Forging Ahead, Falling Behind OMRI title: Annual Survey of Eastern Europe and the Former Soviet Union; 1996 author: publisher: ME Sharpe, Inc. isbn10 | asin: 1563249251 print isbn13: 9781563249259 ebook isbn13: 9780585021997 language: English Europe, Eastern--Politics and government- -1989- , Former Soviet republics--Politics and government, Europe, Eastern-- Economic conditions--1989- , Former subject Soviet republics--Economic conditions, Post-communism--Europe, Eastern, Post- communism--Former Soviet publication date: 1997 lcc: DJK51.O68 1996eb ddc: 320.94 Europe, Eastern--Politics and government- -1989- , Former Soviet republics--Politics and government, Europe, Eastern-- subject: Economic conditions--1989- , Former Soviet republics--Economic conditions, Post-communism--Europe, Eastern, Post- communism--Former Soviet Page i The OMRI Annual Survey of Eastern Europe and the Former Soviet Union: 1996 Forging Ahead, Falling Behind With an Introduction by J. F. Brown Open Media Research Institute M.E. Sharpe Armonk, New York London, England Copyright © 1996, 1997 by the Open Media Research Institute All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher, M. E. Sharpe, Inc., 80 Business Park Drive, Armonk, New York 10504. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Open Media Research Institute. The OMRI annual survey of Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union: 1996forging ahead, falling behind / by the Open Media Research Institute. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references (p. ) and index. ISBN 1-56324-925-1 (alk. paper) 1. Europe, EasternPolitics and government1989 2. Former Soviet republicsPolitics and government. 3. Europe, EasternEconomic conditions1989 4. Former Soviet republicsEconomic conditions. 5. Post-communismEurope, Eastern. 6. Post-communismFormer Soviet republics. I. Title. DJK51.068 1996 320.94dc20 96-19263 CIP Printed in the United States of America The paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements of the American National Standard for Information SciencesPermanence of Paper for Printed Library Materials, ANSI Z 39.48-1984. ISSN: 1088-3304 BM (c) 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Page iv CONTENTS LIST OF TABLES AND FIGURES xiii PREFACE xv MAP OF THE REGION xvi I. INTRODUCTION 1 A YEAR OF PRODUCTIVE DISCONTENT 1 by J.F. BROWN II. CENTRAL EUROPE 9 Czech Republic 10 MAVERICK CZECH REFORMERS GET BOGGED DOWN 11 by JIRI PEHE Sidebar: CZECH SECRET SERVICE SCANDALA STORM IN A TEACUP? 16 by STEVE KETTLE Sidebar: COLLAPSE OF CZECH KREDITNI BANKA TURNS CRIMINALAND POLITICAL 17 by BEN SLAY Sidebar: CZECH PARTIES' VIEWS OF THE EU AND NATO 18 by JIRI PEHE Slovakia 21 SLOVAKIA HEADS TOWARD INTERNATIONAL ISOLATION 22 by SHARON FISHER Sidebar: SLOVAK GOVERNMENT CLAMPS DOWN ON CULTURE 27 by SHARON FISHER Sidebar. SLOVAK PRIME MINISTER LISTED AS 28 ONE OF TEN ''WORST ENEMIES OF THE PRESS" by SHARON FISHER Hungary 31 A YEAR OF SCANDALS AND RESIGNATIONS IN HUNGARY 32 by ZSOFIA SZILAGYI Page v Sidebar: HUNGARIAN MINORITY SUMMIT 36 CAUSES UPROAR IN SLOVAKIA by SHARON FISHER and ZSOFIA SZILAGYI Sidebar: HUNGARY COMMEMORATES 40TH 39 ANNIVERSARY OF 1956 REVOLUTION by ZSOFIA SZILAGYI Poland 41 WITH THE LEFT IN CHARGE, THE POLISH RIGHT 42 PREPARES FOR 1997 by JAKUB KARPINSKI Sidebar: ABORTION LAW EASED BY THE POLISH 47 PARLIAMENT by JAKUB KARPINSKI III. EASTERN EUROPE 49 Lithuania 50 THE POLITICAL PENDULUM SWINGS BACK IN 51 LITHUANIA by SAULIUS GIRNIUS Sidebar: NEW LITHUANIAN GOVERNMENT 54 PRESENTS PROGRAM by SAULIUS GIRNIUS Latvia 56 A YEAR OF CONSOLIDATION IN LATVIA 57 by SAULIUS GIRNIUS Sidebar: U.S. ACTS TO SOOTH BALTIC CONCERNS 60 OVER NATO ENLARGEMENT by SAULIUS GIRNIUS Estonia 62 ESTONIA PROVES ITSELF 63 by JOHN B. TAHT Sidebar: MERI RE-ELECTED ESTONIA'S 66 PRESIDENT by SAULIUS GIRNIUS Belarus 68 BELARUS CHOOSES DICTATORSHIP 69 by USTINA MARKUS Sidebar: BELARUSIAN OPPOSITION LEADERS 73 APPLY FOR ASYLUM by USTINA MARKUS Page vi Sidebar: CENSORSHIP IN BELARUS 75 by USTINA MARKUS Document: DEFENDING THE ''SACRED CAUSE" 76 OF RUSSO-BELARUSIAN INTEGRATION Ukraine 79 UKRAINE'S CONTINUING EVOLUTION 80 by CHRYSTYNA LAPYCHAK and USTINA MARKUS Profile: PAVLO LAZARENKO: CAUTION IS THE 86 KEY by OLEG VARFOLOMEYEV Sidebar: ASSASSINATION LIFTS LID ON 92 UKRAINIAN CLAN POLITICS by OLEG VARFOLOMEYEV Sidebar: UKRAINE'S ECONOMIC PROGRAMMORE 93 MUDDLING THROUGH? by BEN SLAY Sidebar: TENTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE 94 CHORNOBYL ACCIDENT by USTINA MARKUS Document: UKRAINE FREE OF NUCLEAR 96 WEAPONS IV. SOUTHEASTERN EUROPE 97 Slovenia 98 SLOVENIA INCHES AHEAD 99 by STAN MARKOTICH