OMRI DAILY DIGEST
No. 223, 15 November 1995

HUNGARIAN PARLIAMENT PASSES CONTROVERSIAL CUSTOMS BILL. A customs bill
strongly criticized by foreign investors was unanimously passed by the
Hungarian parliament on 14 November, Hungarian media reported. The new
law--which aims to bring the country's customs procedures in line with
EU standards--imposes higher duties on imported goods. American
investors had opposed the bill, saying it could slow down technological
progress and disrupt long-term investment plans. They added that if it
passed, the level of active capital flowing into Hungary would likely
drop. And they also found it alarming that the Hungarian authorities had
failed to consult or inform them beforehand. Until now, Hungarian
customs procedures and tariffs were regulated by decrees passed in 1966
and 1976, respectively. -- Zsofia Szilagyi

CONFIDANT OF ACCUSED SERBIAN WAR CRIMINAL JAILED. Zoran Macai, friend
and confidante of accused war criminal Zeljko Raznatovic "Arkan," has
been found guilty of inciting murder in Hungary and has received a 10-
year sentence, international media reported on 14 November. Macai, who
was tried in the Serbian town of Subotica, served as a camp commander in
rebel-Serb occupied Croatia. The same day, Marinko Magda, a professional
killer, was sentenced to death for six murders committed in the province
of Vojvodina. Magda is currently serving a life sentence in Hungary and
was tried in absentia. Four other defendants, also believed to members
of Arkan's notorious paramilitary Tigers, received lengthy jail terms
but are expected to appeal them. -- Stan Markotich

[As of 12:00 CET]

Compiled by Jan Cleave


PRESS RELEASE (95)110                   14 November 1995

     SYMPOSIUM IN BUDAPEST ON THE POSSIBILITIES OF
            HARMONIZING CONVERSION STRATEGIES
                 ON 15-17 NOVEMBER 1995

The Symposium will bring together experts from 18
countries of the North Atlantic Cooperation Council and 3
international organisations.(1)  It will deal with
differences and similarities between the conversion
strategies in NATO and Cooperation Partner countries, the
economic consequences which could be derived through
progress towards international harmonization of defence
conversion strategies and possibilities for
improving the economic framework of conversion.  Prior to
the conference proceedings, the Hungarian hosts will
organize for interested participants a visit to the second
Central European Defence Equipment and Aviation
Exhibition in Budapest.

For more information, contact Mr. Charles Bois d'Enghien,
Economics Directorate, tel: int'l-32-2-728 47 86.

(1)  Belarus, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Hungary,
Italy, Kyrghyz Republic, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova,
Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Russian Federation, Ukraine,
United Kingdom, United States, European Bank for
Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), Organisation for
Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), Western
European Union (WEU).

  NATO Information is also available on E-Mail via the
following address: "".


Wednesday, 15 November1995
Volume 2, Issue 222


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

        **SLAVONIA PEACE ACCORD WELCOMED**
        Hungary is welcoming the new peace agreement on Eastern
        Slavonia, but says the deal is meaningless unless the United
        Nations disarms forces in the area.  On Sunday, rebel Serbs
        agreed to hand over Eastern Slavonia to Croatia through an
        accord under which a U.N. Security Council resolution would
        establish an international force to guarantee human rights
        during a transition period of up to two years.  Hungarian
        Foreign ministry spokesman Gabor Szentivanyi says Hungary
        hopes the peace keepers will see to it that disarmament does
        happen.  Szentivanyi says without it, there's no real chance
        for the return of refugees.  In his words, "they are simply
        too scared."  About 10,000 ethnic Hungarians fled Eastern
        Slavonia, which borders Hungary, after it was taken over by
        Serbs in 1991. Most of the 90,000-strong Croat community also
        fled. Another 4,000 Hungarians are still living in the
        enclave.

        **SLOVAK LANGUAGE BILL CAUSES HUNGARIAN PROTEST**
        Hungary's government says it'll appeal to the Council of Europe
        over part of the new Slovak language bill it considers in
        violation of the basic treaty recently signed between the two
        countries.  Foreign Ministry spokesman Szentivanyi says
        Hungary is especially concerned about a paragraph in the bill
        that would annul a 1990 law.  That law gave ethnic minorities
        that constitute more than 20 percent of the population of a
        community the right to use their languages in public
        administration.  Hungary and Slovakia signed the basic treaty
        last March.  But it hasn't been ratified by the Slovak
        Parliament yet. However, according to Szentivanyi the Slovaks
        are still bound by international law to honor it during the
        ratification process.

        **FRENCH FAVOR CZECH REPUBLIC**
        Czech Prime Minister Vaclav Klaus said after talks with
        President Jacques Chirac yesterday that France regards the
        Czech Republic as the top candidate for membership in the
        European Union.  Klaus told reporters that Chirac stressed
        he's in favor of enlarging both the EU and NATO.  Chirac
        spokeswoman Catherine Colonna says Paris wants early
        negotiations with the various applicants for EU membership
        after next year's intergovernment conference on reforming the
        group's institutions.  The conference is due to be concluded
        in the first half of 1997.  French European Affairs Minister
        Michel Barnier will visit Prague on today and Hungary on
        Thursday.

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