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The High Representative, Carlos Westendorp, has today issued a Decision
suspending Article 5 of the Federation Law on the Cessation of the Application of the Law on Abandoned Apartments in the municipality of Drvar.
Article 5 refers to the time limit during which a claim for the return of the occupancy right to a socially-owned apartment must be filed to prevent the occupancy right from being canceled permanently. The deadline in the Federation expires on July 4. The High Representative has issued this Decision to protect the rights of people who used to possess socially-owned apartments in Drvar and have not been able to file claims for the return of those apartments due to the inadequate functioning of the Municipal Housing Office. For long periods of time, the Housing Office in Drvar has been completely inaccessible to claimants. When it did operate, many claimants have not been given a receipt proving that they made their claim in time, which makes them vulnerable to losing their rights once the July 4 deadline expires. The Decision of the High Representative will remain in effect until such time as the High Representative's Special Envoy to Drvar certifies that the Housing Office has started functioning properly. The claimants will not lose their right to repossess apartments after the expiry of the July 4 deadline, but will be permitted to file their claims later. The High Representative has taken this Decision exercising the powers vested in him by Annex 10 of the Dayton Peace Agreement and by Article XI of the Conclusions of the PIC Conference held in Bonn in December 1997. His Decision is effective as of today, and shall be published in the Official Gazette of the Federation.
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