RADIO FREE EUROPE/RADIO LIBERTY, PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC
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RFE/RL NEWSLINE Vol. 2, No. 106, 4 June 1998

HUNGARY'S ORBAN REBUFFS SMALLHOLDERS. Federation of Young
Democrats-Hungarian Civic Party (FIDESZ-MPP) chair Viktor
Orban on 3 June told the party's parliamentary group that
development of the provinces cannot be the "fiefdom" of a
single party. His remarks came after repeated calls by the
Independent Smallholders (FKGP) for control of a "super-
ministry" for the development of the countryside in the new
government coalition. Orban said it is inconceivable that
the provinces would belong to one party and the rest of the
country to another. He concluded that even if FIDESZ-MPP
starts coalition talks with the FKGP next week, his party
will still be the most powerful in Hungary's cabinet.
Orban's chief of staff, Andor Nagy, said Orban is not averse
to meeting with FKGP chairman Jozsef Torgyan, but the
meeting can take place only after preparatory talks. MSZ

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