ONLY ECOLOGICALLY FRIENDLY PLANTS TO BE BUILT IN CROATIA - MINISTER

ZAGREB, Apr 12 (Hina) - Croatian Construction Minister Marko Sirac on Monday told reporters no coal-fired thermal power plants or nuclear power plants will be built in Croatia, but only ecologically friendly ones. Sirac acquainted the press with details from a programme for the urban development of Croatia, recently drafted by the government. Three thermal power plants fired by ecologically friendly fuel will be built, with possible locations in Zagreb County, Vukovar-Srijem County in the east, and northern or central Dalmatia, in the south. The urban development programme also envisages dealing with toxic waste, with two possible locations being considered at the moment, Moslavacka and Trgovska hills in Sisak-Moslavina County, in central Croatia. The location will eventually be chosen by parliament, Sirac said. The minister pointed out the new urban development programme was directed towards a polycentric development of the country, and towards limiting the growth of cities, such as Zagreb, Split, Rijeka and Osijek. Mentioned during today's press conference was the possibility of a merger between the Construction Ministry and the State Environment Protection Administration. (hina) ha jn