ZAGREB, June 11 (Hina) - The number of people who fell victim to mine explosions in 1999 dropped by 36 percent in comparison with 1998, the result of a better education of the population and a better knowledge of mine hazards, the
Croatian government said in an annual report on the implementation of a 1999 mine-clearing plan and expenditures. In 1999, 30 mine-related incidents were recorded, claiming the lives of 51. Twenty-one persons were killed in ten counties, 13 were seriously and 17 lightly injured. Sisak-Moslavina County recorded the highest number of casualties, 13, followed by Vukovar-Srijem and Zadar County with six each, and Lika-Senj County with five. Compared to 1998, the extent of anti-mine activity rose by 62.28 percent. In 1998, 14.7 square kilometres of ground had been checked for mines, while last year testing covered 23.6km. By 20 December 1999, 13.4km of ground
ZAGREB, June 11 (Hina) - The number of people who fell victim to mine
explosions in 1999 dropped by 36 percent in comparison with 1998,
the result of a better education of the population and a better
knowledge of mine hazards, the Croatian government said in an
annual report on the implementation of a 1999 mine-clearing plan
and expenditures.
In 1999, 30 mine-related incidents were recorded, claiming the
lives of 51. Twenty-one persons were killed in ten counties, 13 were
seriously and 17 lightly injured. Sisak-Moslavina County recorded
the highest number of casualties, 13, followed by Vukovar-Srijem
and Zadar County with six each, and Lika-Senj County with five.
Compared to 1998, the extent of anti-mine activity rose by 62.28
percent. In 1998, 14.7 square kilometres of ground had been checked
for mines, while last year testing covered 23.6km. By 20 December
1999, 13.4km of ground were cleared of mines and subjected to
subsequent mine-clearing quality inspections. A total of 3,160
anti-personnel and 2,597 anti-armoured vehicle mines, and 4,047
pieces of ammunition were discovered and annihilated.
According to the government report, 167.2 million kuna (US$20.2
million) were spent on mine-removal in 1999, including 97.6 million
kuna from the state budget, 46.6 million from a World Bank loan,
19.6 million of foreign donations, and 3.4 million coming from
public enterprises.
Twelve companies were engaged in last year's mine-removal actions
alongside special units of the Interior Ministry. The busiest were
the experts of Mungos, a Zagreb-based company which was paid 102.5
million kuna (US$12.35 million) for its work, followed by another
Zagreb-based company, RU-RU, which received 11.4 million kuna, and
German company DR. KOELHER, paid 10.97 million kuna.
The report emphasises the cost of mine-clearing dropped
considerably as a result of a consistent and transparent
implementation of invitations for tenders, reaching last year an
average 13.6 kuna (US$1.63) per square metre.
The report reminds the Croatian Mine Action Centre (HCR) as a public
government institution leads and coordinates all mine-clearing
activities, and is active in educating the population, scouting and
reducing suspect areas, mine-clearing and marking mine fields.
HCR this year intends to clear of mines 35 square kilometres of
ground, establish a regional mine action centre, and amend
legislation in view of more effectively and safely implementing
humanitarian mine-removal projects.
The government report has been forwarded to parliament's House of
Representatives, whose next session will also discuss a bill of
amendments to the mine-removal law.
(hina) ha