State Assets Minister Goran Maric said on Friday that the new Law on State Property Management was the most equitable and best solution to the issue of property in Croatia owned by other states formed by the breakup of Yugoslavia.

Maric added that Croatia was not selling others’ property, as neighbouring countries had done, but would lease undefined properties without encroaching on anyone’s ownership rights.

The issue of properties located in Croatia came up after Croatian Parliament passed a law on the management of state-owned property in May.

Maric made the statement during a visit to Split when asked by reporters about plans by nationals of Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina to sue Croatia regarding property in Croatia to which they lay claim, noting that the new law enabled the lease of undefined property.

“There is no encroaching on anyone’s ownership rights… no one can mortgage such land or abandoned and neglected properties,” Maric said, adding that the ownership of the property concerned had not been determined yet.

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