Bunić selo u općini Korenica Ličko-senjske županije rodno je mjesto Petra Erora (75), muškarca u godinama koji trenutno živi u zapuštenoj kući s pogledom na prekrasnu rijeku Krbavu. Nekoć uspješna poljoprivredna zajednica, Bunić je danas slabo naseljeno mjesto u kojem živi šačica ljudi i pokušava spojiti kraj s krajem obrađujući zemlju i brinući se o svojoj stoci. Starije životne dobi i lošeg zdravstvenog stanja, Petar se ne oslanja na zemlju i živi od svoje mirovine zarađene u udaljenom slavonskom gradu Virovitici gdje je, netipično za njegovu rodnu zajednicu, dugi niz godina radio kao načelnik policije.

"Bio sam načelnik policije u Virovitici do 1990. Proveo sam mnogo godina boreći se protiv kriminala u tom prekrasnom gradu za koji me veže mnogo lijepih osobnih uspomena i profesionalnih uspjeha", kaže Petar i nastavlja: "S političkim promjenama koje su uslijedile, nas smo trojica policijskih službenika srpske nacionalnosti u virovitičkoj policiji bili degradirani pa sam odlučio, budući da sam već tad stekao sve potrebne uvjete, otići u mirovinu i nastaviti živjeti u Virovitici u mom malom stanu u društvenom vlasništvu."

Kako se politička situacija u Hrvatskoj pogoršavala te za jednog Srbina, pogotovo bivšeg načelnika policije, više nije bilo ugodno ostati u Virovitici, Petar je odlučio privremeno preseliti u svoj rodni Bunić, "dok se situacija ne smiri", kako kaže. Nažalost, situacija se nije "smirila" te je sukob u Hrvatskoj eskalirao pa se Petar više nije mogao vratiti u svoj stan u Virovitici.

"Nisam bio dobrodošao u Viroviticu, a nisam baš bio dobrodošao ni u svom rodnom Buniću. Znao sam tko vodi show u 'Krajini' i, takav kakav sam, nisam zadobio puno simpatija onih koji su mi bili 'stranke' tijekom mojih policijskih dana, ali sam ipak nekako preživio", kaže ovaj otvoreni, i još uvijek uvjereni, bivši policajac. S hrvatskom vojnom operacijom 1995., Petar Eror i njegovi mještani su napustili Bunić i našli se u izbjeglištvu u Srbiji.

Tijekom boravka u Srbiji Petar je inicijalno živio u kolektivnom centru Zobnatica u općini Bačka Topola, ali je ubrzo svojom snalažljivošću postao predradnikom u građevinskoj tvrtki i preselio se u privatni smještaj. "Nije mi trebalo dugo da shvatim da je povratak za mene jedina opcija", kaže on, i zaista, Petar se 1999.g. vratio u Bunić te je, uz podršku prijatelja i lokalnog ogranka jednog provedbenog partnera UNHCR-a, podnio zahtjev općini Virovitica za stambenim rješenjem budući da je tamo bio bivši nositelj stanarskog prava. Dobio je odgovor da je u međuvremenu 'njegov' stan dodijeljen drugoj osobi koja ga je i otkupila te da je stambeno zbrinjavanje bivših nositelja stanarskih prava sada u nadležnosti državnih vlasti.

Kako je Petar odrastao u općini Korenica gdje je i dalje imao neke prijatelje i rodbinu, odlučio je tamo zatražiti stambeno rješenje. Od 1999. nekoliko je puta podnio zahtjev za stambenim zbrinjavanjem u Korenici. Zakoni su se mijenjali, nuđeni su mu stanovi, ali ne u Korenici kao što je zatražio pa su podnesene žalbe te je Pučki pravobranitelj dvaput intervenirao u njegovo ime. Rješenje tada ipak nije pronađeno.

Danas je rješenje ipak na vidiku s prvim valom projekta Regionalnog programa stambenog zbrinjavanja. Cilj izgradnje stambene zgrade s 29 stanova u Korenici je osigurati stambeno zbrinjavanje za 29 ugroženih povratničkih obitelji, a radovi bi trebali započeti na proljeće 2014. Petra je kao korisnika preporučio kako Državni ured za obnovu i stambeno zbrinjavanje tako i UNHCR te se odluka očekuje uskoro.

FOTO/TEKST: UNHCR/D.Klasnić

Bunić village in Lika-Senj County's municipality of Korenica is the native place of Petar Eror (75), an elderly single men who currently resides in a neglected house overlooking the beautiful Krbava valley. Once a thriving farming community, Bunić is today scarcely inhabited by people struggling to make ends meet working the land and taking care of their livestock. Being of age and of poor health condition, Petar does not rely on the land and lives off his pension earned far away in Virovitica working, atypically for his native community, as a Chief of Police in that Slavonian city for many years.

„I was Chief of Police in Virovitica until 1990. I spent many years fighting the crime in that beutifull city to which I have many fond personal memories and professional successes to atribute to.", says Petar and continues „With the political changes in those years, three of us police officers of Serb nationality in the Virovitica police, were downgraded and I decided, since I already had acquired all necessary conditions, to retire and continue to live in Virovitica in my small socially owned flat".

As the political situation deteriorated in Croatia and it was not really comfortable for a Serb, especially a former Chief of Police, to abide in Virovitica at that time, Petar decided to temporarily relocate to his native Bunić for a while, „untill the situation calms down", as he says. Unfortunately, things did not „calm down"and the conflict in Croatia escalated, Petar could not return to his flat in Virovitica no more.

„I was not welcome in Virovitica and I was not much welcomed in my native Bunić either. I knew who was running the show in 'Krajina' and, being as I am, did not get much sympathy by some who used to be 'clients' during my Police days but I survived somehow", says this outspoken and still firm ex-policeman. In 1995, with Croatia's military operation Storm, Petar Eror and his villagers left Bunić and found themselves refugees in Serbia.

Durning his stay in Serbia, Petar was initally living in the collective center of Zobnatica in Bačka Topola municipality but, resourceful as he is, found a foreman's job in a construction company and moved to private accommodation. „It was not long before I realised return is the only option for me" he says and indeed, in 1999, Petar returned to Bunic and supported by friends and a local branch of an UNHCR implementing partner, he applied to the Virovitica municipality to grant him a housing solution as he was former occupancy/tenancy right holder there. He received a reply that in the meantime 'his' flat was assigned to another person who bought is off and that housing care for former OTR holders is now responsibility of State authorities.

As Petar grew up in Korenica municipality and still had some friends and relatives left, he decided to seek a housing solution there. Since 1999, Petar applied several times for a housing solution in Korenica. Laws have changed, apartments were offered to him but not in Korenica as he requested, complaints were filed and the Ombudsmen intervened on his behalf twice but no solutions were found.

Today a solution is in sight with the 1st wave project of the Regional Housing Programme. The construction of a 29 apartment building in Korenica intended to provide housing for 29 vulnerable returnee families should start in the Spring of 2014. Petar has been recommended both by the State Office for Reconstruction and Housing Care and UNHCR to be one of the beneficiaries and a Decision to that avail is expected soonest.

PHOTO/ STORY: UNHCR/D.Klasnić