GOVERNMENT EXTENDS DEADLINE FOR HANDING OVER ILLEGAL WEAPONS

ZAGREB, June 17 (Hina) - The Croatian Government on Thursday extended the deadline for handing over illegal weapons until August 1, due to the high interest citizens. According to data, presented by Croatian Interior Minister Ivan Penic, Croatian citizens handed over 2,162 pieces of automatic weaponry, 36,322 pieces of fragmentation weaponry, including bombs, shells, hand-held rocket launchers, 316,974 pieces of ammunition, and 956.2 kilograms of explosives. The Government also adopted a regulation on amendments to the regulation on the Agency for Facilitating Real Estate Transactions, according to which the Agency would be change its name to the Agency for Legal Transfers and Facilitating Real Estate. So far, the Agency purchased about 3,300 houses across Croatia. In 1998 alone, the Agency bought 2,722 buildings. According to the Croatian Reconstruction and Development Minister, Jure Radic, the Agency should aim at taking care of those people who need to be taken care of, Croats who immigrated to Croatia during the Homeland War. According to him, there are more offers than available funds. We have over 5,000 offers at th moment, which could be realised if we had the money. (hina) it jn