ALL RETURNEES-CONSTRUCTION WORKERS MAY BE EMPLOYED IN E. CRO

( Editorial: --> 8274 ) ZAGREB, Mar 9 (Hina) - Croatian Reconstruction and Development Minister Jure Radic Monday held talks with leaders of the Association of Returnees of Croatia (ZPH). The talks focused on difficulties in the reconstruction and on stepping up the return to the Danube river region and other parts of Croatia. Radic said the Ministry of Reconstruction and Development and the ZPH agreed that displaced persons in the Danubian region and elsewhere in Croatia should be incited to renovate less demolished houses by themselves. He called on the displaced whose houses suffered minor damage to report to local offices for displaced persons to receive money for the renovation. According to the minister, this does not exclude organised renovation for those who are unable to repair their homes by themselves, including families of invalids and the elderly. Today it was agreed to commence an accelerated renovation of the majority of demolished houses in Vukovar, eastern Croatia. While discussing employment, it was pointed out that as many people as possible should be employed in the reconstruction. "Of the companies who got in touch with us for reconstruction works, we also accepted all those working in the Croatian Danubian region", Radic said, and called on all unemployed returnees- construction workers to report and submit applications to municipal heads. "I guarantee that all construction workers who want to work in the reconstruction will be deployed in construction companies, because from now until the end of next year in the reconstruction in the Danubian region there are jobs for more than 5,000 workers per day", the minister said. Radic also spoke about plans to have up to 11,000 homes in the Danubian region reconstructed by year's end, including 3,000 totally demolished, to the effect of making it possible for 40,000 people to return by the end of the year. Reconstruction is also expected to be completed by summer in the southern region of Dalmatia and by year's end in Lika. (hina) ha mm 091742 MET mar 98