[PEN-L:2] Russia: Duma Cancels Vote on Chernomyrdin

[Gregory Schwartz <grishas@xxxxxxxx>]

Duma Cancels Vote on Chernomyrdin
By Barry Renfrew
September 4, 1998

MOSCOW (AP) -- Russian lawmakers today postponed a vote on approving the

acting prime minister, avoiding a confrontation with President Boris
Yeltsin as pressure mounted on the opposition parliament to compromise.
   Lawmakers voted 294-54 to hold the vote Monday after parliament
leaders
said Yeltsin had called for more talks. The Duma, parliament's lower
house,
had been expected to reject acting Prime Minister Viktor Chernomyrdin
for a
second time.
   The decision indicated the Communists and their hard-line allies were
no
longer confident of winning their confrontation with Yeltsin and were
looking for a way out.
   Communist leader Gennady Zyuganov insisted his faction would never
approve Chernomyrdin and would not agree to a compromise with Yeltsin.
But
the Communists abstained from the vote, indicating their position might
be
crumbling.
   ``We are not going to vote for Viktor Stepanovich (Chernmyrdin). We
believe he won't be able to handle this job,'' Zyuganov said.
   The dramatic turnabout came after Chernomyrdin's hopes of being
approved
received a boost today when the Federation Council, the upper chamber of

Parliament, passed a non-binding motion 91-17 expressing confidence in
the
acting premier.
   Yeltsin received news of the postponement calmly, ``understanding
that a
longer pause for contemplation is better than haste,'' presidential
spokesman Sergei Yastrzhembsky said.
   The Duma's agreement to more talks with Yeltsin boosted
Chernomyrdin's
hopes of approval. Yeltsin still retains enormous power and had appeared
to
regain the political initiative in the past few days.
   Russia has been plunged into an economic and political crisis by the
collapse of the currency, the ruble, and a power struggle between the
Duma
and Yeltsin. Russians have been deeply worried, but there has been no
sign
of panic or unrest.
   After today's postponement, a weekend of hectic closed-door talks was

likely as the two sides looked for a compromise.
   The Duma rejected Chernomyrdin last Monday in a first vote. His
approval
could ease the political instability in Russia, though it would not end
the
nation's economic distress.
   The opposition says it will never approve Chernomyrdin, accusing him
of
creating many of the current problems during his previous five years in
the
job. Yeltsin has said he will accept no one else.

   Earlier, Chernomyrdin outlined measures to stem the economic crisis.
He
said the government would allow the ruble to float freely, letting
market
forces determine its value, and would press ahead with market reforms as

soon as the situation was stabilized.
   The Federation Council vote to back Chernomyrdin was only symbolic,
but
it may have increased pressure on the Duma to find a compromise. The
governors who make up the Council have huge power in their regions and
the
vote signaled they would back Yeltsin in a showdown.
   Just last month, the ruble was trading at 6.2 to the dollar, or about
16
cents. Today, two days after the government said it was powerless to
control the crashing currency, the U.S. dollar was close to 18 rubles in

street trading.
   Chernomyrdin warned a quick solution to the political crisis must be
found.
   ``It may be our last chance to build a normal economy in Russia. Yes,

our actions will be unpopular. Everyone will assail us. But don't tie
the
government's hands, give us time to step back from the precipice,'' he
said.
   Chernomyrdin said his economic rescue package would concentrate on
meeting unpaid wages and pensions, closing down bankrupt and inefficient

businesses, getting rid of dishonest managers and officials, and
lowering
taxes.
   If the Duma again rejects Chernomyrdin, Yeltsin has the option of
proposing him a third time, or choosing a new candidate. If the Duma
votes
no for a third time, Yeltsin can call new Duma elections.
   Russia has been operating with an interim government since Yeltsin
fired
the previous prime minister Aug. 23.


--
Gregory Schwartz
Department of Political Science
York University
4700 Keele St.
Toronto, Ontario
M3J 1P3
Canada

Tel: (416) 736-5265
Fax: (416) 736-5686
Web: http://www.yorku.ca/dept/polisci