CROATIA & ITALY SIGN AGREEMENT ON CONSTRUCTION OF ITALIAN SCHOOL

( Editorial: --> 5212 ) ZAGREB, April 7 (Hina) - Croatian Culture Minister Bozidar Pugelnik and Alessandro Rossit, representative of the National University in Trieste on Tuesday signed an agreement on the construction of an Italian secondary school in Pula, northern Adriatic. The agreement was signed in Zagreb. The value of the project, which is expected to be completed within 450 days, amounts to about US$2.7 million. Negotiations about the school started in 1991 and the foundation stone was laid in December last year. The school will be equally financed by Italy and Croatia, and Italy is expected to participate in its equipment. Italy's Ambassador to Croatia Francesco Olivieri said the signing of the agreement proved that "the Italian minority will be of great importance in Croatia". (hina) jn rm 071339 MET apr 98