NORWAY DONATES US$2 MILLION FOR ELECTRIFICATION OF DANUBE REGION

( Editorial: --> 7580 ) ZAGREB, 27 Jan (Hina)- The Government of Norway will donate to Croatia equipment worth US$2 million for repair of the power distribution system in the Croatian Danube River region. The donation contract, which was signed on Tuesday at the Norwegian embassy in Zagreb by Croatian and Norwegian representatives, envisages delivery of 48 transformers by 1 July, including 70 per cent made in Croatia. The contract was signed by Norwegian ambassador to Croatia Knut Morkved, general manager of the Croatian Power Distribution Company (HEP) Damir Begovic, representative of the Norwegian company ABB Kraft Tom Elling Andersen and representative of the Ministry of Economy Zvonimir Puskaric. Ambassador Morkved stressed that his Government saw the donation as a form of concrete assistance to the inhabitants of Eastern Slavonia, Baranja and Western Sirmium because repair of the power distribution system would facilitate revival of the manufacturing industry, and that in turn, the return of displaced persons. On the behalf of the HEP, general manager Damir Begovic thanked the donors. He said that 70 per cent of the project would be executed by Croatian companies and 30 per cent by the Norwegian company ABB Kraft. Begovic said he hoped that the Norwegian example would be emulated by countries of the European Union, considering the need for reconstruction of a large number of devastated homes. (Hina) mm mr 271909 MET jan 98