95 SQUARE KILOMETERS DEMINED IN CROATIA IN THE FIRST SIX MONTHS OF THE YEAR

Logo ICBL (band landmines) DUBROVNIK -- In the first six months of this year, a total of 95 square kilometers, or 83 percent of the plan for the year, were demined in the Republic of Croatia. During the demining, 3,676 unexploded mines and other explosives were found, stated the representative of the Croatian Demining Centre, Ivan Cikara. There were two incidents in the period from January 1 to June 1, in which two persones were killed, one in the Licko-Senjska Zupanija, and the other in the Sibenik-Knin Zupanija. By October 7 of this year, a total of eight demining projects were implemented in the Dubrovnik-Neretva Zupanija, on a total area of 465,276 square meters, with activities taking place in the region of Hrastovica, Dubravka, Zarubaca, Prevlaka, Konstari and Cape Ostro. It was noted that the number of zupanijas suspected of having land mines shall be reduced by one - the Bjelovar-Bilogora Zupanija, and by 2004, it is expected that the Zagreb, Virovitica-Podravina and Dubrovnik-Neretva Zupanija should be added to the list of regions without land-mines. The whole of Croatia should be clear of land-mines by 2010.