Amerikai Magyar Hírlap, 2004 (16. évfolyam, 5-50. szám)
2004-03-12 / 11. szám
AMERICAN English page Hungarian Journal Farmers Stop Crying Over Spilt Milk BUDAPEST - After almost two weeks of nationwide demonstrations, farmers’ representatives reached an agreement with the Ministry of Agriculture on the issues. On signing the document, the demonstrators agreed to remove their vehicles from the main roads across Hungary and around Budapest. They also canceled a general meeting scheduled for the following Friday, András Dékány the ministry spokesman said. According to Dékány, the agreement is based on an earlier proposal set forth by the ministry. A few additions were made after the farmers insisted that the government should provide guarantees for the subsidies stipulated in the agreement. “Farmers will have access to additional subsidies worth several billion forints,” Dékány said, adding that the government will implement a number of measures to improve the working conditions for farmers. The spokesman emphasized that the deal involved all problematic areas: the milk, pig and poultry industries. Dékány mentioned that the agreement was partly the result of the ministry’s negotiations with supermarket chains including Spar, CBA, Auchanand Metro, which undertook to remove Reggeli ital (breakfast drink) from the shelves. Manufactured from milk derivatives, these products have been sold for much less than “real” milk, which has drawn harsh criticism from milk producers. In addition, the Government increased VAT on breakfast drinks. According to Ministry of Agriculture State Secretary Tibor Szanyi, the disappearance of these products from the market may increase domestic milk sales by up to 10%. Farmers decided to launch the nationwide demonstrations because they had failed to agree with processors and the government about the produce purchase price and the amount of subsidies. The milk producers’ situation became desperate after processing plants decreased prices by some 10% last year, saying there was overproduction in the market. Pig and chicken producers joined the demonstration because they have been loss-making and retailers tend to buy cheaper products from abroad. Béla Bagi, the demonstrations’ chief organizer called the agreement a “reasonable compromise”, although it “may not satisfy all farmers.” Nevertheless, he expressed the hope that these issues can be sorted out during further negotiations. KÖNNYŰ RETURNS TO POLITICS and K.O’s Assembly Primary Opponents “Scandal ridden Cohn is next to fall!” predicts Könnyű Former Congressman and Assemblyman Ernie Könnyű (RSaratoga) easily won his primary election with 61% of the vote against his two Republican opponents, David Reddick and Fred Jankoviak, both of San Jose in the 24th State Assembly district consisting mostly of San Jose. The smiling and gregarious Könnyű, his arm around his wife, Lillian, of 44 years, issued the following statement from his Saratoga home: “I’m gratified for the magnificent support I received today from the members of my party and independent voters. I thank our over 200 supporters for their help in making our victory possible. Könnyű added, “I’m excited about the coming campaign. Under the sponsorship of Assembly Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy, I’ll be in Sacramento meeting with Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and my party’s state leaders in the coming three days to discuss the November election and our plan to win it. I will predict to those leaders that my Fall opponent, the scandal ridden Assembly Member Rebecca Cohn, is the next incumbent to fall!” Könnyű continued: “In the Fall campaign I’ll be talking about my state Assembly record of reforming California’s broken welfare system, and getting California ’s economy moving again. On the other hand, Assembly member Cohn will have a harder time focusing on the issues we care about. She finds herself embroiled in one scandal after another...interfering in an investigation of pay-forplay Oracle contracting; a taxpayer rip-off to benefit Intuit Corporation, the top Cohn campaign donor at $7000; a self-indulgent photo shoot at the San Jose Magazine gone horribly awry; official ethics complaints from five of her own taxpayer paid employees who’ve been made to do political business on state time and even to hold Cohn’s unmentionables.” Könnyű concluded, ”As a member of the California Assembly, I’ll focus on bringing jobs home to California through improving California’s business climate. Rebecca Cohn will have to defend a record of focusing primarily on herself.” If you love opera, this is a „must read” item! James Koenig: And the Meter is Running... An opera singer’s impressions of New York life, diva behavior, friendship, love, dogs, and strange destiny In a bookstore near you! March 12, 2004 Antonovich Denounces Board Vote Against Constitutional Amendment LOS ANGELES - Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich issued the following statement on the Board’s 3-2 vote opposing President Bush’s support for a constitutional amendment barring homosexual marriage: “By refusing to continue this item to allow public input and discussion, the majority on the Board violated its own fairness policy and denied those with an alternative view their free speech rights.” “The motion suggests that President Bush brought this issue into the public debate for political purposes. To the contrary, President Bush is acting in response to the illegal issuance of marriage licenses to homosexuals in San Francisco, and a court ruling in Massachusetts, to enforce the federal “Defense of Marriage Act” passed eight years ago by Congress and signed by President Bill Clinton. Passed by the House on a 342-67 vote and the Senate by 65-14, the Defense of Marriage Act defines marriage as the legal union between one man and one woman as husband and wife.” “Further, California Proposition 22 - overwhelmingly approved by voters in the year 2000 - accurately defines marriage as between a man and a woman as husband and wife. 38 other states have enacted similar laws and a Constitutional amendment would prevent those states from being forced to accept, as legally married, homosexuals who have been wedded in other states.” “While motion supporters contend the issue does not rise to Constitutional importance and distracts the public from other issues, the 27th amendment, adopted in 1992, concerns legislators’ salaries - a topic hardly as significant as the institution of marriage.” “They smuggled out packages from K&H Equities” BUDAPEST - Laura Tatai in her confession to the police has confirmed that a large quantity of documents had been taken out from the premises of K&H Equities on the instructions of Attila Kulcsár. The department leader of the Commercial and Credit Bank has recognized she had taken part in smuggling out the huge parcels. According to Ms. Tatai, the documents have been annihilated by taxi driver Gyula Sz.. The minutes say that Ms. Tatai took two huge parcels from the receptionist of K&H Equities on July 1, 2003 and she gave them to Gyula Sz. who annihilated them as instructed by Attila Kulcsár. Ms. Tatai denied knowledge of the contents of the documents but the transcript of a bugged phone call contradicts this claim. MERRY CARNIVAL The New York Hungarian Theatre, under the leadership of Elizabeth De Charay, has brought a wonderful present to its audience this Carnival season. The February 7th performance stood out among all the great performances as the most memorable. The directress had just returned from a lengthy trip to Hungary at the beginning of winter, after many-many interviews and appearances on TV. As soon as she got back, she started preparations and organizational work on the Carnival (Farsang) program. The result was an extremely entertaining, endearingly witty, cheerful evening on the stage as well as in the audience. In the first part, we could see one of the greatest stars of jazz in the world, Joe Murányi and his band, the Mardi Gras. Joe Murányi is one of the funniest, most entertaining and scintillatingly humorous personality we are likely to meet. He is not only making music, - and how! - but also treats his public to a lesson in music history. He was embraced by the audience with enthusiasm on both counts and the band Mardi Gras and the former clarinet player of Louis Armstrong were only allowed to leave the stage after en encore. In the second part, Margit Kurunczi recalled the carnivals and carnival customs of yesteryear. Being a TV-personality, she could think beyond the stage and was not afraid to involve members of the public in mixing the elixir, with lots of hilarious ideas. Then she talked to the audience about erstwhile balls of the carnival season. Next, we applauded a lighthearted skit entitled “Flying Granny”, performed by Elizabeth De Charay and her pupil, Szilvia Kovács. We could see that Elizabeth is not only a great comedienne, but also a brilliant teacher. Szilvia Kovács gave a charming performance in the role of the office girl. She has grown considerably under the guidance of her teacher since last year. All our thanks go to Elizabeth De Charay for producing such outstanding performances in spite of the difficulties, not the least of which are of a financial nature. I don’t believe there’s anyone who produced more international stars on a Hungarian stage. Taking all the hardships and difficulties in stride, she continues her calling, the nurturing of Hungarian culture, with undiminished energy and enthusiasm. Pál Deák’s article translated by Susan Jancso Top Rebel Delays Attack on Haiti's Capital PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti - Pro-government mobs that were looting and shooting up the Haitian capital withdrew from the streets Saturday, obeying an plea from President Jean-Bertrand Aristide. A rebel leader said he would honor a U.S. appeal not to attack. Though violence subsided, doctors said the morgue at Portau-Prince's only hospital was full, and that 25-30 bodies were brought in recently — raising the death toll to more than 100 in Haiti's four-week-long rebellion. The United States urged both sides in the conflict to end the violence that broke out Feb. 5. Rebel leader Guy Philippe, speaking to from a key northern city in his control, said his fighters would not attack the capital "for a day or two." France, Brazil, Canada and the United States sent military planes with soldiers Saturday to evacuate citizens. At the airport, about 200 people tried to get on a nine-seat plane flying to the Dominican Republic. Most airlines have canceled flights to Haiti, where there are an estimated 20,000 foreigners. EU Suspends US Poultry Imports The US says its strain of bird flu cannot infect humans The European Commission has ordered a one-month ban on live poultry and egg imports from the United States, after a bird flu outbreak in Texas. US officials say the outbreak is different from the deadly Asian strand and poses a low health risk to humans. But EU Health Commissioner David Byrne said "safety had to come first", adding the EU would review the ban next month. A quarter of EU's annual egg imports come from the US, worth 20m euros ($25.17m) in trade. The EU also imports some 450,000 day-old-chicks a year from the US, more than half its imports in this category. Russia - the largest poultry export market for the US - and Taiwan have also announced bans - but only on imports from Texas. Texas is the fourth US state to be hit by bird flu after Delaware, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. But officials say the virus found in a Texas chicken flock is a more dangerous form. The infected farm near San Antonio in south-central Texas has been quarantined over the weekend. Officials are also monitoring farmworkers in the area as a precaution. European Commission officials say they learned about the outbreak late on Monday. "It is not as virulent as the outbreak in Asia, but nevertheless its a highly contagious virus and therefore does require an immediate response from the EU," Health Commissioner Byrne told reporters. "We want to ensure there is no risk posed." Watch the programs of PUNA TV daily 3:30 pm till closing at the CSARDAS Hungarian Restaurant. 323-962-6434.
