1989. február (számozatlan) / HU_BFL_XIV_47_2
«K V«eAR!AN (°) oeTOB.W» -J ®™£ Editor: György Kr**»6 * 24/D Little Russell Street * London, WC1A 2HN • Tel. 01-430 2126 (from abroid 441-430 2126) 19th February, 1989 New March Front Calls Meeting At the invitation of the New March Front altemative groupings held a meeting on the afternoon of íriday February 17th in the Corvin Square centrsú. office of the Aduit Education Institute. More than 200 participants debated the proposal that in order to secure the transition to a parliamentary constitutional state a National Committee should be set up,in which official and independent organisations ^ are equally represented. The sociologist Iván Vitányi expreased, in his opening speech, his sorrow that two organisations, the Hungárián Democratic Fórum and the Ferenc Münnich Society, did nőt accept their invitation. He said that the New March Front will be funda- mentally transformed and will operate in the future "as a society". After this Péter Schaidt, a constitutional lawyer, gave an account of the Hungárián Socialist Workers Party*s standpoint. The Central Committee has welcomed the New March y Front*s initiative bút stressed.that the Party primarily wishes to conduct reci- procal discussions with registered alternative organisations. Iván Bába, speaking on behalf of the Network fór Free Initiatives, said that a common committee or altematively round-table discussions would, to a certain degree, legitimise both the authorities and the newly formed organisations. László Morvay the Baj csy- Zsilinszky Friendship Society*s representative, Dr László Ravasz who spoke on behalf of the Independent Small Holders Party and László S. Hegedűs who represented the Hungárián Peoples Party which was formed recently (it is the successor of the old National Peasant Party, the Petőfi Party and the Péter Veres Society), all completely supported the proposal. Bálint Magyar, an economist, spoke on behalf of the Free Democrats Alliance, saying that it is nőt clear to what extent the initiative reflects the attitűdé of the Hungárián Socialist Workers Party, who they wish to approach, or what the objective of the Committee would be. While the Instruments of coercion still remain in the Party*s hands and while there is no democratic electoral law, the independent organisations will nőt be equal to or have equal rights with the Hungárián Socialist Workers Party. The speakers included István György fór the Social Democrats Party, Pál Forgács fór the Scientific Workers Democratic Union and István Szabó on behalf of the "Left Wing Altemative" Union. The repre sentative of the Independent Lawyers Fórum said that the present Parliament was inadequate and proposed calling a constitutional national assembly. Levente Ruttkay Said, on behalf of the Network and the Free Democrats Alliance, that this table, that they were all to sit around, is similar to the Controls in a plunging aircraft with all its red lights flashing. He said that it must be remembered that committees had often been formed so that absolutely nothing would be done. The writer György Konrád said that decisions must nőt be hurried even if time is pressing. There are many things in the New March Front proposal which are viable bút we must nőt sit down to a table from which it is impossible to leave. Tibor Hajdú, a histórián, asked participants nőt to be averse to discussions with the Hungárián Socialist Workers Party as the Party*s attitűdé will, as it has already, be modified furtner in the future. Iván Vitányi in his closing speech sedd that a Preliminary Committee would be formed, in which only independent organisations can táke part, and that they awedt pro- posals from the Hungárián Socialist Workers Party. Subscribers can use or quote the Hungárián October newsletters in totál or in detail as long as the source is acknowledged. * ■
