CRO TRANSPORT MINISTER PRESENTS ROAD CONSTRUCTION PLAN

ZAGREB, Sept 9 (Hina) - Croatian Minister of Transport, Communications and Maritime Affairs, Zeljko Luzavec spoke about results and plans in road construction in the country at a press briefing on Monday. Luzavec told reporters that the road infrastructure was of great significance for development of Croatian tourism. "It is roads that will influence decisions which will be made by Hungary, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Poland about their orientation toward seas and ports," he said. According to the minister, the most important road that is now being constructed is a highway from the Croatian largest seaport of Rijeka via Zagreb to the Hungarian border. Sixty kilometres of this highway have been constructed in the last three years, and another eight kilometres will be finished this November. The Government has made a decision on setting up a joint stock company to accelerate construction of the Rijeka-Zagreb-Gorican (at the Croatia-Hungarian border). The company is expected to manage the constructed part of the road and to ensure money for the completion of its construction until 2000. Luzavec announced the beginning of the construction of the main road through the peninsula of Istria. He also spoke of results of programmes for improvement of conditions on roads according to which 133 kilometres of roads would be repaired until the end of 1997 and another 130 kilometres should be reconstructed in 1998. He told reporters that an agreement on reconstruction of Dubrovnik airport had been signed recently. The renovation that costs about 17 million German marks, should be completed until the next tourist season. He said that a significant growth was recorded in yachting in Croatia this year. Until September 1, about 30,000 yachts and boats were on Croatian Adriatic sea, and there can be 40,000 of them by the end of this year. (hina) jn mš 081616 MET sep 97