CROATIAN PREMIER VISITS MASLENICA BRIDGE

ZADAR, Dec 23 (Hina) - Croatian Prime Minister Zlatko Matesa passed over the Maslenica bridge which runs over the Novsko Zdrilo strait (central Adriatic) at 10.15 hours Monday. Matesa drove over one half of the bridge from the Zadar side and walked over the other half. Matesa's passing over the bridge officially marked the end of all major construction works on the bridge. #L# The old Maslenica bridge had been destroyed in November 1991 during an offensive by the Yugoslav People's Army (JNA) and Serb para-military forces on Zadar. Accompanying Matesa were Reconstruction and Development Minister Jure Radic, Tourism Minister Niko Bulic, Zadar County Prefect Sime Prtenjaca and other officials. The construction director, Mladen Skomrlj, told Matesa that the bridge would be completely constructed in about a month. Matesa said that the construction of roads was of great importance for Croatia. "Noone wants to drive from Munich to our border only several hours and then spend 10 to 15 hours driving to Dubrovnik. We recognize that, but now we have the ability and money to work on it", he said. One of the architect-engineers of the bridge, Development and Reconstruction Minister Jure Radic, stressed that the Maslenica bridge was the work of Croatian constructors in full. The bridge had been constructed using new construction technology, Radic said. "It is the first ferro-concrete bridge with such a great arch," Radic said. The foundation stone of the bridge was set by Croatian President Franjo Tudjman in January 1993. The 377.60 metres-long bridge is 20.40 metres wide and is a section of the future highway towards the center of Croatia. (hina) lm jn 231440 MET dec 96