TWENTY-ONE of York's Kosovan refugees have decided they want to stay in Britain after their year in the country expires next Monday.

Their decision means they must move out of Howe Hill hostel, their home for the past 12 months, as they wait for their applications to be processed.

They will move into a temporary hostel and Howe Hill, in Holgate, will be closed down with the end of Home Office funding for the refugees to stay there.

The refugees will instead be given homeless status and their old home will stand empty as City of York Council searches for a buyer.

It will be the responsibility of City of York Council to find alternative accommodation for the refugees - but ironically, the money for the move and the future housing of the refugees will come from the Home Office.

A council spokesman today stressed there would be enough space to cope with the existing demand for accommodation from homeless people in York.

He said: "The refugees will be treated like any other families presenting themselves to the council as homeless and will be provided with temporary accommodation while their claims for asylum are being processed by the Home Office. "I am sure no-one in the city would expect anything else.

"The refugees will not be displacing any other homeless people - we are obligated, where appropriate, to help all."

"Any measures we take to help house the refugees while their applications

are processed will be paid for by the government and not local taxpayers."

It is thought none of the remaining refugees has applied for permanent asylum, which means they will be asking for temporary leave to remain in the UK.

Twelve refugees have decided to return to Kosovo this week and a further five refugees have moved to London.

The Home Office has indicated all the applications will be processed quickly.

Among those who have decided to return home is Zymer Bequiri, his wife and five daughters.

Fears for health of daughter

REFUGEE Zymer Bequiri fears for the health of his diabetic daughter when he returns to poor medical conditions in Kosovo this week, claiming he has been left with no choice.

The ethnic Albanian was among the refugees who came to York's Howe Hill Hostel just over a year ago fresh from witnessing the terrible atrocities in his country. His 15-year-old daughter Merita was dangerously ill with chronic diabetes and a Kosovan hospital advised she should be treated abroad.

A diabetes specialist at York District Hospital has since written a letter saying it is unfortunate the family is going back as Merita has a "serious chronic illness needing treatment with constant supplies of insulin."

She will return home with a six months supply. After that Zymer fears she will become ill again as the country is desperately short of medicine.

He said: "I have no choice but to return. I've had to fill out the form saying I'm returning home voluntarily but I've written that I'm going back because I don't have any support to stay.

"The reason we came here from the camps in Macedonia was because Merita was so ill. All we wanted was a little more time for the medical situation to stabilise."

Zymer had been intending to apply for six months exceptional leave to remain in the UK beyond the June 19 deadline when Home Office funding ceases.

His solicitor told him he had a good case on medical grounds but last week he received a letter to the contrary and is leaving because of the withdrawal of support from his solicitor. He also received advice from the Home Office that he might be better accepting a grant of £400 per family member for returning now.

He said: "I thought about it all night and decided to go back."

Zymer, his wife and their five daughters will swap their York council house for cramped accommodation with friends until they can restore their burnt-out house to a habitable condition. But despite the challenges ahead and their uncertain future, Zymer remained upbeat and grateful for the help given to his family.

He said: "No human being could ever forget the reception we received in England. I would like to thank all the volunteers at the Howe Hill hostel from the bottom of my heart for their kindness.

"Hopefully in the future I will return to visit some people as a tourist this time, rather than a refugee."