OMRI DAILY DIGEST
No. 1, 2 January 1997

HUNGARIAN PRESIDENT ON ECONOMIC HARDSHIPS. Arpad Goncz, in his New Year's
address, said that the government's austerity measures have pulled Hungary
out of its economic crisis, Hungarian media reported on 2 January. Goncz
noted that the austerity program has had far-reaching social consequences
that large sections of the population, including pensioners, have had to
bear. He added that although Hungary has developed new political
institutions and a market economy over the past six years, it will take
much longer to change the attitudes and habits of a multi-faceted  society.
It is the duty of society, not of the state, to pull the country out of the
morass of inappropriate values caused by historical developments, he noted.
-- Zsofia Szilagyi

[As of 12:00 CET]

Compiled by Jan Cleave