Refugee Family Flies A New Flag
Newcastle Herald
Friday January 26, 2007
THE Kosic family, who fled the former Yugoslavia as refugees, will be among the 97 citizenship candidates scheduled to become Australians today. Zeljko and his wife Jelena were born in Croatia but later settled in Kraljevo, in central Serbia. The couple survived the upheaval of the breakdown of the former Yugoslavia and the "peace" negotiated by world powers after the terrible events of the Balkan War but believed it was not possible to continue living there with young children. They arrived in Australia as refugees in 2004 and have settled in Jesmond. Newcastle Migrant Resource Centre director Violetta Walsh said the family, including Zoran, 15, and Branka, 12, was unusual because they arrived when many people thought the Balkans had returned to normal. "Peace and truce is made at a high political level but often does not infiltrate down to ordinary people," Ms Walsh said. The family will be among people from 26 countries taking part in the citizenship ceremony in Foreshore Park. Newcastle's Australia Day ambassador, swimmer Susie Maroney, will be special guest. Beach Volleyball and the Stockton swim are among other Australia Day events.
© 2007 Newcastle Herald