Around 800,000 people in 12 Croatian counties live surrounded by mine-infested areas, which cover 1,044 square kilometers, said Mirko Ivanusic, deputy director of the Croatian Mine Action Centre.
This year Croatia marks the 10th anniversary of mine action efforts. So far, an area of 250 square kilometers has been cleared of mines. Croatia and Kuwait are the only two of some 60 countries with mine problems to finance mine removal also from their own budgets.
Croatia has spent 290 million euros of budgetary funds for mine removal, it was said at the event.