RADIO FREE EUROPE/RADIO LIBERTY, PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC
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RFE/RL NEWSLINE  15 February 2000

HUNGARIAN RAIL UNIONS END STRIKE. Hungarian rail unions on 14
February ended their 14-day strike, saying they accept a
proposed agreement with the Hungarian State Railways Company
(MAV). According to the accord, workers will receive a 8.5
percent wage increase this year and inflation-indexed
increases over the next three years. MAV still has to sign
the agreement, but trade union representatives say they are
optimistic that negotiations on remaining questions will be
concluded soon. Originally, the unions had demanded a 14
percent pay rise. MSZ

HUNGARY LOOKS FOR EU'S HELP TO DEAL WITH CYANIDE SPILL.
Hungarian Foreign Minister Janos Martonyi on 14 February
informed EU Expansion Commissioner Guenter Verheugen that
Hungary will ask for professional and financial support from
the EU in tackling environmental damage caused by the cyanide
spill into the Romanian part of the Tisza River. Spokesman
Gabor Horvath said the ministry is constantly informing
international organizations about what Hungarian officials
called "Central Europe's worst ecological disaster" since
Chornobyl. The Romanian Environment Ministry announced on 14
February that Romania will not pay compensation to Hungary,
but it acknowledged that more than 80 percent of the fish in
the Tisza River have perished owing to the cyanide spill. MSZ

BELGRADE AIRPORT SET TO RESUME FLIGHTS. Officials at Belgrade
airport said on 14 February that flights can resume within 10
days. The first routes to reopen will be those to Amsterdam,
Zurich, Frankfurt, and Rome, RFE/RL's South Slavic Service
reported. Observers note that Belgrade-bound air travelers in
recent months have had to fly via Montenegro or Banja Luka or
else come by bus from Hungary or other neighboring countries.
PM

HUNGARIAN ENVIRONMENT MINISTER IN ROMANIA. Pal Pepo on 14
February visited the Aurul gold mines in Baia Mare, from
where cyanide spilled into a tributary of the Tisa (Tizsa in
Hungarian) River (see above), affecting also the River
Danube, RFE/RL's Bucharest bureau reported. He said it may
take as long as 10 years to re-establish the ecological
balance in the area. Foreign Minister Petre Roman said the
incident has "gravely affected Romania's image" abroad and
that Romania will ask for international aid to deal with the
disaster and prevent similar occurrences in the future. EU
Commissioner for the Environment Margot Wallstrom is visiting
the affected area on 15 February. MS

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