MEETING ON LOAN GRANTING HELD IN VUKOVAR

( Editorial: --> 7883 ) VUKOVAR, March 7 (Hina) - The president of the managing board of the Croatian Reconstruction and Development Bank (HBOR) Anton Kovacev, the President and Vice presidents of the National Trust Establishment Committee, Vesna Skare-Ozbolt, Ivica Vrkic and Vojislav Stanimirovic met with business people, craftsmen, and representatives of agricultural cooperatives and business banks from the Croatian Danubian region in Vukovar on Saturday. The meeting was also attended by Vukovar and Osijek Counties Prefects Rudolf Koenig and Anica Horvat. Skare-Ozbolt stressed the need for economic development of the region, without which, she said, there would be no return of displaced people. Ivica Vrkic was of a similar opinion. The poor economic situation was the reason why "some people are leaving the region and some are becoming increasingly reluctant to return," Vrkic said. Answering numerous questions by entrepreneurs and representatives of agricultural cooperatives and business banks, who criticised bureaucracy which accompanied the granting of loans, Kovacev said that HBOR had so far placed 125 million kuna in Vukovar and Osijek counties. Vukovar County Prefect Koenig supported the acceleration of the procedure of loan-granting, since many craftsmen, he said, could not wait for months to get a loan. Koenig announced the establishment of a centre for small-scale economy with the County Office for Economy. The centre should help small entrepreneurs in accessing HBOR loan programmes more quickly. Skare-Ozbolt proposed that a separate meeting on assistance to Vukovar craftsmen be held soon. (hina) rm 071620 MET mar 98