DATE=5/14/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-249383
TITLE=RUSSIA / POLITICS (L-UPDATE)
BYLINE=EVE CONANT
DATELINE=MOSCOW
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: RUSSIA'S LOWER HOUSE OF PARLIAMENT HAS WRAPPED UP A
SECOND DAY OF OFTEN BITTER DEBATE ON IMPEACHMENT CHARGES AGAINST
PRESIDENT BORIS YELTSIN. THE DUMA [THE LOWER HOUSE] IS EXPECTED
TO VOTE ON THE FIVE CHARGES AGAINST MR. YELTSIN WITHIN HOURS / ON
SATURDAY (AT 0830 U-T-C). V-O-A'S EVE CONANT REPORTS FROM MOSCOW
ON THE LATEST RUSSIAN POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS.
TEXT: INSIDE PARLIAMENT, LAWMAKERS DEBATE WHETHER TO IMPEACH THE
RUSSIAN PRESIDENT. OUTSIDE PARLIAMENT ARE TWO GROUPS OF
PROTESTERS. THE LARGER GROUP IS MADE UP OF COMMUNISTS -- LIKE
FORMER SPACE ENGINEER ANATOLY AKHTENOV -- WHO WANT A SWIFT END TO
MR. YELTSIN'S RULE.
/// AKHTENOV ACT IN RUSSIAN, FADE UNDER ///
HE SAYS, "PRESIDENT YELTSIN DESTROYED RUSSIA AND NOW HE IS MY
PERSONAL ENEMY. HE ROBBED ME OF MY SAVINGS AND MY JOB. I HATE
HIM," HE SAYS. ONE OF THE FIVE IMPEACHMENT CHARGES ACCUSES
PRESIDENT YELTSIN OF COMMITTING GENOCIDE AGAINST THE RUSSIAN
PEOPLE, BY LOWERING LIVING STANDARDS WITH MARKET REFORMS.
ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE STREET IS ANOTHER GROUP -- THOSE WHO
WANT MR. YELTSIN TO FINISH HIS OUT HIS TERM. FEW OF THEM,
HOWEVER, ARE STAUNCH SUPPORTERS. SEVERAL, SUCH AS NIKOLAI
LINKEVITCH, SAY MR. YELTSIN IS SIMPLY THE LESSER OF TWO EVILS.
/// LINKEVITCH ACT IN RUSSIAN, FADE UNDER ///
HE SAYS, "IF THE COMMUNISTS GAIN POWER AGAIN, THE 'EVIL EMPIRE'
WILL RETURN, THE IRON CURTAIN WILL BE LOWERED, AND LABOR CAMPS
WILL BE REBORN." MR. LINKEVITCH SAYS PRESIDENT YELTSIN'S BIGGEST
FAULT IS THAT HE DID NOT DESTROY THE COMMUNISTS FULLY IN 1991
[-- THE YEAR THE SOVIET UNION COLLAPSED].
// OPT // PASSIONS ALSO FLARED INSIDE PARLIAMENT, WITH MR.
YELTSIN'S REPRESENTATIVE THREATENING A FORMAL PROTEST WHEN BOTH
EXPERTS AND LAWMAKERS CRITICIZED A SPEECH HE MADE DEFENDING THE
RUSSIAN LEADER. // END OPT //
THE ASSEMBLY IS ALSO DEBATING OTHER CHARGES AGAINST PRESIDENT
YELTSIN -- INCLUDING ACCUSATIONS HE ILLEGALLY LAUNCHED RUSSIA'S
CIVIL WAR WITH CHECHNYA IN 1994. THEY SAY HE IS PERSONALLY
RESPONSIBLE FOR THE BREAKUP OF THE SOVIET UNION.
LAWMAKERS WILL HOLD A FINAL VOTE ON SATURDAY [-- SCHEDULED FOR
0830 U-T-C].
THEY HAVE ALSO SET A DATE [-- NEXT WEDNESDAY --] TO BEGIN VOTING
ON PRESIDENT YELTSIN'S NEW CHOICE FOR PRIME MINISTER, FORMER
INTERIOR MINISTER SERGEI STEPASHIN. ALTHOUGH MR. STEPASHIN IS
UNPOPULAR FOR HELPING TO FORMULATE RUSSIA'S MILITARY POLICY IN
THE BOTCHED CHECHEN WAR, HE IS TRYING HARD TO GET SUPPORT AHEAD
OF THE VOTE. HE SAID FRIDAY A NEW CABINET LED BY HIM WOULD
CONTINUE TO COOPERATE WITH WESTERN LENDERS AND WOULD LARGELY
RESEMBLE THE FORMER [PRIMAKOV] GOVERNMENT -- WHICH INCLUDED
SEVERAL HIGH-RANKING COMMUNIST OFFICIALS.
/// REST OPT ///
IF PARLIAMENT FAILS TO APPROVE MR. STEPASHIN'S APPOINTMENT [IN A
SERIES OF THREE VOTES], MR. YELTSIN HAS THE LEGAL RIGHT TO
DISSOLVE THE ASSEMBLY AND CALL NEW ELECTIONS. BUT IF BY THEN
PARLIAMENT HAS APPROVED EVEN ONE OF THE IMPEACHMENT CHARGES, THE
PRESIDENT TECHNICALLY LOSES THAT RIGHT. THE RESULT COULD BE A
CONSTITUTIONAL DEADLOCK.
SINCE ALL MEMBERS OF MR. PRIMAKOV'S CABINET WERE DISMISSED WITH
HIM, RUSSIA'S POLITICAL ELITE IS NOW FACED WITH A TRIPLE TASK --
JUDGING THE PRESIDENT, VOTING ON A NEW PRIME MINISTER, AND
REBUILDING THE KREMLIN ADMINISTRATION. (SIGNED)
NEB/EC/WTW
14-May-99 3:45 PM EDT (1945 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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