György Lázár signed a treaty in Budapest on 16 September 1977, which initiated the controversial large barrage project of Gabčíkovo–Nagymaros Dams. During his premiership, along with his deputies Antal Apró and György Aczél, he was a member of that delegation which took over the returned Holy Crown from U.S. Secretary of State Cyrus Vance in the Hungarian Parliament Building.A Szent Korona átadás-átvétele 1978-ban In the summer of 1987, when the highest party and state offices' major personnel changes were made (although most senior official only got another post, the same cadres stayed), Lázár was appointed Deputy Secretary-General of the Hungarian Socialist Workers' Party (i.e. deputy for Kádár). Károly Grósz succeeded him in the position of Prime Minister. The previous Deputy Secretary-General Károly Németh became Chairman of the Hungarian Presidential Council following the retiring Pál Losonczi.
