885096465

JPRS-EER-91-053 25 April 1991

ECONOMIC

39

describe the proposed law to ofTer compensation to individuals whose rights have been violated, and espe-cially the program to make masses of workers part owners of their enterprises, as measures promoting legał clear-sightedness.

A surprisingly bold feature in Kupa’s program is the chapter emphasizing the diminishing economic role and withdrawal of the State. It is surprising not becausc it is new, after all, practical implementation of the program of deregulation had begun already under the Nemeth govemment. What is surprising is the fact that it runs contrary to the Antall govemment’s policy which so far has been pressing for recentralization (as evidcnced by the status change of the State Property Office, angry outbursts against local govemments, etc.), i.e., for the strengthening of the state’s economic role by creating new bureaucracies.

The Professional standard of Mihaly Kupa's program far exceeds that of other documents produced so far by the Antall cabinet. This oflfers hope that from the Professional point of view at least, its practical implementation is not out of the question. However, the big question is who on the political scene will be able to identify with it, and be willing to sponsor it. Another question, of course, is whether or not the program will be forced to make a pact with the dcvil of details when it comes to such challenges as finding specific crisis management methods to address the situation of Ikarus-Csepel Auto-Raba, i.e., the unmanageable problems of our Soviet trade. According to the finance minister’s program, the scope of possible economic decisions is so narrow that we are compelled to choose between black and white, make the necessary decisions, and begin the operation now without putting the patient to sleep, using some local anaesthesia if we have to. I fear that for a govem-ment which likes to hołd meetings “until it hurts, and for parties that like to play on people’s emotions, Mihaly Kupa’s program is much too dichromatic.

One can only hope that the finance minister will not only make it until, but will actually bring in the summer. His efforts will be helped by his philosophy which he expressed in his program as follows: “Here I am, for I have no other choice.”

Agriculture Minister on Livestock Farming

91CH0486C Budapest HETI KIS UJSAG in Hungarian 15 Mar 91 p 7

[Article compiling answers to questions posed to Minister of Agriculture Elemer Gergatz in the parliament by Deputy Peter Kadar of the SZDSZ [Association of Frec Democrats) and Deputy Gyula Pasztor of the Small-holders Party; datę not given: “Measures To Aid Live-stock Farming”)

[Text) To alleviate the difficulties that have arisen in the branches of livestock production, we have implemented or are planning the following measures:

—Regarding the three branches most affected by market disturbances, it has been decided to raise by 5 per-centage points the rates of the export subsidies that are in force. Accordingly, the 20-percent export subsidy on pork cuts has increased to 25 percent; and the 30-percent export subsidy on milk, dairy products, and poultry has increased to 35 percent. The impact of the increases will be close to 1.0 billion forints.

—An agreement has been reached with representatives of the dairy farmers to cut production by 15 percent, in order to alleviatc the problems of “overproduc-tion.”

—To improve the technical solvency of the dairy-industry enterprises and to reduce the accumulated stocks, the Committe for an Orderly Market for Farm Products has authorized the export of about 5,300 metric tons of butter and about 3,700 metric tons of milk powder, at increased export subsidy and on the basis of export orders won by tender. (The shipments will havc to be despatched by the end of April, and the additional export subsidies involved will amount to about 150 million forints.)

—To speed up payments to dairy farmers for the milk that they supply, negotiations are also under way with the milk-purchasing organizations on the possibility of extending them about 2.0 billion forints of additional credit. The Committee for an Orderly Market for Farm Products will assume 50 percent of the interest payments on this credit. (The impact is expected to be between 150 million and 200 million forints.)

—On the basis of a preliminary agreement between the Ministry of Welfare and the Ministry of Agriculture, we intend to introduce as of 1 April 1991 the distri-bution of milk to the most needy welfare recipients (about 150,000 persons). (The impact of this program will be 450 million forints.)

—We also intend to relax the still remaining restrictions on the marketing of livestock products.

—Within the framework of an orderly market for farm products, we have reviewed the difficulties that have arisen in the successive stages of hog production and have adopted measures to alleviate them.

—Retroactively to 27 February 1991, the conditions are being elaborated for the slaughter and marketing of 100,000 heads of exccss-finish hogs. (The impact will be between 60 million and 80 million forints.)

—But we must also realize that the total of 29 billion forints approved by the parliament for agricultural export subsidies and the handling of market disturbances limits to a large extent what we are able to do. There undeniably are many problems, but it is also reassuring for the longer term that the business organizations, too, are using their own resources to adjust to market conditions. As a positive sign of this we may regard the meat industry enterprises’ continuing,