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CET - 22 December (mind) |
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CET - 23 December (mind) |
153 sor |
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+ - | CET - 22 December (mind) |
VÁLASZ |
Feladó: (cikkei)
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22 December 1994
Volume 1, Issue 23
REGIONAL NEWS
-------------
**Former Communists Naming Former Communists*
Hungary's Constitutional Court could invalidate parts of a law today
regulating the investigation of public officials ties to the communist
secret police. The controversial law calls for a panel of judges to
investigate members of parliament and other high ranking
officials. They are being investigated in groups of 20. Late
last month, all in one group were cleared except for one, who
hasn't been named yet. But now the court could rule that it's
illegal for judges to act as investigators, a political activity.
The panel has been in legal trouble since it was revealed
earlier this week that its leader, Judge Jozsef Eigner, presided
over political trials in the 1950s.
BUSINESS NEWS
-------------
**Hungary's Social Security Administration to Get Firms**
Hungary's State Holding Company, one of two privatizations
agencies, plans to offer portions of some of the country's
biggest companies to the Social Security administration. Most
of the stakes would be 10% or less in individual businesses. A
total of about $600 million worth of these businesses is being
offered. Some of the firms include the national airline MALEV,
the trucking company Hungarocamion, the broadcaster Antenna
Hungaria and the national savings bank O-T-P. Hungary's
previous government committed about $2.7 billion in
privatization revenue to social security.
**Hungarian Reserve Requirements Raised**
Hungary's National Bank has decided to raise reserve
requirements on bank loans. The National Bank says the new
policy is designed to raise liquidity. It says Hungarian banks
don't have adequate reserves to back the rising number of
loans they're making. And the bank says it's using too much of
its own reserves to back these loans and that's having an
impact on the country's current account deficit. The central
bank plans to sit down with top banking officials early next
year to map out the country's future monetary policy.
**BUSINESS FEATURE**
Many business travelers know they have lots of options, but
their employers don't realize this. In central Europe, newly
formed corporations are gradually finding out how to cut
business travel expenses.
A recent American Express survey found that Hungarian
companies doing international business expect to spend nearly
4% of their total costs on travel. However, almost half have
no firm business travel policy. Generally, they expect these
costs to go up and they see no way to control them.
Hungary was the only central European country included in the
survey. The 9 others were all western Europe. Istvan Talabos
is business travel manager at American Express Hungary. He
says Hungarian companies are gradually learning how to
manage their business travel expenses:
"There are corporations who know that it is good to work with
a travel agency, by the simplest fact that a travel agency can
offer more services than the airline."
That's because individual agents, especially those
specializing in business travel, often negotiate their own
deals with certain airlines.
Talabos says airlines offer frequent flyer mileage programs
and the occasional upgrade to individual customers. But few
corporations use just one airline exclusively. Also few
companies can supply enough passenger volume to negotiate
their own special deals. This is where a high volume travel
agent can step in.
"Recently we finalized our negotiations with Air France for
example and there are certain destinations like New York,
Washington, Los Angeles, San Francisco and a few others in
which we can offer a 50% discount on a comfort or a first
class ticket. We negotiate with the airlines as a company who
has a volume on the airline."
Talabos says many companies don't realize that they can
control their travel expenses with a little research aimed at
finding the best deals.
"We think companies in Hungary don't have that type of
culture, so far. Small numbers of companies, they do have the
company policy for the travel arrangements. Most of the
companies they have only one criteria, namely: get me the
cheapest, logical fare."
Gradually, companies are learning how to find these good
fares. The corporate travel business is booming in central
Europe. Talabos says American Express Hungary's business has
increased 700% in the past 2 years. So it Appears many
companies are realizing that cheap fares don't necessarily
come from working directly with the airlines.
**SURVEY**
The case of the so-called dog child of Szil, in western
Hungary, last week captured the imagination of the world's
media. According to the Budapest tabloid newspaper, Kurir, a
4 year old boy was taken away from his mother because he
was allegedly being raised by dogs. The report said that Berci
walked on all fours and slept curled up on the floor. The
story made its way onto the pages of several British and
American papers. Duncan Shiels looked into this modern day
Mowgli story to try and separate fact from fiction.
Walking through the sleepy village of Szil, near the
Hungarian-Austrian border, you can hear geese, goats and
especially dogs. Every house has at least one or two. Four year
old Bertalan, or Berci, Kutrovics, was especially fond of his
dogs. Indeed, by all accounts they were the only friends he
had. Since the age of 2 he'd been locked in the house from 4 in
the morning until late at night while his mother worked and
his father was allegedly out drinking. Last month, after
hearing reports of Berci's situation, representatives of the
Child Protection Agency from the nearby town of Gyor came
and took the boy away from his parents. He's now living in the
agency's children's home. When Berci arrived he was in a sorry
state. Agency head Mihaly Szecsenyi claims the boy behaved
almost like a dog.
"When the little boy arrived he was filthy, we tried to put
shoes on him but he kicked them off. He couldn't use a toilet,
he crawled on all fours and at night he made noises at the
moon. When we tried to put him to bed he immediately got out
and curled up in a corner. He couldn't speak. He could only
understand simple commands like "come here" like with a
dog."
Berci's mother, Judit Sarly, says he was not brought up by
dogs and explains Berci's inability to speak as something that
just runs in the family.
"I grew up in worse conditions than my child. When I was 8 I
could only grunt but I understood. This boy is from my blood,
unfortunately, and he has learned in this family all that is
possible to learn. We've had no help. No one organized any
education for us. I had to work. I worked honestly, I didn't
steal. I didn't take him to the doctor because he was never ill
and I didn't take him to nursery school because Berci's not the
type to mix with other children."
But Berci has fit in very well at the children's home. He's very
popular with the other children. Szecsenyi says Berci's mother
is right about his health, though. Reports from a psychologist
and medical doctor indicate the boy has no serious physical or
mental deficiencies. Nurse Ilona Zko has followed Berci's
progress since he arrived at the children's home.
"He learns fast. He can see, for example, that you can eat veal
cutlet with a knife and fork so he learned how to use cutlery
very quickly, even though he's probably never seen it before
When he first came he always took food in his hands and
smelled it first."
Back in the village of Szil, Berci's neighbors all admit they
were aware of his living conditions. One neighbor who asked
not to be named, says she occasionally saw the child in the
street.
"He was nice and friendly. He came out to the street and came
up to us. He could only say "hee hee" He couldn't say anything
else. But otherwise he was clever. If I told him to fasten his
shoes or pull up his socks he did it. He was so little. They
should have done something."
But she didn't do anything to help Berci.
"Well, you know, nobody can interfere in a family's affairs.
There were child specialists, people from the court visited,
there was the village council, the mayor. Look we can't
interfere. His mother has said if she finds out who took her
kid away she'll take revenge."
Berci's mother has vowed to get her child back. She says she'll
take the Gyor Child Protection Agency to court. But that would
take money she doesn't have. Other parents may soon face the
same situation. Since Berci caught the public eye, the Gyor
Child Protection Agency has seen a marked increase in reports
of child abuse. Again, agency head Mihaly Szecsenyi:
"Since the Berci case we've had 20 or 30 reports of possible
child neglect by people in other villages, whereas in the whole
previous your we've had perhaps 10 to 15 cases were reported
to us."
As for Berci, he'll soon be joining new foster parents,
possibly by the new year. The center had no problem finding
the boy a home. It received 30 responses to an appeal it issued
for foster parents for him. So, even though this story was
blown way out of proportion by the press, ultimately Berci's
15 minutes of fame have left him better off, at least for now.
ABOUT CET ON-LINE
-----------------
* CET On-Line - copyright 1994 Word Up! Inc. and Cameron M. Hewes.
All rights reserved. This publication may be freely forwarded,
archived, or otherwise distributed in electronic format only so
long as this notice, and all other information contained in this
publication is included. For-profit distribution of this
publication or the information contained herein is strictly
prohibited. For more information, contact the publishers.
*****************************************************************
A tovabbterjesztest a New York-i szekhelyu Magyar Emberi Jogok
Alapitvany tamogatja.
[*] [*] [*] [*] [*][*] [*][*][*]
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[*][*][*] [*][*][*] [*][*] [*][*]
[*] [*] [*] [*] [*] [*] [*]
[*] [*] [*] [*] [*] [*] [*]
Reposting is supported by Hungarian Human Rights Foundation News
and Information Service.
*****************************************************************
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+ - | CET - 23 December (mind) |
VÁLASZ |
Feladó: (cikkei)
|
23 December 1994
Volume 1, Issue 24
REGIONAL NEWS
-------------
**Hungary Will Continue Investigation**
A law which created a panel of judges to investigate public officials
for past links to the secret police was upheld yesterday by Hungary's
Constitutional Court. This comes despite last springs stiff opposition
in Parliament from the Socialist party. And although the court may have
upheld the law which allows judges to serve as investigators, matters
dealing with who can be investigated remain unclear. The court did
state, however, that heads of universities and state-owned companies
cannot be examined. It also asked parliament to better define why
individuals should be investigated. Until parliament makes these
changes, most of the present law stays in force. Since the
investigation began several months ago 2 groups of members of
parliament have been investigated along with various other public
officials. And According to Judge Jozsef Eigner, head of the
investigative panel, judges will continue to probe.
"It's obvious that the Constitutional Court agrees with the purpose of
the law and the decision they made now eliminates the unconstitutional
parts of it. The result is especially reassuring for us, since we can
go on working, we are on the right track"
But Eigner himself is under attack over reports that he presided over
political trails in the 1950s. This could side track current
investigations. The National Security Committee meets today to examine
Eigner's judicial record.
BUSINESS NEWS
-------------
**Coca-Cola Amatil to buy Polish Coke Operations**
Australia's Coca-Cola Amatil Limited is going to buy all of
Coke's bottling operations in Poland for $237.5 million. Coca
-Cola Amatil expects the purchase to be complete before the
end of the year, but the price is locked in until January 31st.
The deal still needs shareholder approval. Under the agreement,
Amatil would buy all shares in Coca-Cola Poland Limited and
Coca-Cola West Poland Limited, 7 bottling plants and 20
distribution centers. Amatil already bottles Coke in 7
European countries, including the Czech Republic, Hungary and
most of their neighbors.
**SURVEY**
Christmas away from home can be a lonely experience. In
central Europe, daily life is left behind as families draw
together to share the joy of Christmas. This can mean a
confusing disruption as shops, restaurants and even public
transportation close down in the days around Christmas.
Nevertheless, there are still plenty of things for expatriates
who are here over the holidays to do.
Bright lights and decorations on the street, last minute
shoppers crowding stores and the hushed anticipation of small
children are all familiar signs that Christmas is approaching
fast. In central Europe, though, city life grinds to a halt on
Christmas eve and the bustle is replaced by stillness as
families gather on the most sacred days of the season. For
this reason virtually all shops and restaurants will be closed.
Hans Henkel is catering director of Budapest's Marriot Hotel.
"You definitely better do your Christmas shopping before
hand, because during those days, there's nothing going to go
on. Nobody's going to be open. Also restaurants are very
limited, especially Christmas eve, there are actually just a
few restaurants who are going to be open."
So you better head for the major hotels to find that special
Christmas dinner. Henkel says he'll be hard at work preparing
turkey with all the trimmings. After dinner, if being far away
from home has left you in a blue mood, go to see Hungary's
answer to Bob Geldof, the blues star Hobo; he'll be performing
a special Christmas concert on December 25th. Concerts and
programs will continue in Budapest all through Christmas
with organ recitals and classical concerts. But aside from
these musical events, you may find your favorite local haunts
closed during Christmas. But, in the Czech Republic, a number
of shops, restaurants and clubs stay open over the holiday,
catering to the foreign community. Prague resident Alexandra
Kurzova says the place to be on Christmas eve is the
"Hevelski-Trh", a large open air market not far from
Wenceslas Square. It has everything from live fish, waiting to
be turned into soup, to traditional Czech ornaments and
handicrafts.
"All the streets are decorated. We have also here the
Christmas market where the people sell their own products
which continues the Christmas tradition in the Czech
Republic."
Later that evening, another important central European
tradition takes place. Midnight Mass. Kurzova says that even if
they're not catholic, Czechs flock to hear the beautiful
Christmas hymns.
In Poland, extra masses are scheduled on Christmas Day to
accommodate the country's many worshipers. But, Pastor Bill
Anderson, of the Warsaw International Church says if you
don't get there early you may be out in the cold.
"Most of the Polish community goes to church on Christmas
eve. Sometimes, I've been told that people have to stand
outside because there's no room inside the church."
Also on Christmas Day, Warsaw has a rich offering of
concerts. The great Christmas Help Band embodies the spirit
of Christmas by promoting concerts to help the needy. Anna
Klosowicz, editor of Warsaw's "Where, What and When"
magazine, says the organization, raised over $2 million last
year and this year thousands of volunteers and rock groups
will join together with the hopes of raising even more money.
"Money from these concerts is going for sick children and for
buying equipment for hospitals."
The benefit concerts will be held throughout the Christmas
season culminating in a final gala event on January 8th. So
although it can be difficult to spend the holiday season away
from home, with a little searching, a bit of Christmas spirit
is never hard to find.
ABOUT CET ON-LINE
-----------------
* CET On-Line - copyright 1994 Word Up! Inc. and Cameron M. Hewes.
All rights reserved. This publication may be freely forwarded,
archived, or otherwise distributed in electronic format only so
long as this notice, and all other information contained in this
publication is included. For-profit distribution of this
publication or the information contained herein is strictly
prohibited. For more information, contact the publishers.
*****************************************************************
A tovabbterjesztest a New York-i szekhelyu Magyar Emberi Jogok
Alapitvany tamogatja.
[*] [*] [*] [*] [*][*] [*][*][*]
[*] [*] [*] [*] [*] [*] [*]
[*][*][*] [*][*][*] [*][*] [*][*]
[*] [*] [*] [*] [*] [*] [*]
[*] [*] [*] [*] [*] [*] [*]
Reposting is supported by Hungarian Human Rights Foundation News
and Information Service.
*****************************************************************
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