William Penn Life, 2001 (36. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
2001-08-01 / 8. szám
Hungary passes ‘Status Law’ despite concerns of neighbors and EU from the Budapest Sun Hungary's Parliament on June 19 passed a controversial law which grants a range of benefits to Hungarian minority communities living in neighboring countries. The final version of the so-called Status Law, which takes effect in January 2002, will provide ethnic Hungarians living outside of Hungary with all the benefits in the fields of culture that Hungarian citizens have. Ethnic Hungarians will be able to obtain a three-month work permit to be used regardless of the labor market's situation in Hungary. They also will receive education benefits and be given "Hungarian identity cards" and "Hungarian family member" identification. from The Budapest Sun Algona, Iowa was the setting for a typical summer celebration in a small town in the heartland of America: A band played and flags waved. But what was being celebrated was the 150th anniversary of Kossuth County, named after the 1848 Hungarian revolutionary leader Lajos Kossuth. Algona unveiled a statute in tribute to the historic figure and Hungarian Ambassador to the United States Géza Jeszenszky was on hand to commemorate the event. "The fact that a county in Iowa is named after Kossuth is more than a Popular author and freedom fighter Meszoely Miklós died July 22 in Budapest. Meszoely, 80, was well known for his plays, poems, novels, children's stories and essays. He graduated from Budapest University in 1942 and published his first book in 1948. Blacklisted by the Communists, Meszoely did not publish a second work until 1955. Ukraine, Slovenia, Croatia and Yugoslavia raised no concerns regarding the Status Law. However, Romania and Slovakia claimed the benefits would discriminate against their citizens and failed to conform with European Union standards. The European Union has strongly urged Hungary to negotiate with its neighbors before the Status Law comes into force next year. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán failed to persuade his Romanian counterpart, Adrian Nastase, to accept Hungary's Status Law during a recent meeting in Tirgu Mures. Romania maintained the view that the Status Law was discriminatory under European norms, because it sought to grant social and economic support on ethnic grounds. sign of respect for his personality, it is a connection between the two countries," Jeszenszky said. December 2001 marks the 150th anniversary of Kossuth's speaking tour across America, seeking support for Hungarian revolutionaries. Jeszenszky said he hoped to build up relations with other states Kossuth visited, in honor of the anniversary. In 1851, Kossuth traveled throughout the U.S. making speeches, but never in fact managed a visit to Iowa, though he was invited there by an enthusiastic group of Hungarian emigres and the Iowan governor. His active role in the 1956 campaign for freedom from Soviet domination led to another ban, and his writings were not published again until 1963. He suffered more repression after he protested the Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia in 1968. During the 1970s and 1980s, he continued his efforts for liberty for the Hungarian people. Secure your future withaWPA tax-deferred annuity. interest For more information about our annuity plans, contact your local WPA representative or our Home Office toll-free at 1-800-848-PENN. Small Iowa town celebrates Kossuth Author, freedom fighter Meszoely dies William Pena Life, August 2001 3
