RFE/RL Daily Report
                                    No. 145, 2 August 1994


THE CZECH CENTRAL BANK'S RATINGS UPGRADED. The US investment
company Standard and Poor's (S&P) upgraded the ratings of the
Czech National Bank from the BBB grade to the BBB+ grade, CTK
reported. According to the bank's spokesman, the upgrading is a
result of the Czech Republic's smooth transition from the planned
economy to a market one. On 18 July, the S&P had upgraded the
ratings of the Czech Republic from BBB to BBB+. The Czech Republic
is currently the only post-communist country whose grade is at
"the investment level." Hungary and Slovakia have received the BB
grade, which indicates "the speculative character" of investments.
Jiri Pehe, RFE/RL, Inc.

TALKS ON HUNGARIAN MEDIA LAW LAUNCHED. Talks between Hungary's six
parliamentary parties and representatives of Hungarian Radio and
Television began on 1 August, MTI announced. Culture Minister
Gabor Fodor said he hoped an independent codification committee
would complete by the end of August the new concept for free radio
and TV broadcasting following the rejection by the government
coalition parties of the earlier draft media law of the previous
Jozsef Antall-led government. On the same day, Jozsef Torgyan,
chairman of the opposition Independent Smallholders' Party, said
the ISP would not participate in any six-part talks because the
Horn government was placing parliament before a fait accompli by
reaching decisions on such vital issues as the 1996 World Fair,
the appointment of new radio and television chairmen, the
Gabcikovo dam, and the supplementary budget.  Alfred Reisch,
RFE/RL, Inc.

HUNGARIAN DEBATE ON GABCIKOVO CONTINUES. Following a second
meeting on 1 August with representatives of Hungary's ecological
movements, Environmental Protection Minister Ferenc Baja, a
Socialist, said he will not support the filling of the Dunakiliti
reservoir located upstream of the Gabcikovo dam, MTI and
Nepszabadsag reported. Baja warned that other members of the
government held a different view on the move, which is opposed by
the ecological movements as not suited to solve the acute water
shortage of Hungary's Szigetkoz region. The Gyula Horn-led
government is considering a partial filling of the reservoir to
avoid a natural catastrophe and induce Slovakia to return more
water to the original bed of the Danube.  Alfred Reisch, RFE/RL,
Inc.


[As of 1200 CET]
Compiled by Saulius Girnius and Dan Ionescu
Copyright 1994, RFE/RL, Inc. All rights reserved.