CONSTRUCTION OF KORCULA AIRPORT STARTS NEXT SPRING

( Editorial: --> 8585 ) ZAGREB, Oct 15 (Hina) - Korcula airport administration plans to collect all necessary documentation for building a new airport, and in early spring of 1999 it plans to start the constructions. Korcula is an island in south Croatia. The research of environment protection is just being finished, said Zvonimir Vedris, Deputy Minister for civil air traffic in the Ministry of Maritime Affairs, Transport and Communications. The approximate cost of building the Korcula's airport is DM20 million. Infrastructure works will be financed from the State budget, while support buildings will be financed by the local administration through international loans. The building of Korcula's airport is a part of the National Programme for the Development of Islands. The Programme includes building airports on the Islands of Hvar, Lastovo and Vis. The programme also includes constructing a passenger terminal and support infrastructure on the Island of Brac, and extending an aero runway on Mali Losinj. (hina) it/sp 151406 MET oct 98