POPOVEC-SV. HELENA HIGHWAY SECTION OPENED

POPOVEC, June 13 (Hina) - A Croatian Vice Premier, Borislav Skegro, on Friday opened ceremonially a 12.4-kilometre section of the highway between Zagreb and the Croatian-Hungarian border. The construction of the Popovec-Sveta Hlena section cost 160 million kuna (US$ 26.6 million). The construction of this highway was a necessary condition for the development of Croatia, Skegro said and added that the Government would continue pursuing a policy of investment into infrastructure as necessary for the long-term development of the country. Transport Minister Zeljko Luzavec announced that construction concerning two main traffic routes - the Hungarian border-Zagreb-Rijeka and the Slovenian border-Zagreb-the Yugoslav border - would continue. This year, Croatia has built about 80 kilometres of the highways, and invested about 5 billion kuna (approximately 883 million dlrs.), according to Luzavec. (hina) jn mš 132108 MET jun 97