$45 MIL TO BE SPENT ON MINE CLEARING EFFORTS IN CROATIA BY END OF 1998

( Editorial: --> 4332 ) SISAK, Aug 23 (Hina) - The Croatian Mine Clearing Centre plans to clear more than 17 square kilometres of mined areas from Croatia's war devastated regions by the end of the year. The Sisak-based Centre's director Damir Gorseta said it was planned to spend about 290 million kuna (about US$45 million) on mine clearing work from August to December. A state budget allocation of 98 million kuna (about $15.2 million) will finance work covering 6sq km of mined areas, the Croatian Army will clear another 2sq km at a cost of 46 million kuna ($7.1 million) and Croatian Interior Ministry specialist units will clear 1sq km at a cost of 15.9 million kuna ($2.5 million). Croatian public enterprises have put in a total of 47 million kuna ($7.3 million) to finance the clearing of 3sq km, while a World Bank loan of 58.4 million kuna ($9 million) will help clear 4sq km of mine fields. Gorseta said it was planned that foreign donations worth 24.1 million kuna (about $3.7 million) would contribute to clearing at least 1sq km. It is estimated there were between one and 1.2 million mines of various types laid across Croatia, covering a total area of about 6,000sq km. It is expected to take 15 or so years to clear these areas of mines. (Hina) mbr 232108 MET aug 98