LOWER HOUSE CLOSES DISCUSSION ON RECONSTRUCTION BILL

ZAGREB, Feb 29 (Hina) - The post-war reconstruction in Croatia would take at least ten years, Minister of Reconstruction and Development Jure Radic told a parliament session Thursday, estimating it would totally require some 150 billion kunas (U.S. dlrs 28 billion roughly). The Croatian Sabor (parliament) Lower House closed the discussion on a bid of program for the return of displaced people and the Bill on Reconstruction in the first reading. The final text of the Bill would be tabled for the next session of the Sabor, Radic said. The lawmakers mainly discussed the problem of financial allocation. Srecko Bijelic of the Croatian People's Party (HNS) suggested that whole amount of the so-called war taxation be redirected to the reconstruction. He floated an idea of a public loan for the return and development and also proposed an engagement of the international community which should be preceded by an exact calculation of necessary outlay. Marko Miljevic of the Croatian Peasants' Party (HSS) urged for a "stronger motivation" to be offered to the returnees about to go to the Vukovar county and eastern Slavonia. Several other lawmakers urged for various tax-relief policies and non-repayable funds to be offered to the returnees, particularly assigned to start businesses of their own. Milan Djukic of the Serbian People's Party (SNS) criticized the Bill saying it "malicely sanctioned the conception of collective culpability of Serb population in the Republic of Croatia." "All of these materials we have been supposed to discuss speak only of displaced people and never of refugees. They also account for the mid-1995 figures, failing to take into account the damage done following the military operations 'Flash' and 'Storm'", Djukic said. Radic responded that the program included all the citizens except those indicted for the armed rebellion. The Lower House adopted the Mandate and Immunity Commission's proposal on ceasing the mandate of lawmaker Josip Juras, who had been appointed a deputy to the defence minister. Juras's chair was transferred to his deputy Josip Odak who had been sworn in at the Thursday session. (Hina) mm bk 291709 MET feb 96