RECONSTRUCTION OF VUKOVAR HOSPITAL BEGINS

( Editorial: --> 7869 ) VUKOVAR, May 31 (Hina) - Croatian Health Minister Zeljko Reiner and the former Health Minister Andrija Hebrang on Sunday opened the works for the reconstruction of the general hospital in Vukovar (eastern Croatia). Reiner said the Croatian government would invest around DM5.1 million in the reconstruction of the hospital and the Vukovar health clinic this year, and medical equipment worth US$1 million had just arrived. Around DM20 million had to be invested into the reconstruction of the Vukovar general hospital, Reiner said. He stressed that he would do everything to make sure this money is set aside. "The Vukovar general hospital was the last point of defence against the Serb aggressor, but also the first point of peaceful reintegration," Hebrang said. Present at the opening of the works were the hospital's director, Vesna Bosanac, Vukovar's mayor Vladimir Stengl, the prefect of the Vukovar-Srijem County, Rudolf Koenig, vice premiers Ljerka Mintas- Hodak and Ivica Kostovic, Homeland War Minister Juraj Njavro, director of the Croatian Health Insurance Institute, Stjepan Turek and others. (hina) lml 311618 MET may 98