CRO GOVT SIGNS AGREEMENT ON RECONSTRUCTION OF DALMATIA

( Editorial: --> 9071 ) ZAGREB, Feb 3 (Hina) - Croatian Reconstruction and Development Minister Jure Radic on Tuesday signed agreements with 37 contractors on the reconstruction of the Zadar County and several locations in the Split-Dalmatia County. Most part of the work is planned to be completed by the end of May so displaced persons accommodated in hotels could move into their homes, and hotels be prepared for the tourists. The agreements represent the beginning of the final phase of reconstruction of the Zadar County, in which 5,980 homes have been reconstructed so far. From the total, 3,303 homes were completely new, Radic stressed, adding that eight schools had also been reconstructed in the county. Another thousand buildings in the Zadar County had to be reconstructed. The agreement includes the reconstruction of 700 buildings which are almost completely destroyed. The agreement for the Zadar County is worth about US$17.5, Radic said, stressing that close to US$120 million had been invested into the reconstruction of the county so far. Reconstruction work in several locations of the Split-Dalmatia County (Kijevo, Vrlika, Hrvace) is worth US$1.3 million. "The effect of the Value Added Tax on our work, in relation to last year, is about nine per cent, which is how much the prices of reconstruction have risen," Radic said. (hina) lm mm 031248 MET feb 98