1988. március (32-68. szám) / HU_BFL_XIV_47_2

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í* Editor: György Krassó * 24/D Little Russell Street * London, WC1A2HN * Tel. 01-430 2126 (from abroad 441-430 2126)

56/1988 (E) 17th March, 1988

Democratic Opposition Deny Interior Ministry’s Slanderous Statements

Participants in the Democratic Opposition and colleagues in the independent press denied in a common declaration on March l6th statements made by the Min- istry of Interior vhich said that they intended to disturb and breach the peace during the March 15th celebration. The signatories of the declaration say that the truth is "that ue wanted to take part in an independent protest along with other colleagues in vhich on March 15th more than ten thousand demonstrators demanded free press, democracy and pariiamentarism instead of Party dictatorship".

Then the authors of the declaration focussed on reports connected with many of them in the national newspapers Népszabadság (Peoples Freedom) and Magyar Hírlap (Hungárián News) on March 12th. They pointed out that these articles had started a smear campaign. A libel suit, however, "would be successful only if law prevailed, bút just the law is on a very poor footing in this country." The signatories denied the charges bút would nőt initiate a libel suit because "the slanderers would nőt be believed as they have no morál standing". Those accused of incitement in the official Hungárián press end their declaration "this leadership has failed morally, is politically untrustworthy and vas never truthful. It can only rely on its functionaries, police and protocolists who are ready to do anything."

The declaration was signed by Péter Bokros, Gábor Demszky, György Gadó, Péter

* Grawátsch, Róza Hódosán, Tamás Molnár, Jenő Nagy and Róbert Pálinkás.

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