GOVT TO RECONSTRUCT SCHOOLS & HOSPITALS IN DANUBE REGION

( Editorial: --> 9440 ) ZAGREB, Sept 10 (Hina) - The Croatian Government on Thursday submitted a bill for parliamentary consideration which will confirm agreements with the Council of Europe's social development fund regarding a loan to reconstruct school and health buildings. Funds from the loan and the state budget will be used to reconstruct 18 primary health facilities and 34 schools in the Croatian Danube River region. More than US$62 million will be used to ensure the reconstruction and equipping of medical complexes in Vukovar, Vinkovci and Osijek. The loan from the Council of Europe's fund amounts to some $27 million while the remainder of resources would be ensured from the state budget. The aim of the project is to balance the quality of health protection in the Danube region with other parts of Croatia, said Health Minister Zeljko Reiner. The reconstruction and equipping of 34 schools in the Danube region will be secured with about $21 million of which $10.5 million would be covered by loan funds while the remainder will be taken from state budget resources. A portion of the less damaged schools has already been repaired, reported Reconstruction and Development Minister Jure Radic. More will be completed in January while those schools which are being built from the foundation up will be completed by the start of the next school year. Veterans Affairs Minister Juraj Njavro expressed doubt about whether it was a priority to reconstruct more schools when those which had already been repaired were operating at a decreased capacity because people were not returning. It is difficult to expect speedier return if employment cannot be arranged, considers Njavro. In villages around Vukovar almost everyone is returning and there are even some schools which now have more children enrolled than prior to the war, replied Minster Radic. Premier Zlatko Matesa said that people should not be judged because they were deciding not to return, especially following all the horrors they had been through. He stressed however that people should advise that they did not intend to return so that the state could plan ahead. The government has granted eight fully-incapacitated invalids with new homes and lots of land. The government also submitted to parliament a draft act which would further determine its authority to regulate individual issues regarding the activities of the House of Representatives. The current act which is identical to the recommended one ceases to be valid in October. (Hina) sp jn /mbr 101513 MET sep 98