Hungary to Be Proclaimed Republic on Revolt Anniversary

Parliament overwhelmingly passed legislation Friday providing for Hungary’s first free elections in 42 years and agreed to proclaim Hungary a republic on Monday--the anniversary of the 1956 revolution crushed by Soviet tanks.

In a dramatic climax to a week in which numerous measures were adopted to transform Hungary from a one-party Communist state to a Western-style democracy, the Parliament voted to declare Oct. 23 a national day of commemoration.

It also accepted the recommendation of Prime Minister Miklos Nemeth that Speaker Matyas Szuros declare Hungary a republic from the balcony of Parliament at noon Monday--precisely 33 years after the first mass demonstrations for political reforms that were put down by the Soviet army.

The vote on the electoral law was 286-to-20 with 24 abstentions after extensive debate on how many candidates should be elected on individual merit and how many as members of political parties.

In propelling Hungary toward Western-style democracy, the lawmakers also declared a rehabilitation for all who were declared guilty of political crimes and interned “in an unlawful manner” between 1945 and 1963.

The legislators asked the government to provide a proposal on paying damages to those who suffered for their political views. It is estimated that between 1949 and 1953 alone, 1 million people--more than 10% of the population--suffered in some manner because of their political beliefs.

Lawmakers also voted overwhelmingly Friday to disband the dreaded Workers Militia. The 60,000-strong volunteer armed police force was created after the 1956 uprising by the now-defunct Hungarian Socialist Workers Party, or Communist Party. Communist reformists dissolved the Socialist Workers Party earlier this month and created the new Hungarian Socialist Party.

The upcoming elections will be the first free elections since 1947, when the various political parties were allowed to run candidates.