VALENTIC ANNOUNCES BUDGET OF 8 BILLION GERMAN MARKS

ZADAR, Dec 8 (Hina) - "We must provide sufficient money in the next year's Budget for the defence on one hand, and for the reconstruction on the other. The defence expenditure should be placed on the first place. However, the reconstruction will not be neglected, Croatian Prime Minister Nikica Valentic today said to the Zadar County and city officials and businessmen. Prime Minister Valentic announced that in 1995 the Government would be given the Budget of 28 billion kunas, i.e. around DEM 8 billion. The Government agreed to budget more money for the reconstruction. He added that the Government would financially support every programme on the reconstruction, and help displaced people to return to the liberated villages and towns. Minister of Development and Reconstruction Jure Radic today said the principle of this Ministry was that the reconstruction should be at the same time the development. According to Radic, an example of such efforts is the project on joining the waterworks of Sibenik and Zadar. The construction of the joint water system between the two cities was now under way. In the Budget the Government is to allocate money for the construction of the Maslenica Bridge as well as for a tunnel through Mount Velebit. (hina) mar mms 081903 MET dec 94