INERNATIONAL RECONSTRUCTION FAIR "OSIJEK EXPO '98" OPENED

( Editorial: --> 1636 ) OSIJEK, May 5 (Hina) - The sixth international reconstruction fair "Osijek Expo '98" was opened in the eastern Croatian town of Osijek on Tuesday. Exhibiting their products are 110 exhibitors from Croatia, Hungary, Italy, Slovenia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Rumania and Germany. The exhibited products are in the fields of construction, machinery and equipment, agriculture, stock-breeding equipment, crafts, hotel equipment and apparatus, catering and tourism. Opening the fair, Construction, Housing and Urban Planning Minister Marko Sirac, said that the Croatian government would this year set aside 1,730,000,000 kuna (about DM 485,955,000) for reconstruction. From the total, most of the funds will be secured for the Croatian Danubian area. Sirac announced the upcoming signing of a US$72 million-worth agreement for reconstruction of the water supply facilities. Sixty per cent of the funds will be ensured by a World Bank credit. Sirac also announced that Croatia would prepare a reconstruction programme for the donors' conference worth US$3 billion, from which 70 per cent would be set aside for the revival of the economy, and the rest for the reconstruction of houses, flats, infrastructure and others. (hina) lm 051328 MET may 98