CHANGE IN MARITIME POLICY IS NECESSARY-NEWLY APPOINTED MINISTER

ZAGREB, Sept (Hina) - The change of maritime policy, control of the Croatian Road Management over road construction, and the continuation of the reconstruction of Croatian Railways, are the main duties of the Croatian Maritime, Transport and Communications Ministry in the upcoming period, heads of the Croatian Maritime, Transport and Communications Ministry told a press conference on Monday. According to the newly appointed minister, Ivan Pavlovic, the situation in the Croatian maritime economy is disastrous. Pavlovic said that the Croatian shipbuilding industry suffered a loss of US$81 million in 1998. "We will try to change the entire maritime policy", the newly appointed minister stressed. When asked to comment on the situation in the largest Croatian shipping company, Croatia Line, Pavlovic said that one could say that the company had gone bankrupt because it debts were greater that its total value. "We are trying to stop Croatia Line from losing all of its ships" Pavlovic said. The newly appointed head of the Croatian Road Management, Mario Crnjak, said that the construction of roads would continue at the same paste. Officials of the Ministry said that the deadline for the completion of the road connecting the Croatian-Slovene border and southern most Croatia, Gorican-Zagreb-Dubrovnik is the year 2001. The road Zagreb-Split is to be completed by the year 2005. (hina) it jn