From hungary-report-owner Mon Jan 22 14:50:46 1996 Received: from localhost (daemon@localhost) (fnord) by nando.yak.net (8.6.5/8.6.5) id OAA04585; Mon, 22 Jan 1996 14:50:46 -0800 Received: from localhost (daemon@localhost) (fnord) by nando.yak.net (8.6.5/8.6.5) id OAA04575; Mon, 22 Jan 1996 14:50:28 -0800 Received: from jbrown@isys.hu () via =-=-=-=-=-= for hungary-report@hungary.yak.net (4573) Received: from kingzog.isys.hu (KingZog.iSYS.hu [194.24.160.4]) (fnord) by nando (8.6.5/8.6.5) with ESMTP id OAA04568 for ; Mon, 22 Jan 1996 14:49:32 -0800 Received: from [194.24.161.32] (hrep.dial.isys.hu [194.24.161.32]) by kingzog.isys.hu (8.7.Beta.11/8.7.Beta.11) with SMTP id XAA22271 for ; Mon, 22 Jan 1996 23:49:00 +0100 (MET) Date: Mon, 22 Jan 1996 23:49:00 +0100 (MET) X-Sender: jbrown@mail.isys.hu (Unverified) Message-Id: Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" To: hungary-report@hungary.yak.net From: jbrown@isys.hu (Jennifer Brown) Sender: owner-hungary-report@hungary.yak.net Precedence: bulk Reply-To: hungary-report@hungary.yak.net ======================== The Hungary Report Direct from Budapest, every week Also available on the World Wide Web (http://www.isys.hu/hrep/) No. 1.34, January 22, 1996 ======================== SPONSORED BY: iSYS Kft., providing full Internet solutions for companies and individuals in Hungary. For further information, send e-mail to , view our World Wide Web home page(http://www.isys.hu) or call (+36-1) 266-6090. ========= CONTENTS BRIEFS NATO referendum faces Constitutional Court Democratic Forum fissure grows Ministers agree on privatization revenue split Tax-free years for American expatriates are over 1,100-year Hungarian anniversary launched Prominent Hungarians invited to lobby Few Hungarian police eligible for Bosnia mission OSCE commissioner okays Romanian language law Hungary to contribute to Balkan restoration fund Jewish ghetto liberation remembered Magyars could be lucky stars NUMBERS CRUNCHED Visits to Budapest's thermal baths last year Parliament's 1995 telephone bill Expected trade revenue with Serbia this year Growth of enterprises registered in Hungary Hungary's economic freedom rating FEATURE STORY The romance novel courts Hungarian women PARLIAMENT WATCH Media blunders could cause Smallholders' popularity to fall The Hungary Report is also supported in part by: MTI-ECONEWS, a daily English-language financial news service. For on-line (fee-based) subscription information, contact the Internet address: <->. (It's not automated -- write a nice note.) ====== BRIEFS By Jennifer C. Brown Copyright (c) 1995 ------------ GENERAL NEWS NATO referendum faces Constitutional Court A referendum on Hungary's membership in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) will go before the Constitutional Court following a case brought against Parliament by the Worker's Party, reports the Budapest Week. Parliament refused to schedule a referendum after the Party collected 142,000 signatures calling for a referendum on NATO membership. Some 100,000 signatures are required to call a referendum, according to a law that regulates grassroots movements. Parliamentary members argue that a referendum would be unnecessary now because Hungary isn't expected to begin membership talks with NATO until late 1997 or 1998. The government estimates that a referendum would cost the government HUF 1 billion (US$ 71,429). But Party President Gyula Thurmer calculates that Hungary's membership in NATO would cost up to US$ 3 million a year. The Worker's Party has no representatives in parliament. However, the referendum issue has generated a great amount of publicity for the party, writes the Budapest Week. Democratic Forum fissure grows Former ruling coalition Hungarian Democratic Forum is experiencing internal battles that threaten to split the party. In two separate meetings, party leaders nominated two separate presidential candidates for a March 2 election. One group elected current president Lajos Fur. He reportedly has not agreed to run for a re-election yet. MDF founder and vice president Sandor Lezsak was the other nominated candidate. The Budapest Week reports quotes Democratic Forum MP Gyorgy Rasko as saying that the opposing forces have grown since the last national elections in May, 1994. He said that Fur and parliamentary group present Ivan Szabo want to strengthen ties between the opposition parties by forming a group called the Civic Alliance. Former prime minister Peter Boross was quoted by Magyar Nemzet as saying that he believes Sandor Lezsak is the only candidate capable of leading the MDF along Christian, popular and national-liberal ideas. He also argued that the party's current leadership is leaning towards a liberal trend, which has resulted in a loss of popularity. In other developments, MDF presidium member Csaba Ferencz announced that he is giving up his membership. Magyar Nemzet quoted him as saying that the two opposing factions are counterproductive. Democratic Forum MP Gyorgy Schamschula, a former transport minister, also announced his resignation. --------------------- BUSINESS & ECONOMICS Ministers agree on privatization revenue split Following a month of public bickering, Finance Minster Lajos Bokros and Privatization Minister Tamas Suchman made an agreement to split extra privatization revenue, reports the Budapest Business Journal. Some HUF 190 billion (US$ 1.6 billion) will go toward easing government debt while HUF 35 billion in interest savings and an extra HUF 80 billion (total amount: US$ 8.2 billion) from privatization revenue raised this year will be spent on the economy. Initially, HUF 35 billion (US$ 250 million) resulting from interest payments on the paydown of debt will go toward developing exports and infrastructure. Also on the agenda will be the reform of national health care and education. The government will decide on the exact spending of the money in the spring. A possible beneficiary includes the M3 motorway. This is the first time revenue from privatization has been used to repay debt. Some HUF 500 billion (US$ 3.5 billion) in state assets have left to be sold. Tax-free years for American expatriates are over U.S. President Bill Clinton's proposal to eliminate a US$ 70,000 income exclusion for Americans living abroad will be felt in Hungary. The new tax rule hits American citizens dodging Hungarian taxes and those working less than 183 days for an American company. Under Clinton's proposed plan, Americans living abroad will have to pay federal income taxes as if they were living in the United States. An article in the Budapest Business Journal points out that most expats who work in Hungary must already pay Hungarian taxes. They must file U.S. taxes but will don't owe any money if they make less than $70,000. Now expats can receive credit taxes paid in Hungary against taxes they owe in the United States. Revenue from taxing expats will add up to US$ 9.6 billion over the next seven years, reports the Budapest Week. The article mentions that it will also increase the cost for U.S. companies doing business abroad and will reduce the incentives for Americans to work overseas. ----------- SHORT TAKES PRESIDENT ARPAD GONZ LAUNCHED HUNGARY'S 1,100TH anniversary celebrations last week. The opening ceremony was held in the Upper Chamber of Parliament, reports Nepszabadsag. Other dignitaries participating in the Millecentenary commemorations included Prime Minister Gyula Horn, Speaker of Parliament Zoltan Gal, Hungarian Academy of Sciences president Domokos Kosary and Minister of Culture and Education Balint Magyar as well as parliamentary group heads and Magyar Conquest memorial commission members. While delivering the commemoration speech, Horn said Hungary's past 1,100 year history points to a necessary position amongst Western European countries. But the current road toward Western Europe will require sacrifices. PRIME MINISTER GYULA HORN HAS INVITED 60 PROMINENT Hungarians living abroad to promote Hungary's interests internationally, reports the Budapest Sun. His announcement came during his third televised press conference. The three most prominent invitees include U.S. philanthropist and financier George Soros, Canadian real estate investor Andrew Sarlos and U.S. congressman from California Tom Lantos. The conference will take place Feb. 9 and 10. Speaking at the event will be Horn, Finance Minister Lajos Bokros, Foreign Minister Laszlo Kovacs and other government officials. HUNGARY'S NATIONAL POLICE HEADQUARTERS ARE UNABLE TO supply a 50-member contingent to serve in Bosnia due to a lack of qualified applicants. Magyar Hirlap writes that less than 50 volunteers can speak languages well enough to participate in the Bosnia peacekeeping mission. A smaller group of police will be sent instead following the cabinet's approval of the mission, according to Personnel chief Brig. Gen. Laszlo Bartos OCSE HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR ETHNIC MINORITIES MAX VAN DER Stoel, called the Romanian education law harmless to national minorities' language education, reports Nepszabadsag. What matters, he said, is how the law is implemented. His comments came after holding talks with Romanian Foreign Minister Teodor Melescanu and President Ion Iliescu. He supported the use of Romanian-Hungarian and Romanian-Ukrainian basic treaties for those countries' European integration. HUNGARY PLANS TO POUR HUF 100 MILLION INTO A U.N.-established fund for reconstruction in the Balkans, according to Industry and Trade Minister Imre Dunai. Hungary will be one of 50 countries which will contribute a total of US$ 1.5 to US$ 2 billion to the fund. Hungary is also competing with major multinational corporations for contracts to supply the region with materials. THE 51ST ANNIVERSARY OF THE LIBERATION OF BUDAPEST'S JEWISH ghetto by Soviet troops took place last week, reports Magyar Hirlap. The ceremony was held in a graveyard near the Budapest synagogue. Chief rabbi Robert Frohlich told Hungarian Jews that anti-semitism has not disappeared despite a 50-year international pledge against discrimination and racially-based hatred. ------------------ NUMBERS CRUNCHED * Visits to Budapest's 22 thermal baths in 1995 (Budapest Week): 4.5 million * Parliament's 1995 telephone bill (Magyar Hirlap): HUF 100 million (US$ 7.1 million) * Expected trade revenue with Serbia this year compared to US$ 50 million in 1995 (Ministry of Industry and Trade): US$ 300- US$ 400 million * Growth of enterprises registered in Hungary compared to 15% in 1994 (Central Statistics Office): 4% * Hungary's world ranking in terms of economic freedom ("The Economic Freedom of the World", published by the Economist publishing group): 92nd -------------- EXCHANGE RATE January , 1995 (National Bank of Hungary) US dollar - $ 142.36 (buying), $ 143.56(selling) Deutschemark - DM 96.83 (buying), DM 97.84 (selling) --------------- WACKY AS USUAL Magyars could be lucky stars Hungarians will have the chance to rub elbows with sex symbols Madonna and Antonio Banderas in Budapest when they begin shooting Alan Parker's film adaptation of Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical "Evita" in March. Thousands of extras are needed for some of the film's crowd scenes. Casting company Ros Hubbard placed an advertisement in English around bars and clubs in town for extras to play roles ranging from politicians and mourners. Both English-language newspapers also carried an advertisement calling for men and women over 30 with "very strong, distinctive and characterful faces" and "no professional acting or singing experience required." Hundreds arrived last Sunday to the try-outs but not all of them made it through the first round. Some of the would-be extras were rejected because they were too pale, reported the Budapest Sun, or possibly too young. "We are looking for heaps of babushkas," said auditions coordinator Gabriella Zahoran during an interview with the Sun. Perhaps a few more trips to the tanning bed would help make those Magyar faces more "characterful". ============= FEATURE STORY Romancing the romance novel By Emmanuelle Richard Copyright (c) 1995 "Her heart pounded intensely in her chest. Sounding like a clumsy love letter, she blissfully repeated 'I love you', in a barely audible whisper. Chase's answer was to place a flaming kiss on her lips and.... " Agi greedily turns the page without looking up at the worn out passengers around her, packed shoulder to shoulder in the old tram. With its cover promising "Desire, passion, love", the booklet in her hands causes other middle-aged women to throw sidelong glances at her. But Agnes pays no attention. The weather is sunny and she can keep her sunglasses on and read without feeling embarrassed. There are hundreds of thousands of "Agneses" across Hungary who are addicted to romance novels. According to a recent survey conducted by romance novel powerhouse Harlequin, Hungary has the highest ratio of such book per head, with each woman owning an average 1.3 novels, far ahead of the Dutch, who placed second with 0.7. "Romance series have proved successful in Hungary more quickly than anywhere else," says Imre Teglasy, editor-in-chief of Harlequin-Hungary and a former Latin teacher at Eotvos Lorand University. The Canadian-based company created a joint-venture with German press giant Axel Springer-Verlag, which tapped into the Hungarian market in 1990. Now with 700 000 copies sold a month, Harlequin has become the best-selling publishing house in the country. "And these novels don't all end up in the garbage can," says Teglasy. "According to our studies, Hungarians keep our low-cost paperback books on their shelves next to the great classics". The Hungarian's mania for romance novels has first to do with history. Although widespread before the World War II, this kind of literature was strictly prohibited under the communist regime. Every publication needed the authorization of the Ministry of Culture. As romantic books didn't rally people around the flag of the class-struggle awakening the proletarian consciousness, they were labeled as "bourgeois" and forbidden. This partly whetted the Hungarians' appetite for such "decadent" love stories. Hungarians are known to be voracious readers. "Their literature plays a great role in the construction of their identity," says psychiatrist Bela Buda. While Polish or Czech books are more inclined to deal with social, realistic or philosophical subjects, Hungarian ones have always been more sentimental. Hungarians cherish above all their romantic poets and writers from the 19th century, such as Mor Jokai or Mihaly Vorosmarty. Like anywhere else, nearly all the readers of romantic series are women. "But in comparison with some neighboring countries, Hungarian women are late in their emancipation process" says Buda. They live in a society where men and women's roles fit a rather conventional pattern. Although most women go to work for financial reasons, they are expected to keep the house in perfect order, to manage the household expenses and to cook the meals. Buda believes they find an escape in reading lots of women's magazines which, with their romantic serials, are among the best-sellers in the country. TV soap operas are also popular. "Hungarian women wish they had the same problems as the heroines in Dallas" says Buda. And the same American lifestyle. This thirst for another identity is "the keystone of our success," says Teglasy. The Harlequin romance series published in Hungarian consist entirely of translations of American best-sellers. "Our readers want an instant dream," he claims. Competitors' attempts to print Hungarian love stories all failed. Hungarian women are not interested in Attila and Illona's first kiss in a spluttering Trabant. But their imagination has limits: "When translating, we lift out the American details that can't be conceived of by a Hungarian, such as teenagers driving expensive cars," says Teglasy. "We are in a country where even an average teacher can't afford a car. Too many differences prevent the reader from identifying with the heroes," he adds. The stories themselves are always the same. A beautiful, sensitive girl meets a handsome, reassuring man. They only kiss after dozens of pages. Sometimes, they even go to bed. "And the end is always corny. That's why I love reading them," says Agi, who works in a bank. Unlike Agi, 71 year-old Erzsi dares not reading romantic books in the tram. "But I devour them at home because they really cheer me up," she says, blushing. "They help me forget how hard it is to face loneliness and my daily problems." According to their Harlequin survey, 43% of Hungarian readers are between 26 and 35 and three-quarters hold at least the equivalent of a high school diploma. Every kind of woman can choose the romance series that suits her best. According to the series' name, one knows whether the story will be (in the ad-mens' parlance) an "armchair traveling" story -happening in an exotic country-, a more erotic novel, a "second chance" story with a divorced women as a central character, a "medical romance" taking place in a clinic or even a historical sentimental novel. The books are sold at newspaper kiosks for around HUF 100 forints, far less expensive than most serious novels, and each series has a circulation of between 70,000 and 120,000. Only the teenagers' series was withdrawn after two years when young readers turned to racier stories. For psychiatrist Buda, this romance novel phenomenon, which seems set to last, could be a key to understanding Hungarian society at large. "A big interest in sentimental stories (as well as in crime stories) expresses a fierce wish for a clear social order," he says. It also brings out some of the Hungarian's "naive attitudes" in their "frantic search for a Western lifestyle". But reading romances can't be considered "dangerous". "Rather than making people frustrated, those books make them want to accomplish the same things they read about and can strengthen their faith in love" he says. Like anything else, the love-affair with romantic novels could go out of fashion again. Nonsense, says Teglasy. "Smokers can enjoy smoking the same cigarettes every day for years. Sentimental novels addicts are the same." Even if the readers themselves happen to fall madly in love? Tramway reader Agi says a strong relationship can't always be rosy anyway. "At least printed love stories are never deceiving." * * * Emannuelle Richard works for French Radio and regularly contributes to the Budapest Week ---------------- Parliament Watch By Tibor Vidos Copyright (c) 1996 Is the popularity of Smallholder leader, Jozsef Torgyan real or is it only a bubble bound to eventually burst? This has probably been the most frequently asked question about Hungarian politics over the past year. The answers generally depended on political sympathy and hope rather than a desire to accurately predict the future. In the meantime Torgyan was pushing ahead, using every opportunity to lecture fellow politicians about rhetoric and "talking to the camera". Torgyan doesn't seem to make any mistakes. No matter what he has done, his party's popularity has risen steadily and is now around 20%, about even with the Socialist Party. The Hungarian people, just as politicians, seem to be polarized by the Smallholder president: some like him, some dislike him, but only few remain neutral. In 1992 Fidesz was about equally popular, though far less divisive than the Smallholders today. In this comparison, history seems to repeat itself on a number of points. In 1992-93 Fidesz was fighting against the image of being too young to govern. In 1996, the Smallholders are fighting against the image of being too incompetent to govern. The reaction of both parties was to stress that they have a core of highly respected and educated "experts," who quickly drew up alternative economic policies which failed to attract much attention. But of course there are significant differences between the Smallholders' and Fidesz's story as well. Four years ago the press and the opinion-forming elite were still enamored with unspoiled young liberals while they quite dislike the Smallholders already. The latest move by Torgyan to appoint three well-known, far-right wing individuals into oversight boards established by the new Media Law will, certainly pour oil on the fire. Former Hungarian Television (MTV) acting vice president Gabor Nahlik, former MTV program director Mihaly Kocsis, and former Hungarian Radio presidential adviser Istvan Lovas were all at the forefront of the media war on the side of the conservative government's right wing. By trying to transform the Hungarian Radio and TV according to their nationalist and intolerant views, these three gentlemen played a crucial role in the catastrophic election defeat of the conservative coalition. The nomination of Nahlik, Kocsis and Lovas into the boards that control public broadcasting is a declaration of war with the majority of Hungarian journalists. That is one declaration of a war that a Hungarian politician has never won. * * * Tibor Vidos is a lobbyist and political consultant in charge of the Budapest office of GJW Government Relations. or A version of this article appeared in the Budapest Business Journal. =========== FINAL BLURB The Hungary Report is free to readers. To subscribe, send an email message to the following Internet address: hungary-report-request@hungary.yak.net containing (in the body of the message, not in the headers) the single word subscribe Conversely, to stop receiving Hungary Report, simply send to the same address (in the body of the message) the single word unsubscribe Please note: all mailing lists suffer from frequent "error" addresses. If we have problems with sending to your address more than one week in a row, we will remove you from the list. If you haven't received the report for more than one week, feel free to inquire directly to Steven Carlson (but please wait for at least a week, as we're also just famously late in getting the thing out sometimes : ) * * * Back issues of The Hungary Report are available on the World-Wide Web http://www.isys.hu/hrep/ and via FTP ftp://ftp.isys.hu/pub/hrep/ * * * The entire contents of The Hungary Report are copyrighted by the authors. Permission is granted for not-for-profit, electronic redistribution and storage of the material. If readers redistribute any part of The Hungary Report by itself, PLEASE RESPECT AUTHORS' BY-LINES and copyright notices. Reprinting and resale of the material is strictly prohibited without explicit prior consent by the authors. Please contact the authors directly by email to inquire about resale rights. * * * For information on becoming a corporate sponsor of The Hungary Report, contact Steve Carlson by email. Feedback is welcome. Rick E. Bruner, Creator <74774.2442@compuserve.com> Steven Carlson, Publisher Jennifer C. Brown, Co-editor Tibor Vidos, Parliament Watch Attila Beno, Magyar Net Watch * * * For its briefs, The Hungary Report regularly consults the news sources listed below -- for information about subscriptions, contact them by email: The Budapest Business Journal <100263.213@compuserve.com> & Budapest Sun <100275.456@compuserve.com> Budapest Week <100324.141@compuserve.com> Central Europe Today (free online) ================= END TRANSMISSION