HUNGARIAN FIRM WILLING TO PROVIDE GAS SUPPLY IN E. CRO BY 2000

( Editorial: --> 5949 ) OSIJEK, Aug 26 (Hina) - The leading Hungarian company for gas supply systems, MOL, is willing to cover the north-eastern Croatian region of Baranja by year 2000. It will be joined in the US$40 million-worth project by German company Ruhrgas Energie, representatives of the two companies said in Osijek on Tuesday during a meeting with Osijek-Baranja County Prefect Srecko Lovrincevic. A gas supply coverage in Baranja is very important for the development of the County as it enables economic progress, and as a result, a higher quality return of displaced persons, said Lovrincevic. Draft projects for a gas supply system in Baranja were completed even before eastern Croatia was reintegrated in the Croatian system earlier this year. The work was offered to Croatia's oil giant INA, but they assessed it would be able to enter the project only in 2000, said Branimir Glavas, president of the Osijek-Baranja County Committee of the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) party. The draft projects will be submitted to MOL, Lovrincevic said, adding a concrete proposal was expected to follow. (hina) ha 261218 MET aug 98