1987. június (74-86. szám) / HU_BFL_XIV_47_2

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24/0 tiHI* R«**»«ll Street, LONDONI, WCi • Ttl Oi-^O ti j« ■ G. Kra»*é

83/1987/E/ 25th June, 1987

Government and Party Reshuffle in Hungary

It has heen well-known fór a long time that due to the ever-increasing economic and political difficulties a considerahle reshuffle is heing planned in Hungary as regards state and party offices. There is a more or less unconcealed rift in party leadership hetween the supporters of liberal reforms and the representatives of the hard left.

The Central Committee of the party met both in November and December of last year and in April this year , /ligachov, secretary of the Central committee of the Soviet Communist Party alsó negotiated in April with representatives of the main tendencies/ bút it was nőt until the 23rd of April session of the Central committe that decisions regarding the personal changes were rnede.

The most important personal changes: Károly Grósz took the piacé of György lázár as piámé minister. Ferenc Havasi was relieved of his duties as secretary of the party in charge of economic affairs and was appointed to succeed Károly Grósz as first secretary to the Budapest party committee.

György lázár was elected to be János Kádár’s deputy, Károly Németh former deputy to Mr. Kádár has taken the piacé of Pál losonczi, as president of the presidium. János Berecz and Judit Csehák became members of the politburo in the places of Pál losonczi and István Sarlós. Mr. Berecz alsó retained his office as secretary to the Central committee.

•' These changes indicate that the "hard left" have gained ground.

The more liberal sectioné of the party which champions consistent economic reforms, somé political plurálisul and greater freedom of operation fór state bodies seem to have retained their positions to somé extent bút it appears that their demands will nőt be realized in the foreseeable future. In the summer of 1956 Khrushchev appointed the stalinist Ernő Gerő rather than Imre Nagy to cope with the economic crisis and the signs show that Gorbachev alsó disdains the ideas of reform and greater "openness" as conducive to the solution of the present Hungárián crisis.

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