OMRI DAILY DIGEST
No. 212, Part II, 31 October 1995

LEFT-WING SOCIALISTS ON FUTURE OF HUNGARIAN SOCIALIST PARTY. Hungarian
Socialist Party Vice President Gyorgy Janosi, speaking to a gathering of
nearly 100 left-wing Socialist deputies on 30 October, said the party
must limit internal disputes and develop new programs. He warned that if
it continued to search for scapegoats, both the party and the
parliamentary caucus would be in danger of breaking up, the Hungarian
press reported on 31 October. Janosi also pointed out that there is no
alternative to the government's stabilization program and that the
population must be prepared for further sacrifices. Socialist deputy
Ferenc Kosa suggested that the left-wing of the divided socialist caucus
draw up its own platform. -- Zsofia Szilagyi

HUNGARIAN OPPOSITION CALLS FOR ACTION AGAINST SLOVAKIA'S LANGUAGE BILL.
Alliance of Young Democrats deputy Zsolt Nemeth has described the Slovak
language bill as "scandalous" and noted that, by signing the Hungarian-
Slovak basic treaty earlier this year, the government has become an
accomplice to the "devastation" caused by Slovak Prime Minister Vladimir
Meciar. Several opposition speakers supported his remarks. Meanwhile,
Environment Minister Ferenc Baja told the parliament on 30 October that
the government will urge neighboring countries to join a convention
obliging signatories to announce industrial accidents. His statement
follows the 27 October explosion in eastern Slovakia and the Slovak
authorities failure to notify the Hungarians until the following
morning. -- Zsofia Szilagyi

[As of 12:00 CET]

Compiled by Jan Cleave