RFE/RL Daily Report
                                     No. 137, 21 July 1994


MECIAR LEADS OPINION POLLS. In an opinion poll released by the
Slovak Statistical Office on 19 July, former Premier and Movement
for a Democratic Slovakia Chairman Vladimir Meciar is considered
the most trusted politician by 25% of respondents, with his
support coming mainly from MDS supporters (80%), people aged 50-59
(36%), workers (29%), residents of towns with 50,000-100,000
inhabitants (35%) and citizens living in Central Slovakia (32%).
President Michal Kovac is second, with the trust of 21%, coming
mainly from Christian Democratic Movement sympathizers (44%),
ethnic Hungarians (35%), university graduates (27%), businessmen
(26%) and residents of towns with 2,000-10,000 inhabitants (26%).
Premier Jozef Moravcik, with 16%, is supported by sympathizers of
the Democratic Union (70%), CDM (27%), Party of the Democratic
Left (21%), university graduates (24%) and businessmen (28%). The
percentage not trusting anyone fell from 42% in June to 27% in
July. The poll was carried out between 1-10 July and surveyed
1,254 respondents.  Sharon Fisher, RFE/RL, Inc.

NEW CONFLICT OVER HUNGARY'S ELECTRONIC MEDIA. Ongoing talks
between the governing coalition and parliamentary opposition
parties were interrupted on 16 and 17 July when it was learned
that Prime Minister Gyula Horn had already appointed Adam Horvath
and Janos Sziranyi as the new chairmen of Hungarian Television and
Hungarian Radio, respectively, replacing Elemer Hankiss and Csaba
Gombar. The opposition parties lodged a protest against the move
and asked President Arpad Goncz not to confirm the nominations.
The Community of Hungarian Journalists called the appointments
undemocratic and a threat to freedom of the press. On 18 July the
parliament's cultural committee, with the opposition party members
absent, approved the nominations, which were countersigned by
Goncz on 20 July, MTI reported.  Alfred Reisch, RFE/RL, Inc.

CHANGES IN OFFICE FOR HUNGARIANS ABROAD. The Office for Hungarians
Abroad, whose chairman Geza Entz was relieved of his post on 15
July, will be headed by vice chairman Istvan Zalatnay until
September when Laszlo Labody will become its new head, MTI
reported on 20 July. From now on, the Office (which Horn
originally wanted to eliminate) will no longer be supervised by
the foreign ministry but, together with the Office for National
and Ethnic Minorities, by the Council of Minister's Political
State Secretary, Csaba Tabajdi (Socialist Party). Tabajdi on 19
July told the visiting chairman of Slovakia's Hungarian Civic
Party that he wanted to maintain good relations with all
legitimate political and cultural Hungarian organizations of
Slovakia.  Alfred Reisch, RFE/RL, Inc.

COMMISSION SUPPORTS DIGS IN CLUJ. In a communique read on Radio
Bucharest on 20 July, a special commission set up by Romania's
Ministry of Culture said that archaeological investigation in
important historical areas were not only "legitimate but also
absolutely binding." According to the commission, which visited
Cluj on 15-16 July, digs in the central square there would not
affect either King Matthias Corvinus' statue or Saint Michael
cathedral. The communique warned against what it termed as
"politicizing" the issue in an "irresponsible" way.  Dan Ionescu,
RFE/RL, Inc.

  [As of 1200 CET]

  Compiled by Keith Martin and Stan Markotich
Copyright 1994, RFE/RL, Inc. All rights reserved.