BRIEF NEWS BULLETIN IN ENGLISH NO. 4946

HR-BULLETIN-Politika BRIEF NEWS BULLETIN IN ENGLISH NO. 4946 HINA Zagreb 7 May 2003MINISTER SAYS DAMAGE CAUSED BY DROUGHT EXCEEDS EUR26.3 MLNZAGREB, May 7 (Hina) - Croatian Agriculture Minister Bozidar Pankretic said in parliament on Wednesday the damage caused by a long period of drought was estimated at more than 200 million kuna (26.31 million euros) and that his ministry would prepare measures to help alleviate the consequences. The ministry will inform the government of its measures once it receives reports from the field, Pankretic said. Pankretic said that the 20 million kuna set aside from this year's budget for natural disasters would not be enough. The ministry's measures will include incentives and benefits for farmers who have taken loans, he said. Three counties have been declared disaster areas so far and it is believed that yields from some crops will be halved, the minister said.CROATIA IS LIQUID, SOLVENT, IN NO WAY OVERINDEBTED - FINANCE MINISTERZAGREB, May 7 (Hina) -