Former Croatian President Ivo Josipovic told N1 that all property belonging to legal or natural persons which are found on the territory of the Republic of Croatia must be returned to their owners. The comment comes after the Croatian Parliament adopted the Property Management Act, recently.

The said Law provides the competent Ministry in Croatia to use and rent the real estates belonging to other countries, formed after the break-up of Yugoslavia.

“The matter is quite clear. The inter state agreements, peace agreements and other documents saying the property is inviolable, are undeniable. The real estates must be returned to their owners, regardless whether they are legal or natural persons,” Josipovic said. “Those are the highest legal acts determining mutual relations at this moment. Disputes need to be resolved and not made into insurmountable obstacles in mutual relations.”

Speaking about the situation in the region, Josipovic said the peacebuilding policy aims to set normal relations between the countries that were once in conflict and to make them face the past and more importantly, look into the future. This type of policy must have bearers in the highest state bodies in each of the countries of the region.

Josipovic was asked to comment on the current relations between Bosnia and Croatia to which he said:

“I’d say the relations between all the countries of the region have been on a downward spiral in the past two to three years. However, regardless of somewhat colder relations between Croatia, Serbia and Bosnia, there are people, politicians, businessmen, scientists, and a wide range of people who know what they’re doing, who are working on peacebuilding and improvement of relations in the region.”

He added that Croatia’s state policy towards the political scene in Bosnia and Herzegovina must be such that it does not interfere with Bosnia’s sovereignty. Croatian politics towards Bosnian Croats must be clear and transparent in the manner of fulfilling the obligations arising from the Croatian Constitution. Croatia must also help Croats living in other countries other than Bosnia.

Josipovic will hold a lecture at the International University in Sarajevo on the topic “Peacebuilding policy – a chance or a utopia for the Balkans.”