The World - News from June 27, 1988

Tens of thousands of Hungarians are expected to demonstrate today against plans by Romania to raze 7,000 rural villages under a resettlement policy that they fear will wipe out centuries-old Hungarian communities across the border. The unprecedented demonstration in one East Bloc state against the policies of another has the tacit approval of Hungarian authorities. Leaders said the march will go from Heroes Square in Budapest to the Romanian Embassy. The Romanian plan--part of which focuses on the ethnic Hungarian area of Transylvania--apparently is to resettle rural residents onto huge communes in an effort to increase agricultural efficiency.