RADIO FREE EUROPE/RADIO LIBERTY, PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC
________________________________________________________
RFE/RL NEWSLINE Vol 2, No. 215, 6 November 1998

CLASH OVER HUNGARIAN APPEALS COURTS. The cabinet on 5
November decided to delay the introduction of appeals
courts, despite opposition from senior judiciary
officials, Hungarian media reported. It had been decided
earlier that such courts would be introduced on 1
January 1999. Cabinet spokesman Gabor Borokai announced
that within six months, the government will set a new
date for launching the four-tier judicial system. On 4
November, the National Judicial Council had said it
would appeal to the Constitutional Court if the
parliament approved the cabinet's proposal to delay
introducing the appeals courts. Council chairman Pal
Solt, who is also president of the Supreme Court, said
the cabinet is challenging the judicial reform initiated
by the previous government and that its actions are
illegal. MSZ

HUNGARY SATISFIED WITH EU COMMISSION ASSESSMENT. Endre
Juhasz, head of Hungary's EU mission in Brussels, said
on 4 November that his country can be satisfied with the
EU Commission's country assessment, which gave Hungary
the best mark among applicants for EU membership. He
welcomed the fact that the commission did not recommend
moving any country from the second group of applicants
up to the six-member group of "fast track" states. MSZ

DRNOVSEK SEEKS 'ENCOURAGEMENT' FROM NATO. Slovenian
Prime Minister Janez Drnovsek said in Washington on 5
November that he hopes his country will "receive some
encouragement" at the April 1999 NATO summit in its
quest for membership in the Atlantic alliance. He added
that he recognizes that "no one [in NATO] wants to open
serious discussions about the next step" following the
admission of Poland, Hungary, and the Czech Republic.
Drnovsek also noted, however, that he has "not heard
[of] any problems regarding Slovenia's candidacy." PM
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
               Copyright (c) 1998 RFE/RL, Inc.
                     All rights reserved.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx