DEMINING TO LAST ABOUT TEN YEARS, COST USD 1.03 BILLION - OFFICIAL

ZAGREB, June 1 (Hina) - Slovene and Croatian mine foundations signed a memorandum on agreement at the Croatian government on Friday, whereby Slovenia's ITF foundation for demining and assistance to mine victims will assist in humanitarian demining in Croatia. The "Mine-Free Croatia" foundation for humanitarian demining will try to raise finances through the ITF for a Croatian anti-mine activity system, said Branko Bosnjak, the manager of the Croatian foundation. Demining in Croatia will take at least another ten years and cost nine billion kuna (approx. $1.03 billion), according to Damir Gorseta, manager of the Croatian Mine Action Centre. Most of the funds have been ensured by the state budget, and the rest will be through donations, in which the Ljubljana-based ITF plays an important role, he said. More than $2.5 billion have been invested to date in demining throughout Croatia. Croatia is among the world's ten "most mine- infested countries," said Gorseta, who added 400 Croats had been killed by mines thus far. Mine-suspect areas in Croatia amount to 4,000 square kilometres, while 14 of its 21 counties are infested. "The war is over but the mine war is still on and we have to do everything to prevent anyone in our country from falling victim" to mines, said Gorseta. (hina) ha