PREMIER OPENS NEW THERMOELECTRIC POWER PLANT IN ZAGREB

ZAGREB, Nov 25 (Hina) - Croatian Premier Zlatko Matesa on Wednesday opened the Zagreb-Zapad gas thermoelectric power plant in Zagreb. Prior to the ceremony, the Premier and several ministers held talks with the management of the Croatian Power Utility Company (HEP). The gas thermoelectric power plant was transferred to the Croatian capital from Split, a coastal town on the central Adriatic Sea, where it had been located during the time the area was separated from the rest of Croatia in the recent war. The power requirements of central Croatia would be fully covered after another thermoelectric power plant, Zagreb-Istok, was built in cooperation with United States partners, said the Premier, adding the new plant would operate with ecology-friendly machinery. Matesa said that today's talks with the HEP management concluded it was time to enter a new stage, i.e. HEP's transformation into a company of to be reckoned with in Europe. Members of the government and the HEP management agreed HEP's financial restructuring did not signify fewer employees, Matesa said. According to HEP head of management Damir Begovic, the company's heads told the government that Croatia was not dependant on electricity from the Krsko nuclear power plant. "This enables Croatia to conduct calm, normal negotiations, without any pressures," said Begovic. Croatia and Slovenia are negotiating the resolution of a dispute on the ownership of Krsko, a plant on Slovene territory built with joint funds 20 years ago. Croatia has not been receiving electricity from the plant since last summer. (hina) ha jn