CONTRACT ON RECONSTRUCTION OF APARTMENT BUILDING SIGNED IN VUKOVAR

VUKOVAR, 19 June (Hina) - Representatives of the European Union, U.N. Transitional Administration in Eastern Slavonia (UNTAES) and a construction company signed a DM 2.311,113-million-worth contract on the reconstruction of the apartment building 'Dunav I', on Thursday in Vukovar (U.N.-administered area). The 71-apartment building should be completed by 25 October this year. #L# The reconstruction of the building, which is located near the Danube river and the destroyed Eltz castle, has started on 9 June. The reconstruction should secure 'standard living conditions' in the building, EU experts said. The contract was signed by the EU chief advisor on economy, Didier Fau, head of UNTAES Civil Affairs Sector Gerard Fischer and Jovo Vukovic, director of the construction company 'Metalkop' from Bijelo Brdo. The reconstruction of 'Dunav I' is EU's first big reconstruction enterprise in Vukovar, although for the past several months the EU has been financing various reconstruction works on the city infrastructure, worth five million German marks, Fau said during the signing ceremony. That amount would increase to DM 13 million in the next 12 months. The reconstruction of 'Dunav II', an identical apartment building located next to 'Dunav I' would start soon, Fau added. The war damage in the Croatian Danube river region was estimated at some US $1,2 billion, UNTAES representative Fischer said, adding that DM 60 million has been raised at two donors' conferences. Asked who would live in reconstructed apartments, Fischer said that 80% of people who had lived in 'Dunav I' before the war expressed wish to return. The procedure for other apartments has not been worked out yet, Fischer said. Today's signing ceremony, held at the construction site, was also attended by the representatives of the Centre for Reconstruction and Development of the Croatian Danube river region of the Croatian Reconstruction and Development Ministry. (hina) rm jn 191640 MET jun 97