REVITALIZATION OF PLITVICE LAKES AMOUNTS TO 138.5 KN

ZAGREB, Aug 2 (Hina) - The 'Tourist Revitalization of the Plitvice Lakes National Park' project amounts to a total of 138.5 million kunas, the Croatian Tourism Ministry said in a statement, explaining that part of the money comes from a DM-five-million unused loan of the Croatian Reconstruction and Development Bank. There are also other bargain loan offers by Croatia's Privredna Bank, as well as other Croatian and international commercial banks, guaranteed by the Croatian Government, the statement added. The profit and loss account of the Plitvice Lakes National Park indicates that the economic results in this and the following year will be minimal. According to estimates of the Croatian Tourism Ministry, profit is expected only as of 1999, with an effectively realizable market stabilization and a high business increase. The 'Tourist Revitalization of the Plitvice Lakes National Park' has two basic directives: to ensure the protection of Plitvice's natural phenomena, and to ensure economically justifiable business ventures within the Park. In order to avoid traffic difficulties through the national park, the Grabovac-Plitvice Lakes-Prijeboj route is currently not in use. Traffic is currently directed onto the Grabovac-Dreznik- Grad-Prijeboj route. Preliminary designs for a new water-supply system have been accepted, while the reconstruction of the sewage system has been intensified. The overall accommodation capacity within the Plitvice Park must not be increased with the revitalization project, the Tourism Ministry's statement said. Reconstruction activities and accommodation and catering plans are based on ecology-friendly interventions, which aim to protect the grounds, save water and power, recycle waste, etc. (hina) ha mm 021229 MET aug 97