PRIME MINISTER VALENTIC CALLS ON SERBS TO REMAIN IN CROATIA

LIPIK, May 16 (Hina) - "The task of the Government is to reconstruct about two thousand houses in western Slavonia by October 1 this year," Croatian Prime Minister Nikica Valentic said in Lipik on Tuesday. Valentic with his deputy Jure Radic, Minister Ivan Majdak, and the Croatian Credit Bank for Reconstruction (HKBO) director Anton Kovacev, toured the newly-liberated parts of the Pakrac and Lipik municipalities today. Valentic said the Government had already decided to revise the Budget so that it could earmark funds of around three hundred million kunas for repairs on houses owned by Croats as well as by Serbs who remained in western Slavonia. After visiting Lipik, Valentic and the Government officials travelled to Pakrac. During the talks with local Serbs Valentic guaranteed them all freedom and security and called on them and their kinsmen to remain in Croatia. (hina) jn mms 162103 MET may 95