OSIJEK, 26 Nov (Hina) - The Government Office for the establishment of Croatian authority in eastern Slavonia on Tuesday held a meeting in Osijek to discuss further steps in the process of peaceful reintegration of the Croatian
Danubian area into Croatia's legal and constitutional system.
OSIJEK, 26 Nov (Hina) - The Government Office for the establishment
of Croatian authority in eastern Slavonia on Tuesday held a meeting
in Osijek to discuss further steps in the process of peaceful
reintegration of the Croatian Danubian area into Croatia's legal
and constitutional system. #L#
The Office's deputy head Mirko Tankosic said that the
introduction of payment operations and the Croatian currency kuna
were preconditions for the establishment of a banking system and
registration of companies in the U.N.- administered area of eastern
Slavonia.
Speaking about a forthcoming conference of donors in Vukovar,
Tankosic reiterated Croatia's stance according to which all
reconstruction projects have to be approved by the Croatian
government and be of use to all residents in the area.
A representative of President Franjo Tudjman and head of the
headquarters for the removal of mines, Major General Slavko Baric,
said that 1,803 buildings had been inspected so far; 3 420,317
square kilometers of ground had been cleared of mines. During the
removal of mines, two experts had received severe wounds, while
five had been lightly wounded, Baric said.
Warning that a lack of financial means prevented the
engagement of more mine-removal experts and machines, Baric
stressed the forthcoming entry into the so-called Baranja triangle
(the most southern part of Croatian Danubian area) and the villages
of Laslovo, Korodj and Marinci. He added that the winter period
would be used for the education of experts and returnees.
The police forces in charge of mine removal include 250
Croatian police officers, which makes 19% of their total number. By
the end of the year, another 50 police officers should join these
forces, said Ivan Babic, deputy head of the Transitional Police in
the area.
Some 250 people could return to the area of 'Baranja
triangle', said Branko Spanic, head of the Department for
Humanitarian Issues and Displaced Persons. He added that offices
for the issuing of Croatian documents would be opened in Novi
Bezdan and Torjanci in the next two days.
Josip Galic, head of the Department for Economy,
Reconstruction and Public Companies, said that construction workers
would enter the village of Antunovac on Monday. The announced
Vukovar conference of donors would show the extent of interest of
the international community in investing in the area, he said.
(hina) rm mm
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