Romania Seals Its Border, Hungary Says

Romania has sealed its border with reformist Hungary, Budapest Radio reported Friday night.

“Information received so far confirms that nowhere along the Hungarian-Romanian border can the frontier be crossed,” the radio said.

The development highlighted Romania’s increasing isolation within Eastern Europe, swept by reformist winds that hard-line Romanian Communist leader Nicolae Ceausescu is resisting.

Budapest Radio said travelers were being sent back unjustifiably by the Romanian side at five main crossing points--Nagylak, Lokoshaza, Kotegyan, Biharkeresztes and Gyula.

“The Romanians have not informed the Hungarian side about the reason for this,” the radio said.

It speculated that the sealing of the frontier might be a precaution linked to a congress of the Romanian Communist Party scheduled for Monday in Bucharest.

There were also reports that the government, bucking a tide of political and economic reform in the Soviet Bloc, was taking measures to prevent any upheaval during the five-day party congress.

On the agenda of the congress is approval of a five-year economic plan, as well as the election of the Central Committee, the Politburo and the party leader.

The Thursday issue of the Communist Party daily Scinteia quoted the 71-year old Ceausescu, whose 24 years at the helm of Romania make him the longest-serving Soviet Bloc leader, in comments that presaged the tenor of the congress.

In a blanket condemnation of reforms as violating “the basic principles of socialism,” Ceausescu also accused “reactionary circles” of exploiting confusion in the Communist camp.

Romanian diplomats in Vienna said Ceausescu is expected to endorse continuation of the status quo Monday in a keynote speech at the opening of the congress.

Romania, which owed foreign banks and governments $11 billion in 1981, declared itself debt-free last spring after an accelerated program of producing for export that left store shelves bare.