OMRI DAILY DIGEST
No. 42, 28 February 1997

HUNGARIAN GOVERNMENT APPROVES CONCESSIONS TO FARMERS' DEMANDS. The
cabinet on 27 February approved proposals to meet most demands by
farmers who have been protesting since the beginning of this week,
Hungarian media reported. Tax procedures are to be simplified and
farmers' tax and social insurance burdens eased. Small-scale protests
are continuing throughout the country, and farmers' representatives will
decide whether to accept the government's offer later today at a mass
rally in Kiskoros, south Hungary. Istvan Jakab, president of the
National Federation of Farmers, said the cabinet's concessions meet only
some of the federation's demands. He added that his organization intends
to proceed with plans to stage a nationwide road-blocking protest on 10
March. Meanwhile, Sandor Orosz, chairman of the parliament's agriculture
committee, acknowledged the legitimacy of the farmers' demands but
criticized the cabinet for "giving in" to the protests. -- Zsolt Mato

HUMANITARIAN AID TO BULGARIA. A UN mission arrived in Sofia on 27
February to assess the need for humanitarian aid, international agencies
reported. "Bulgaria needs humanitarian aid and any support is welcome,"
Vice President Todor Kavaldzhiev told Bulgarian Radio the same day.
Hungarian-born American philanthropist George Soros has donated $1.8
million through the Sofia branch of his Open Society Foundation, mainly
to secure medicines for the Institute for Emergency Aid in Sofia and
other hospitals outside the capital, RFE/RL reported on 25 February.
Part of the assistance will go to set up soup kitchens around the
country and to support the disabled and needy university and school
students. -- Maria Koinova

[As of 12:00 CET]

Compiled by Jan Cleave