CRO PREMIER VISITS PLITVICE NATIONAL PARK

PLITVICE LAKES, April 26 (Hina) - Croatian Prime Minister Zlatko Matesa on Friday visited the Plitvice Lakes national park accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister Jure Radic, government minister Ivan Majdak and Minister of Tourism Niko Bulic. The manager of the national park acquainted Matesa with the state of the park. The Plitvice Lakes were occupied by Serbs during the Serbian aggression on Croatia and Matesa complimented the park's workers who helped reconstruct some motels and hotels after liberation. At the moment there are 295 people employed at the park and 150 are waiting for jobs. Matesa and his assistants also visited Udbina, Podlapaca and Krusevo where he talked to locals about the return of refugees. Matesa also visited the site where the new Maslenica bridge is being built (it had been bombed by the Serbs) and said that work was progressing according to plan. (hina) ha mm 262054 MET apr 96