SOUTH DANUBE REGION CONNECTED TO CRO POWER SUPPLY SYSTEM

DALJ/VUKOVAR/ILOK, Aug 29 (Hina) - The southern part of the Danube region of eastern Croatia has officially been connected to Croatia's electric power system on Friday, when two diesel power plants the Croatian Power Supply Industry (HEP) set in Dalj, Vukovar and Ilok during the last two months, were set to work. The south Danube region is thus no longer supplied with power from the neighbouring Vojvodina region in western Yugoslavia. The three diesel power plants were set to work by HEP's chief director Damir Begovic who said in Ilok that, with today's connection of the Danube region's southern part to Croatia's electric power system, like the connection of the Baranja region two weeks ago, HEP fulfilled its promise from a 22 July reintegration agreement. Today's connection also marked the end of the first part of the reconstruction of power supply installations in the Danube region which, according to Begovic, cost HEP some 30 million kunas. The electric power plants, transported from southern Croatia, would stay in eastern Croatia for three years, until the demolished sub-station in Ernestinovo, the most important power supply installation in eastern Croatia, was repaired, Begovic added. According to UN deputy transitional administrator for eastern Croatia, Souren Seraydarian, today's event was another important step in the area's peaceful reintegration. Pointing out an overall progress in the reintegration process, he said it was necessary to stimulate the activity of legal local authorities in the Danube region. Vukovar-Srijem County prefect Rudolf Koenig, Ilok Mayor Stipan Kraljevic, deputy head of the Danube Region Development and Reconstruction Centre Slobodan Jovicic and HEP's coordinator for the Danube region Ivan Mravak also expressed satisfaction with the diesel power plants set to work. (hina) ha 292035 MET aug 97