VECERNJI LIST: WAR DAMAGE EQUALS FOUR ANNUAL NATIONAL BUDGETS

ZAGREB, May 17 (Hina) - The Zagreb-based daily, Vecernji List, published in today's issue an interview with Minister of Reconstruction and Development Jure Radic on the reconstruction of the Western Slavonia region after its recent liberation by Croatian forces. "At the moment all public attention is focused on the Serb population in Western Slavonia," Radic said. "It's obvious that we should care about all our citizens, but I must emphasize that the level of damage is different. Practically all Croat property - houses, churches, schools, health institutions - was destroyed, while the respective assets in Serb villages remained almost intact," the minister said. "We are talking here about 14,206 people from Western Slavonia, mostly Croats, who are now refugees in Croatia or in Europe. Their houses were damaged most," Radic said. He emphasized that war damage in Croatia totalled about 100 billion kunas, which equalled four annual budgets of the country. "We plan to invest about one billion kunas into reconstruction this year," Radic said. The Croatian government last week decided to revise the national budget to include 200 million kunas for the reconstruction of the newly liberated Western Slavonia region. (Hina) mm bk 171246 MET may 95