VUKOVAR COUNTY GOVERNMENT HOLDS FIRST SESSION IN VUKOVAR

( Editorial: --> 5120 ) VUKOVAR, Dec 1 (Hina) - The Vukovar county government met in the county seat of Vukovar for the first time on Monday to discuss a 1998 budget proposal. County prefect Rudolf Koenig said that the 40 million kuna budget would be oriented towards postwar reconstruction and development. The county government adopted mine-clearing priorities until the end of the year, with the demining of the route of a future Danube- Sava canal as a top priority. Luka Kalenic, local government official in charge of mine-clearing operations, said a larger area had been cleared of mines than was projected in this year's demining plan for the Vukovar region. The demining of Vukovar town and agricultural land is planned to begin next year. Julije Skeledzic, official in charge of refugees, proposed that emergency relief groups be organised to help displaced people returning to their prewar homes in the county. Skeledzic said this was necessary because many returnees had still not received any aid and some of them were sleeping on the floor in vacant houses or apartments. (hina) vm mm 011848 MET dec 97