PM RACAN: CROATIA AND HUNGARY ARE BEING CONNECTED BY ROADS

BUDAPEST, April 29 (Hina) - Croatian and Hungarian prime ministers Ivica Racan and Peter Medgyessy agreed to upgrade transport between the two countries in Budapest on Tuesday. #L# Hungary has for the first time assumed the obligation at the premier level to complete, by 2007, the construction of a road which from the Croatian side will be completed by as soon as next year. "It will be possible to connect the two sections of the Budapest- Zagreb-Rijeka highway by 2007," said Racan after talks with Medgyessy, held at the end of his two-day visit to Budapest. Considering the fact that Hungary will be accessing the EU, Racan said that the border between the two countries should remain permeable as Hungarian Croats fear that Hungary's entry into the EU would hinder their crossing the border. The Hungarian PM said an agreement on border traffic would soon be signed with Croatia. The agreement would expedite customs control at road and railway crossings. The Hungarian national carrier, Malev, on May 5 starts flights to Split. Hungary also wants to see Budapest and Zagreb connected by three flights a day, Medgyessy said. The two prime ministers agreed that as of next year an inter-city train should run between Zagreb and Budapest at least once a day, with expedited customs formalities and control aboard the train. They bound the two countries' economy ministers to define all open issues regarding Hungary's investments into Rijeka Harbour within 15 days. Medgyessy accepted Racan's proposal for launching a project called "Eco-tourist Drava River". During the talks, Racan asked about the representation of the Croat minority in the Hungarian parliament as "the Hungarian minority is proportionally represented in the Croatian parliament". Medgyessy said such an idea had no normative basis yet, but readiness for changes existed. "I hope we will receive support in parliament for this issue," said the Hungarian premier, but mentioned no deadlines. (hina) lml sb