Skopje: About 14,000 Macedonian Refugees Still In Kosovo

According to the Macedonian authorities, about 14,000 Macedonian refugees are still living in the neighbouring Yugoslav province of Kosovo. The refugees fled to Kosovo during military operations of the interethnic conflict in the country this summer. The sources say that the total of about 78,000 Macedonia's citizens found refuge in Kosovo. Those who still live there have nowhere to return to, as their homes had been destroyed. By the end of the year, the Macedonian authorities intend to rebuild 1,600 residential buildings, which were damaged during combat between the government forces and Albanian separatists. The European Union mission will reconstruct another 3,800 houses, which were partially or completely destroyed. The cost of the reconstruction work on these buildings is estimated at DM150 million.