MINISTER DISCUSSES OIL TRANSPORT WITH POLICE, CUSTOMS AUTHORITY, INA REPS

ZAGREB, March 1 (Hina) - Croatia's Minister of Maritime Affairs, Transport and Communications, Alojz Tusek, on Friday held a meeting with representatives of the Interior Ministry, Customs Administration, Croatian Roads and the oil company INA on the implementation of the latest government conclusions on the temporary opening of the border crossing Licko Petrovo Selo - Izacic for oil transport. The Croatian government yesterday gave the Transport Ministry its consent to re-open the border crossing on March 4. The border crossing will be opened until June 15, when freight transport on the D-1 road between Karlovac and Gracac will be banned due to the tourist season. In line with the government conclusions, oil hauliers will have to pay 100 kuna per cistern for police escort and an additional 100 kuna per cistern as insurance against ecological incidents. Oil cisterns will be allowed access to Licko Petrovo Selo from the direction of Karlovac on condition that between 6am and 10pm they gather at a parking lot near Karlovac, whose exact location will be subsequently determined by Croatian Roads, and at 10pm set out under police escort to the border pass Licko Petrovo Selo-Izacic. By opening the border crossing for oil transport the Croatian government has accommodated requests by the Bosnian side. (hina) sb rml