Anex 7 of the Dayton Peace Agreement, enabling return of all citizens to their homes and the return of their property.

However, unemployment is the biggest issue facing returnee citizens, said Mayor Zovko. For the next year the municipal authorities plan to allocate more funds toward addressing this problem and also provide better infrastructure assistance to returnees in Zeleca.