CROATIA BIDS FOR $250M CENTRAL EUROPEAN FLIGHT CONTROL CENTRE

( Editorial: --> 4525 ) ZAGREB, Feb 25 (Hina) - Air transport safety in Croatia is on a European and world level, while airport equipment and the qualified personnel in flight control are congruent to high international safety standards, Maritime Affairs, Transport and Communications Minister Zeljko Luzavec told a press conference in Zagreb on Wednesday. Mentioning how the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) had given a US$30 million loan for airport equipment, the Airports Association president Luksa Novak said that all nine Croatian airports met all requirements for work. Novak added that air carriers had no major objections to the work of airports, while a total of 2.2 million passengers and 30,000 aircraft were expected to be received in 1998. In accordance with a special law, the Croatian Air Navigation Control Authority had been organised since 21 February as a special company in 100 per cent ownership of the state, Luzavec said. Authority director Drazen Ramljak said a selection process was underway for the location of a centre for controlling flights above the height of 9,000 metres. The centre would cover eight central European countries. Luzavec said the Croatian bid was among the first of 14 received offers for a $250 million centre which would have about 600 employees. The decision will be known in the middle of the year, while a working group will hold a meeting on this issue in Dubrovnik next week. (Hina) mm mb 251849 MET feb 98