1988. március (32-68. szám) / HU_BFL_XIV_47_2
í «HlíN$AfUAN ^ ©mi Editor: György Krassó * 24/D Little Russell Street * London, WC1A 2HN * Tel. 01-430 2126 (írom abroad 441-430 2126) 63/1988 (E) 24.th March, 1988 Austro-Hungarian Publication In Defence Of The Danube The Danube Circle which has fought fór years against the construction of the Bős-Nagymaros hydroelectric plánt organised a co-ordinated press conference on March 24-th in Budapest and Vienna vith Austrian environmentalists. Early in the afternoon in the Austrian Capital Judit Vásárhelyi made a speech and there vas a public telephoné conversation vith András Hegedűs the ex-prime minister vho is a sociologist. The Budapest press conference started at 4 pm, more than fifty people took part including several foreign - chiefly Austrian - joumalists. The press conference, vhich vas organised in tvp places, vas held to announce the publication of a volume of essays entitied Nagymaros vhich vas printed in Vienna. This green book vhich is illustrated by the graphic artist Róza Sa^-i vas published by the Austrian Students Union Press and the Green Training Centre. The volume contains essays by environmentalists living in Hungary, Austria and Czechoslovakia. There are a proportionate number of those publishing fór the first time and vell-knovn names - fór example Miklós Duray and György Konrád - including active representátivés of the Hungárián environmentalist movement - László Sólyom, János Vargha, Judit Vásárhelyi - and Austrian Greens. Whilst the Hungárián essays are chiefly concerned vith the damaging effects and economic madness of the planned hydroelectric plánt - fór example András Hegedűs*s study "Dam instead of Reform" - the Austrians sharply crticize their ovn goverament*-s policy: Gunther ScAobesberger submitted his vork "Shame is all ve have left". The volume introduced at the Budapest conference vas smuggled intő Hungary and there are plans to smuggle in several hundred more copies. The conference vas held in the function room in the Corso restaurant on Petőfi Sándor Street. László Vit, an architect, velcomed those present and gave a short informative talk. He said "What is important about this volume is that environmentalists and ecologist from three countries and of tvo nationalities - Austrians and Hungarians - have arrived at the same conclusion about a case vhich has finally become international, a shared conscience and sense of responsibility have prompted them to act and has given them a common purpose." The aim of the movement is to "drav attention to something vhich can still be stopped; the building of the Nagymaros dam". After this he asked "vhether it is fair to burden this delicate case vith foreign policy involvements", bút as a representátive of the Danube Circle standpoint he declared that "the destruction of the environment does nőt acknov- ledge national boundaries" and that only solidarity and "common environmentalist movements vhich are above political and national interests can do something" to counter the international community of interests vhich disregard ecological con- cems. Vit vas especially thankful to Austrian ecologists fór their activities against the "selfish and short-sighted policy of their govemment" and their con- sistent brave support. He emphasised that Hungarians must support Czechoslovakian environmentalists vho are anxious about Bratislava*s fate and intend to establish a "National Park Along the Danube". "Close co-operation and alliance is necessary",, vere László Vit*s closing vords, After this János Vargha talked on behalf of the Danube Circle about the serious damaging effects of the dam, then he read out György Konrád*s opinion according to vhich people vho criticized the dam plans found themselves outlaved because of the official nevs bán. Tibor Fényi summarised the history of the Danube Circle, of former Hungárián and Austrian protest actions and announced that the Hungárián Subscribers can use or quote the Hungárián October newsletters in totál or in detail as long as the source is acknowledged.
