OMRI DAILY DIGEST
No. 187, 26 September 1995

POLITICIANS EVALUATE SLOVAKIA'S FIRST 1,000 DAYS. According to the
ruling Movement for a Democratic Slovakia, the first 1,000 days of
independence will be evaluated as "a period of intensive work to build a
lasting and prosperous home for every citizen," TASR reported on 25
September. Slovak National Party deputy Marian Andel said that Slovakia
has "fully proven its ability to survive." If the country's development
continues at the current rate, Slovakia will become another Switzerland
in the next few years, Andel stated. Although the opposition Hungarian
Christian Democratic Movement positively evaluated the situation in the
areas of finance and monetary policy, the party said a stable political
structure has not been created, and tension in society has grown.
Slovakia will celebrate 1,000 days of existence as an independent state
on 27 September. -- Sharon Fisher, OMRI, Inc.

HUNGARY SIGNS PACT ON ETHNIC MINORITIES. Hungary signed a Council of
Europe convention on 25 September to protect ethnic minorities, in the
spirit of pushing for a solution to the long-running tension with
neighboring Romania, Reuters reported the same day. The convention,
already ratified by Romania, Slovakia and Spain, sets rules on the
treatment of ethnic nationals. Hungary has 13 ethnic minorities living
within its borders, including more than 500,000 Roma and a small
Romanian community. Romanian President Ion Iliescu's call for a
"historic reconciliation," deeply welcomed by Hungary, has been recently
contradicted by a controversial education law discriminating against the
1.7 million ethnic Hungarians living in Romania. The Council of Europe
convention, effective once 12 nations have ratified it, includes a
clause providing for ethnic minorities to be taught in their own
language. -- Zsofia Szilagyi, OMRI, Inc.

HUNGARIAN STUDENTS PROTEST AGAINST TUITION FEES. University students
throughout Hungary on 25 September launched a 10-day protest against a
government decision to cut education subsidies and introduce tuition
fees, Hungarian newspapers report. The monthly fee of 2,000 forints
($15) was announced in March as part of an austerity package designed to
revitalize the economy. The National Federation of Student Governments,
which claims to represent 140,000 students at 70 institutions of higher
education, plans to have about 100 students camp in front of the
Parliament continuously until 5 October, when a mass demonstration is
planned. -- Zsofia Szilagyi, OMRI, Inc.

MELESCANU ON "HISTORIC RECONCILIATION" WITH HUNGARY. In an interview
with MTI, Foreign Minister Teodor Melescanu said the Romanian initiative
for a "historic reconciliation" with Hungary includes meetings of heads
of states every six months and monthly discussions of officials from the
two countries' foreign ministries to monitor the implementation of
points agreed on, Radio Bucharest reported on 25 September. The concrete
proposals of the Romanian initiative were handed over to the Foreign
Ministry in Budapest by Romania's ambassador to Hungary on 22 September.
Melescanu also said Romania rejected criticism regarding the law on
education and legislation forbidding the hoisting of foreign flags. He
reiterated Romania's opposition to a basic treaty with Hungary that
should follow the model of the Hungarian-Slovak treaty. -- Michael
Shafir and Matyas Szabo, OMRI, Inc.

[As of 12:00 CET]

Compiled by Steve Kettle


Tuesday, 26 September 1995
Volume 2, Issue 186





REGIONAL NEWS
-------------



**IN THE EVENT OF PEACE CENTRAL EUROPE CAN HELP**
  US Joint Chief of Staff Chairman John Shalikashvili said former
  Soviet Bloc states could join an international peacekeeping
  force in the former Yugoslavia if a US led peace initiative is
  successful.  Shalikashvili was speaking yesterday in Prague
  where he's begun a four-nation tour of formerly communist
  nations that want to join NATO.  Speaking after meeting with
  Czech Defense Minister Vilem Holan, Shalikashvili said NATO
  does see a possible role in the former Yugoslavia for eastern
  European countries that have joined the Partnership for Peace
  program.  Czech troops have already served with the United
  Nations force in Croatia.  Shalikashvili praised relations
  between the Czech army and US military but avoided direct
  comment on a debate over whether Prague should modernize its
  air defenses by updating its Soviet-era MiG 21 fighter planes
  or buying US-made F16s.  Shalikashvili would only say that
  "it's clearly a Czech decision on what to do."   Shalikashvili
  will go next to Hungary, then on to Slovakia and Poland.
  --Robert Gray


**SAJNOS, NEM BESZEL MAGYARUL**
  New York Governor George Pataki has wrapped up the personal
  side of his visit to Hungary and moved on to business.  He's
  also encountering some vocal critics in Hungary.  Pataki spent
  most of yesterday in Parliament.  In the morning he met with
  Hungarian Prime Minister Gyula Horn and President Arpad Goncz.
  The governor said the meetings focused on strengthening
  economic ties between New York and Hungary.  In fact, Pataki
  said his trip is being paid for by the Hungarian-American
  chamber of commerce.  He said New York firms are looking for
  business opportunities in eastern Europe, while former
  communist countries like Hungary need foreign investment to
  help with the transition to a market economy.

  "If Kodak can sell hundreds of thousands of millions of cameras
  in Hungary, Russia, Ukraine and Poland it means we will have
  more jobs in Rochester and I think that's something that will
  help the state of New York and the people of Hungary."

  But Pataki's trip isn't all business.  Over the weekend he
  visited his grandparent's home village Aranyosapati, in
  north-east Hungary where he had a reunion with dozens of
  relatives.  But not everyone is welcoming Pataki with open
  arms.  A fringe group calling itself the Transnational Radical
  Party is holding a press conference today to protest Pataki's
  support for the death penalty.  Executions have been illegal
  in Hungary since shortly after the fall of communism. --David
  Fink


**A BLOW FOR MINORITY RIGHTS**
  Hungary has ratified a Council of Europe convention to protect
  ethnic minorities.  The convention has already been ratified
  by Romania, Slovakia and Spain.  It sets rules on the
  treatment of ethnic minorities and includes a clause mandating
  they be taught in their own languages.  The convention will be
  effective once 12 nations have ratified it.  Hungary has 13
  ethnic minorities living within its borders.  There are
  600,000 ethnic Hungarians living in Slovakia and about 1.5
  million in Romania.



BUSINESS NEWS
-------------


**GODZILLA Vs. THE TRABANT MONSTER**
  Japanese automakers Fuji and Suzuki are joining forces in
  Hungary.  They're starting to build Suzukis with Fuji's Subaru
  name in Hungary.  Hungary's Magyar Suzuki plans to produce up
  to 10,000 Suzuki Swift hatchbacks a year under the Subaru
  Justy model name.  Suzuki owns about 55 percent of Magyar
  Suzuki.  Fuji plans to sell the Hungarian-built Justys in
  western Europe.  Hideki Tahara, a marketing and sales official
  at Fuji's European headquarters in Brussels said Fuji expects
  the deal with Suzuki to help it increase its regional sales.
  Tahara said Fuji wants to continue to have its Justys built in
  Hungary in 1997, but "it depends on the market situation."




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