Gašinci, September 27, 1999 (IKA) — At the end of September, the well known Croatian refugee center in Gašinci, the largest in Croatia and Europe, will cease to exist. It has operated for over seven years, since July 31, 1992. Over 35 thousand refugees of all nationalities from the former Yugoslavia have passed through the Center, the majority from Bosnia-Herzegovina. The center was located near the village of Gašinci, a subsidiary of the Parish of Satnica Đakovačka. It was built with the goal of receiving three to four thousand refugees in what were once rows of new prefabricated houses. However, there were periods when over six thousand persons were living at the Center. During such periods, canvas tents were set up under the branches of the tall oak trees. The last residents of the Center were from Bosnia-Herzegovina and Kosovo. Some of the Bosnian refugees have been at the Center since it opened, generally old and sick persons without relations. These persons were transferred to other refugee centers, and some went to free housing units in Đakovština or other Croatian regions. Until the final days, there were also approximately 150 Albanians who were on their way to Kosovo but were returned in an organized manner to Macedonia.
During the entire existence of the Center, many Catholics were among the refugees. From the earliest days, a barracks was equipped as a chapel for their use. In addition to the local parish priest, Joso Perak, who particularly during the past three years took pastoral care of the refugees, for a time several Bosnian priests who had fled to Đakovo celebrated Sunday Mass, distributed sacraments as needed and buried the dead. When they left, these responsibilities were assumed by several professors at the School of Theology and other priests from Đakovo. Sisters of the Holy Cross came to the center regularly from Đakovo to perform many services for the refugees. Starting in December 1992, for over a year two members of the Little Sisters of Jesus lived voluntarily among the refugees and cared for them in the barracks. For several summer months during 1992, a Spanish priest (from Rome), the Rev. Miguel Aparico, voluntarily assisted the refugees.