The World - News from July 5, 1989

The health of former Hungarian Communist Party leader Janos Kadar, who was admitted to a hospital Monday with pneumonia, has deteriorated, and he could die within days, party officials said. “His state of health is critical,” party spokesman Emil Kimmel quoted doctors as saying. “He could die within half an hour or two days,” another party source said. Kadar was installed as Hungarian leader after a Soviet-led invasion crushed a 1956 uprising. He was demoted from party general secretary last year and became party president, a ceremonial post. In May, he was removed from that post.