NEW SCHOOL OPENED IN VUKOVAR

VUKOVAR, Sept 6 (Hina) - In the war-stricken Mitnica, a residential area of the eastern Croatian town of Vukovar, a newly built elementary school was opened on Monday. Varazdin County (northern Croatia) ensured 1.5 million German marks and the Ministry of Development, Reconstruction and Immigration provided 387,000 marks for the construction of this school. Present at today's ceremonial opening were a great number of returnees, Croatian Premier Zlatko Matesa, Education Minister Bozidar Pugelnik and Reconstruction Minister Jure Radic. Premier Matesa said the Croatian state would continue investing intensively into the reconstruction of the Croatian Danube River Area. "Many advocate a decrease in the public expenditure. They, however, forget that the construction of this and about other 60 schools, which are being now built in the Danube River Area, are part of the public expenditure. We must try to build Croatia evenly... This will be a policy of the ruling party and the Croatian Government," Matesa added. Vukovar-Sirmium County Prefect Rudolf Koenig said that so far about 2,200 pupils-returnees had come back to a part of this county and about 30 school facilities were now under reconstruction. In line with an initiative of Croatian President Franjo Tudjman, each of 21 Croatian counties assumed a task to help renovate or build a facility in the war-torn Vukovar. This school that was opened on Monday is the second constructed building within this project. Osijek-Baranja County was the first to fulfil its obligation when this summer it reconstructed a branch of the employment office in this town. (hina) jn ms