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JRS West Balkans
 

JRS Western Balkans, formally JRS Bosnia-Croatia, started in 1993 following the war in the Balkans. Activities and projects mainly focused on refugees, internally displaced persons and returnees in the countries that made up the former Yugoslav republic. JRS has offices in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, and Kosovo.

Political Developments

In the wake of the violent conflicts that marked recent Western Balkans’ history, the European Union (EU) considers it a priority to promote the development of peace, stability and prosperity in the region. To date, Croatia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Albania have signed Stabilisation and Association Agreements (SAA) with the EU. In the long run, these agreements offer the prospect of full integration in the EU, provided that certain political and economic conditions are met. Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina have launched talks with the EU.

Twelve years after the war in the Balkans and eight years after the armed conflict in Kosovo, more than half a million people – 120,000 refugees and 383,000 internally displaced persons – remain in the region.



 

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Substantial progress has been made in allowing refugees and displaced people to return home. Statistics from the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, indicate that by February 2006, 1,012,320 refugees and internally displaced persons had returned to their pre-war places of origin. 10,000 refugees and 135,000 internally displaced persons remain in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Incidents of return-related violence are rare, but still occur. Returnees continue to face a lack of educational facilities, unresolved property issues and poor economic prospects. The failure to bring justice to all war criminals has also reduced confidence in the return process.

Croatia

Between 300,000 and 350,000 ethnic Serbs left their homes in Croatia during the war. 2,500 refugees and 4,000 internally displaced persons currently live in Croatia. Progress has been made in repossessing occupied properties, building new houses for settlers and reconstructing housing destroyed during the fighting. The government has started providing social housing for Croatian Serbs who lost tenancy rights during the conflict.

Kosovo

A new round of negotiations to solve the political uncertainty surrounding Kosovar independence ended without agreement at the end of 2007.

Eight years after the end of the armed conflict, 225,000 internally displaced persons remain. The total number of non-Albanian returnees to Kosovo remains low as only approximately 14,000 returns have been recorded since 1999.

The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia

Stability in Macedonia was seriously affected by the crisis in Kosovo in 1999. The majority of the 2,000 refugees in Macedonia are from Kosovo.

JRS Activities

Croatia: Reconstruction through alternative education

JRS, in collaboration with a Serbian Orthodox NGO and the Serbian Orthodox Monastery Krka, runs a peace building and reconciliation project in the Croatian town of Knin. In 2007, a kindergarten helped 45 Bosnian, Serb and Croat children and their parents learn to live together in a tolerant and peaceful atmosphere.

Kosovo: Landmine survivors support

For the past 7 years, JRS has offered direct medical assistance, travel and psychosocial support to young victims of land mines and their families. Limb prostheses, eye surgery, medial follow up care and education were available for 66 children in 2007. A summer camp was organised for 29 young landmine survivors in Ohrid, Macedonia.

Reintegration

In partnership with Caritas Luxembourg, JRS Kosovo assisted 12 families – including 53 children – who were forcibly returned from Luxembourg between 2005 and 2007. JRS Kosovo offered language courses for the children and social support to the families to help them integrate into Kosovar society.

Bosnia and Herzegovina: Elderly homecare

Since 1996, JRS has provided medical and psychosocial support to vulnerable returnees, displaced elderly persons, or those who remained alone in Sarajevo. Help is provided at least twice a week in the form of food distribution, facilitating visits to the doctor and paying utility bills. A total of 30 individuals were assisted during 2007.

Other activities in the area

A number of projects initially started by JRS are now implemented by other social bodies, with support from JRS staff. These projects include: the elderly homecare system in Croatia, material support for vulnerable families in Bosnia and Macedonia, and language and computer courses in Macedonia.




Contact Details


Mr Josip Divkovic
Jordanovac 110
10000 Zagreb pp 169, Croatia
Tel / Fax: +385 1 23 46 129


josip.divkovic(a)jrs.net

To send an email, just replace the (a) with @.
 


 
 

Jesuit Refugee Service Europe - Rue du Progrès (Vooruitgangstraat) 333/2 - B-1030 Bruxelles - Belgium
Tel: + 32 2 250 32 20 - Fax: + 32 2 250 32 29 - Email: europe(a)jrs.net