RADIO FREE EUROPE/RADIO LIBERTY, PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC
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RFE/RL NEWSLINE  13 November 1999

VISEGRAD COUNTRIES ASK EU FOR HELP ON PROBLEMS OF ROMA.
Representatives of the Visegrad Four--Poland, the Czech
Republic, Slovakia, and Hungary--on 10 December asked the EU
to help them resolve the social problems of the region's
Romany population, CTK reported. The representatives issued
the joint request at a human rights conference in Bratislava.
The declaration describes the "coexistence between the
majority population and the Romany minority" as a problem
that requires a solution of "European dimensions." Slovak
government commissioner for Romany issues Vincent Danihel
said the region needs money from the EU to provide a
comprehensive solution to the Romany problem, including
housing and unemployment programs. He said Slovakia will
receive 1.8 million euros ($1.82 million) from the PHARE
program for Romany projects next year but added that the
country needs much more. VG

HUNGARIAN EXTREME RIGHT PARTY ATTACKS OPPOSITION. Istvan
Csurka, chairman of the Hungarian Justice and Life Party,
said at the party's 11 December national convention that the
Socialists and Free Democrats "represent death to the
Hungarian people in every form." He said his party's
priorities are to push the government toward "tougher
resistance and more radical changes" while making sure that
the "side of death" is not gaining ground. In other news, an
unidentified group on 11 December broke into a Budapest
synagogue and stole silver candlesticks, Torah decorations,
and prayer straps worth some 40 million forints ($160,000).
MSZ

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