EUROPEAN UNION ENVOY VISITS OSIJEK-BARANJA COUNTY

( Editorial: --> 3975 ) OSIJEK, April 1 (Hina) - Special European Commission envoy to Croatia Per Vinther held talks on Wednesday with heads of Osijek- Baranja County and the town of Osijek on the development of small business entrepreneurship and agriculture in the region. Part of the eastern Croatian county was under United Nations transitional administration until January 15. The whole of the region, including Osijek, experienced great destruction during the Serbian aggression on Croatia. Ambassador Vinther told County Prefect Anica Horvat that he would advocate that part of the 30 million German marks, which the European Union has earmarked for Croatia, be allocated to the Osijek-Baranja County for the development of small business. "There are working and living difficulties in parts of the county which were under UNTAES control until January 15, but we are overcoming them in a calm and serious manner," Horvat said. She said 74 entrepreneurs had sought credit with a total value of seven million German marks for financing small business and agriculture, but the county only succeeded in guaranteeing a little more than one million German marks. Horvat assessed that despite all activities in the efficient organisation of two-way return, there would not be any significant results without economic revival. In talks with Vinther, Nada Arbanas, the head of Osijek's Regional Office for Displaced Persons and Refugees, pointed out the good cooperation with the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). (Hina) jn mb /jfk 011732 MET apr 98