HUNGARIAN RAILWAYS TO INCREASE TRANSPORT TOWARD ADRIATIC COAST

ZAGREB, Feb 1 (Hina) - The Hungarian Railways plans to increase services toward the Adriatic coast and hold the Croatian Railways (HZ) a strategic partner in increasing freight transport from Hungary to Adriatic ports. This was stated at a meeting of the railways' directors Marijan Drempetic and Marton Kukely in Zagreb on Thursday. This year, the HZ plans to achieve last year's results in passenger transport and a five percent increase in freight transport, whereas the Hungarian Railways plans to achieve last year's results both in freight and passenger transport. The two sides agreed on drawing up a strategy of cooperation in pan- European corridors and before international institutions, especially banks. Also considered was the possibility of settling a debt worth 3.3 million Swiss francs of the Croatian Railways toward the Hungarian railway company. Drempetic offered the Hungarian officials the settling of the debt through the repair of Hungarian carriages in Croatia and the production of heating elements for carriages by the Croatian company Koncar. Kukely expressed satisfaction with the offer and promised an agreement by summer. As a form of settling part of the debt, the two sides signed an agreement under which the Croatian Railways will rent five electric engines to the Hungarian Railways for a period of one year, which will bring the Croatian company DM 800 per carriage every day, the HZ reported. (hina) sb rml