Croatia ethnic Serbs secure deal

The main ethnic Serb political party in Croatia has agreed to back the nationalist-led government in return for concessions on minority rights. Under the deal, the new HDZ-led cabinet will help Serbs who fled Croatia during the 1991-1995 war to regain possession of their properties by the end of 2004. The Serb party, SDSS, said it would also push for Croatia to scrap visa regime with Serbia-Montenegro. Croatia is under pressure to improve its minority rights to join the EU. The deal comes as the HDZ - Croatian Democratic Union - prepares to take office next week, after winning elections in November. The HDZ, which secured 66 of the 152 seats in parliament when it defeated the centre-left coalition, will depend on outside support to rule. The SDSS - Autonomous Democratic Serbian Party - has three deputies in the parliament.