CROATIAN MINE REMOVAL EXPERTS CLEAR 145 HECTARES OF GROUND

ZAGREB, 29 Oct (Hina) - The special government agency for mine removal 'Mungos' has cleared 145,6 hectares of ground of 324 various explosive devices, the agency's representative Zeljko Zuljevic said. The agency was formed on 12 May 1996. It employs 160 pyrotechnists, mainly demobilised Croatian army and police members. Sine May this year, 'Mungos' members have been clearing the Croatian Danubian area and villages included in a pilot project on the return of displaced people (Lipovac, Nijemci, Ceric, Ernestinovo, Kopacevo and Bilje), as well as the area around the border crossing Udvar-Knezevo, on the Croatian-Hungarian border. In the next three years, 'Mungos' is to employ 2,000 pyrotechnists. The agency is also removing mines from the sea bed. 'Mungos' divers have already inspected the area around Dubrovnik and Vrsar, while the area around Skradin is currently being cleared of mines. (hina) rm mm 291349 MET oct 96