An area of 41 square kilometres of land is to be cleared of landmines this year, for which 396 million kuna has been secured, Croatian Interior Minister Davor Bozinovic said at a meeting with associations of employers in the mine clearance sector and trade union representatives.

There are still some 240 square kilometres of land believed to be infested with landmines left over from the 1991-95 war, located in eight counties.

Last year, mine removal companies cleared 31 square kilometres of land, for which 348 million kuna was spent, Bozinovic said at the meeting.

This year’s mine removal projects will be financed from the state budget and available EU funds, he added.

The meeting was part of ongoing talks between the Interior Ministry, employers in the mine clearance sector, and the New Union, which represents mine removal experts.

(€1= HRK 7.5)