No. 29, 11 February 1994

RUSSIA

RUSSIA EASES OPPOSITION TO AIR STRIKES ON BOSNIA. On 10 February Moscow 
appeared to drop its opposition to the launching of UN air strikes on Serb 
positions in Bosnia when Russia's UN ambassador, Yulii Vorontsov, told 
reporters that Moscow would not insist on convening the UN Security 
Council to approve the operations and that UN Secretary-General Boutros 
Boutros-Ghali was indeed within his rights in ordering the strikes. 
According to the Los Angeles Times, Vorontsov did make a formal request 
for an urgent meeting of the Security Council "to consider practical ways 
to demilitarize Sarajevo and to introduce there a UN administration." 
Russia would apparently not be allowed to introduce a resolution or call 
for a vote at that meeting. Considering Vorontsov's surprising reversal, 
the Washington Post suggested that Russian officials had determined that 
they have little room for diplomatic maneuver at the UN. "Consequently," 
the newspaper said, "they appear to be talking tough against NATO at home, 
where they face powerful nationalist pressures to confront the West . . . 
[while] taking moderate action in diplomatic practice." Stephen Foye, 
RFE/RL, Inc.

BUT DISCORDANT NOTES PERSIST. Indeed, remarks by Russian Foreign Ministry 
spokesmen in Geneva and Moscow remained confrontational. In Geneva, 
Russia's special envoy on Yugoslavia, Vitalii Churkin, charged on 10 
February that the West had failed to think through the consequences of air 
strikes in Bosnia on Russia's domestic political situation, Reuters 
reported. He, and other Russian officials, also appeared to be trying to 
exploit potential tensions between the UN and NATO, calling the air 
strikes a "risky operation" and suggesting that NATO operations might 
endanger UN peacekeeping forces already on the ground. In Moscow Russian 
Deputy Foreign Minister Anatolii Adamishin questioned Boutros-Ghali's 
authority to launch the strikes and suggested that the ultimatum issued to 
the Bosnian Serbs by NATO exceeded that organization's mandate. As 
reported by Interfax on 10 February, he also suggested that issuing the 
ultimatum might embolden Bosnia's Muslims, and charged that they had 
"already become virtually the main obstacle on the road to a settlement." 
Meanwhile, the chairman of the Russian Duma's sub-committee on security, 
Vyacheslav Nikonov, warned that the launching of air strikes could 
endanger ratification of START-2 by parliament. Stephen Foye, RFE/RL, Inc.

YELTSIN UNREACHABLE? Meanwhile, US President Bill Clinton has apparently 
been unable to reach Russian President Boris Yeltsin by telephone for more 
than two days in order to discuss the Bosnia dispute. According to the 
Washington Post of 11 February, US officials have described as "curious" 
the persistence of "technical problems" that have kept Yeltsin 
incommunicado. A senior administration official reportedly said that there 
was "no sense of alarm or concern" in Washington, however, and pointed out 
that national security adviser Anthony Lake had spoken with his Russian 
counterpart, as had American UN ambassador Madeleine Albright, and that 
James F. Collins, a senior State Department official, had also been in 
contact with senior Russian officials. Stephen Foye, RFE/RL, Inc.

LOCAL MEDIA STOPPAGES. Workers at local television and radio stations in 
30 regions of the Russian Federation temporarily halted transmission to 
protest against overdue government payments, ITAR-TASS reported on 10 
February. Local radio and television workers were demanding that the 
government pay debts of 80,000 million rubles, most of it in overdue 
salaries. On the evening of the same day, however, the strike leaders 
decided to stop disruption of broadcasts. The strike was suspended in 
response to an appeal from Prime Minister Viktor Chernomyrdin, who 
promised that the government would pay communications workers their 
outstanding wages by the end of March. Izvestiya warned the same day that 
the TV strike could signal the beginning of a nationwide wave of strikes 
next month, including stoppages by oil workers and others who are trying 
to force government to pay up to six months' worth of overdue wages. Vera 
Tolz, RFE/RL, Inc. 

VORKUTA MINE BUILDERS STRIKE SPREADS. A strike by mine builders in the 
Russian northern region of Vorkuta spread on 10 February. ITAR-TASS 
reported that several hundred mine builders were on strike. The strike 
began on 9 February to press demands for payment of several months' worth 
of unpaid wages. The strikers are also demanding the implementation of 
earlier agreements with the government on alleviating the problems of 
miners and other residents of Russia's northern regions. Vera Tolz, 
RFE/RL, Inc. 

MORE PROMISES OF MONEY FOR DEFENSE INDUSTRY. Interfax reported on 9 
February that the Russian defense industry will receive 1.5 trillion 
rubles as partial payment of the government's debt to industry for arms 
purchases. Oleg Lobov, Russian Security Council secretary, made the 
announcement, noting that it would cover 85% of the total debt. Past 
promises of imminent payment have not been fulfilled, although pressure 
for payment has been increasing from both defense industry and military 
representatives, including Defense Minister Pavel Grachev. John 
Lepingwell, RFE/RL, Inc. 

MILITARY PUBLICATIONS TO BE DISCONTINUED. Moskovsky komsomolets reported 
on 9 February that, according to reliable sources, Russian Defense 
Minister Pavel Grachev has ordered the discontinuation of approximately a 
dozen military publications in the near future. Financial difficulties 
were given as the reason for the action, although the newspaper suggested 
that the cool attitude toward the Defense Minister himself displayed by 
these publications may have been a more important cause. Other sources 
have suggested, however, that many of the minor military publications 
have, in fact, remained in the hands of unreconstructed communists, and 
that Grachev has been unable to conduct a housecleaning. The decision to 
close them may be connected with their actions in the lead-up to the 
December parliamentary elections. Stephen Foye, RFE/RL, Inc. 

RESTRUCTURING OF THE PRESIDENTIAL APPARATUS. Another round of 
restructuring in the presidential staff is nearing completion, 
Kommersant-daily reported on 10 February. The President's senior aide, 
Viktor Ilyushin, and the head of the Presidential Administration, Sergei 
Filatov, have apparently both emerged strongly from the reorganization. 
Kommersant-daily also noted that the Main Protection Administration and 
the president's personal bodyguard service have become more independent of 
the presidential apparatus. At the same time, the presidential 
administration has taken control of three main "power ministries" 
(defense, internal affairs, and the counterintelligence service). 
Alexander Rahr, RFE/RL, Inc.

GAIDAR ON NEW PARTY. The leader of the radical reformist movement Russia's 
Choice, Egor Gaidar, met with leading Moscow activists to discuss a 
further consolidation of pro-reformers' ranks, Interfax reported on 10 
February. Many other leading members of Russia's Choice did not 
participate at the meeting, which may indicate that a new split is 
emerging within the movement. Gaidar said that he wants to create a new 
political party on the basis of Russia's Choice which would enable 
reformers to create a "well-oiled campaign machine to succeed in the 1996 
presidential elections." Presidential spokesman Vyacheslav Kostikov, who 
attended the meeting, stated that there will be "an ideological 
connection" between President Yeltsin and the new party. Other 
participants in the meeting, such as former dissident Zoya Krakhmalnikova 
and journalist Andrei Cherkizov, criticized Gaidar for his neglect of 
social policy. Alexander Rahr, RFE/RL, Inc. 

CIS

DISARMAMENT AID TO UKRAINE TO DOUBLE. At a meeting with representatives of 
Ukrainian-American organizations on 10 February, US President Bill Clinton 
announced that he expected US aid for Ukrainian nuclear disarmament to 
double from its current budgeted level of $175 million. In addition, 
bilateral economic aid is also expected to double. A formal announcement 
of the increase will be made when President Kravchuk visits Washington in 
March. Clinton also reiterated US plans to offer security guarantees (as 
specified in the trilateral agreement) to Ukraine after its accession to 
the nuclear non-proliferation treaty. Clinton's comments were reported by 
Reuters and other Western press agencies. John Lepingwell, RFE/RL, Inc. 

CRIMEAN PRESIDENT TO MOSCOW FOR TALKS. Recently-elected Crimean President 
Yurii Meshkov has met Russian leaders in Moscow on 10 February, Radio 
Rossii "Novosti" reported. Meshkov, however, declined to name the 
politicians in the Russian government and parliament to whom he had 
spoken, saying only that he discussed the reestablishment of economic 
links between Russia and Crimea. He also said that the people of Crimea 
should not suffer economically from the political and economic errors made 
by the Ukrainian leadership. Meshkov, who plans to stay in Moscow for a 
few more days, emphasized that Crimea had to conduct an independent 
economic policy, but denied that the political situation in the peninsula 
could become strained. Alexander Rahr, RFE/RL, Inc.

TRANSCAUCASIA AND CENTRAL ASIA

ALIEV IN TURKEY. On 9 February, the second day of his official visit to 
Turkey, Azerbaijan's President Geidar Aliev signed a ten-year treaty of 
friendship and cooperation with Turkey that provides mutual assistance in 
the case of aggression by a third party, in consultation with the UN and 
other international organizations, ITAR-TASS reported. Fifteen other 
documents on trade and investment and scientific and cultural cooperation 
were also signed. Turkish President Suleyman Demirel reaffirmed Turkey's 
commitment to achieving an Armenian withdrawal from occupied Azerbaijani 
territory; Aliev in turn requested increased arms supplies from Turkey to 
reduce his country's dependence on the Russian military, according to 
Hurriyet of 10 February. Aliev's visit constitutes a rapprochement between 
the two countries after a cooling-off period following the removal of 
Azerbaijan's pro-Turkish President Abulfaz Elchibey. Liz Fuller, RFE/RL, 
Inc.

ABKHAZ SITUATION DETERIORATES. Following the joint appeal on 9 February by 
Russian President Yeltsin and Georgian parliament chairman Eduard 
Shevardnadze to UN Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali for the 
deployment of UN peacekeeping troops in Abkhazia, Abkhaz Prime Minister 
Sokrat Dzhindzholia was quoted by ITAR-TASS on 10 February as stating that 
Abkhazia would condone the deployment of such forces only on the border 
between Abkhazia and the rest of Georgia. Meanwhile a Georgian official 
told Interfax on 10 February that Georgian civilians continue to flee 
Abkhazia's Gali raion to escape ethnic cleansing, while Abkhaz parliament 
speaker Beslan Bardzhgania told Interfax that Georgian saboteurs had 
shelled a hospital in the Abkhaz capital Sukhumi. Also on 10 February, the 
Abkhaz parliament issued a statement proclaiming Abkhazia's independence 
from Georgia, according to Interfax. It had previously been suggested that 
the issue of Abkhazia's status within Georgia should be decided by a 
referendum. Liz Fuller, RFE/RL, Inc.

KOZYREV ON BAIKONUR. After a brief visit to the space center at Baikonur 
in Kazakhstan on 10 February, Russian Foreign Minister Andrei Kozyrev told 
ITAR-TASS that he is guardedly optimistic that a solution can found to the 
dispute between Russia and Kazakhstan over the future of the site. This 
will be one of the issues to be discussed at a meeting sometime in March 
between Kazakhstan's President Nursultan Nazarbaev and Boris Yeltsin. 
Interfax reported that the acting chief of the launch site, Major-General 
Viktor Grafinin, complained to Kozyrev that Russia's space research 
program is likely to be disrupted if the status of Baikonur is not 
determined soon. Bess Brown, RFE/RL, Inc. 

CENTRAL AND EASTERN EUROPE

SHELLS "OF UNKNOWN ORIGIN" HIT SARAJEVO. The Washington Post reports on 11 
February that at least two "artillery blasts" hit the besieged Bosnian 
capital the previous day, probably ending yet another cease-fire. UN 
observers said that the origin of gunfire could not be determined, but 
Muslim artillery fired at Serb positions in apparent response. The 11 
February International Herald Tribune, meanwhile, quotes Bosnian Serb 
generals as contradicting political leader Radovan Karadzic's earlier 
statement that Serb artillery would be pulled back from Sarajevo 
voluntarily. The generals said they have no such intention, and threatened 
the safety of foreign aid workers in Bosnia. General Milan Gvero said: "If 
representatives of their countries bomb us, they will remain with us." 
Karadzic had also said on 9 February that he "could not guarantee" the 
safety of foreigners if Serb positions were bombed. Patrick Moore, RFE/RL, 
Inc. 

BELGRADE REACTS TO NATO ULTIMATUM. On 11 February the rump Yugoslav media 
reported extensively on reactions in Belgrade to the possibility that NATO 
may undertake air strikes against Bosnian Serb positions. The ultimatum 
has not been welcomed by any major political leader, and denunciations 
have ranged from mild to fervent. In his statement to the media, 
Democratic Opposition of Serbia leader Vuk Draskovic observed that 
"nothing was ever solved by ultimatums" and stressed that a settlement in 
the Bosnian war would come about when all three warring factions were 
disarmed. According to Politika, representatives from the minor ethnic 
Albanian coalition in the Serbian parliament as yet have no formal 
position on the ultimatum, but "welcome in principle any measure of the 
international community that will bring peace." Thus far it has been the 
Serbian Radical Party leader Vojislav Seselj who has most vigorously 
condemned the ultimatum. According to Borba, he has said categorically 
that "the ultimatum must be rejected . . . because it is no way to 
communicate with the Serbian people." An official reaction from Serbian 
president Slobodan Milosevic still appears to be pending. Stan Markotich, 
RFE/RL, Inc.

TURKEY WELCOMES NATO DECISION ON AIR STRIKES. The 11 February Milliyet 
quotes Prime Minister Tansu Ciller as applauding the NATO decision to 
present an ultimatum to Bosnian Serbs. A Milliyet commentator, as well as 
a foreign ministry spokesman quoted in Hurriyet, said that Turkey would 
participate in any NATO action but not in the actual bombing. Ankara plans 
to limit its activity to logistics and reconnaissance. Turkey has strong 
cultural and historical ties to the Bosnian Muslims and has long urged 
tough action against the Serbs. Turkey's allies, however, have favored a 
low profile for any Turkish role in dealing with the conflict, given the 
deep historical animosity between Serbs and Turks. Patrick Moore and 
Yalcin Tokgozoglu, RFE/RL, Inc. 

US RECOGNIZES MACEDONIA. In an effort to promote stability in the Balkans, 
the United States formally recognized Macedonia on 9 February according to 
a statement issued by the White House in Washington. The action was taken, 
according to the statement, as recognition that Macedonia has become "a 
sovereign and independent state based on democratic principles." The 
announcement noted certain conditions such as assurances regarding meeting 
the CSCE norms which will need to be satisfied before diplomatic relations 
can be established. Throughout the US statement, Macedonia was referred to 
using the temporary name accepted by the UN ,"The Former Yugoslav Republic 
of Macedonia," not the constitutional name "Republic of Macedonia," an 
apparent concession to Greece. The announcement notes the expectation that 
Greece and Macedonia will resolve their differences and the hope that the 
recognition will "encourage flexibility" in addressing outstanding issues. 
Agencies report that Greek leaders regard the US decision to recognize 
Macedonia as a mistake, while Macedonian officials expressed their 
satisfaction with the move and noted their willingness to negotiate with 
Athens. Duncan Perry, RFE/RL, Inc. 

DJILAS SAYS THAT SERB-CROAT PACT IS A DONE DEAL. The independent Zagreb 
weekly Globus in its 4 February issue runs an interview with prominent 
analyst of Yugoslav-area affairs and former dissident Milovan Djilas. He 
says that the planned restoration of relations between Zagreb and Belgrade 
announced on 19 January is the result of political problems faced by 
presidents Franjo Tudjman and Slobodan Milosevic. Djilas argues that the 
Serbian leader sacrificed the interests of the Krajina Serbs to get his 
deal with the Croats. But the likely future Croatian ambassador to rump 
Yugoslavia, Zvonimir Markovic, suggests that Krajina is still on the 
agenda and will be the last major problem to be tackled. Borba reports on 
8 February that Markovic feels that four steps will have to be dealt with 
before the crucial and interrelated matters of Krajina, Croatia's Serb 
minority, and the republic's frontiers can be addressed: establishing a 
cease-fire; setting up embassies; restoring infrastructure links; and 
opening formal diplomatic relations. Politika reports on 9 February that 
the rump Yugoslav government has approved the setting up of a Croatian 
bureau in Belgrade. There is widespread feeling in Croatia, however, that 
Serbia should recognize Croatia's Tito-era borders as a precondition for 
talks, and that, in any event, the Croatian leaders should better 
concentrate on improving relations with the Muslims rather than making 
deals with the Serb enemy. Patrick Moore, RFE/RL, Inc.

RUMP YUGOSLAV ECONOMY. On 9 February Borba reported that Vuk Ognjanovic, 
rump Yugoslavia's finance minister, stressed to reporters that the 1994 
budget would succeed in "cutting the deficit, and not increasing it." 
Ognjanovic credited rump Yugoslavia's new currency, the "super dinar", as 
being the instrument to lead the country to financial stability. According 
to Ognjanovic, the biggest chunk of the budget, roughly 75%, will continue 
to be swallowed up by the federal army. The minister also suggested that 
the rump Yugoslav government might wish to consider using economic levers 
to control Krajina. Stan Markotich, RFE/RL, Inc.

MACEDONIA GETS WORLD BANK SUPPORT. The World Bank has approved loans 
amounting to $80 million, according to an RFE/RL correspondent's report of 
10 February. Half of the money will be awarded as loans, half as credits 
from the Bank's affiliate, the International Development Association. The 
funds will be used to help economic reform and stabilization. Duncan 
Perry, RFE/RL, Inc.

POLISH GOVERNMENT REVISES BUDGET PROPOSALS. Meeting on 10 February to 
discuss revisions to the draft 1994 budget, the Polish cabinet opted to 
propose increased spending on education, culture, and social welfare, PAP 
reports. Quoting unofficial sources, Polish TV's "Panorama" reports that 
the new spending amounts to a total of 2.7 trillion zloty ($126 million). 
Labor Minister Leszek Miller conceded that his ministry will receive an 
additional 500 billion, to promote investment in areas threatened with 
high unemployment. The government stressed that this new spending will not 
raise the deficit, which remains set at 83 trillion zloty ($ 4 billion). 
But, to the consternation of journalists, the cabinet provided no 
information on the sources or distribution of the additional funds; this 
will be made public only on 11 February, after the Sejm's budget 
commission reviews the government's proposals. At the same time, the 
government announced that, "in connection with the lack of additional 
sources for budget revenues, there is no way to finance" the additional 
spending increases proposed by various Sejm commissions. These amounted to 
roughly 30 trillion zloty ($1.4 billion). The opposition has already 
charged the government with being wildly optimistic in its revenue 
calculations. The final Sejm vote on the budget is expected in late 
February. Louisa Vinton, RFE/RL, Inc. 

BELARUS SIGNS TRADE AGREEMENT WITH CZECH REPUBLIC, SLOVAKIA. Czech 
Minister of Industry and Trade Vladimir Dlouhy and Uladzimir Radkevich, 
Chairman of the Belarus State Committee for Foreign Economic Relations 
signed an agreement calling for liberalization of trade, payments in 
convertible currency and direct contacts between businesses, Czech 
Television reported on 8 February. Radkevich was on a two day official 
visit to Prague. The agreement provides a framework for future accords on 
issues such as protection of investments and prevention of double 
taxation. On 10 February in Bratislava an agreement on trade and 
scientific and technical cooperation was signed by Slovak Economy Minister 
Jan Ducky and Radkevich. Radkevich said that bilateral trade totaled 30 
million US dollars in 1993 and that both countries are trying to increase 
mutual economic contacts, TASR reports. Jan Obrman and Sharon Fisher, 
RFE/RL, Inc.

MECIAR'S PARTY SEEMS TO BE CRUMBLING. According to Sme of 10 February, the 
Movement for a Democratic Slovakia lost two more parliamentary deputies, 
bringing the party's number down to 63 out of 150 seats. Anna Korduliakova 
and Milan Mrenka said that 500 of the party's 730 members in the district 
of Cadca will join their new group called the National Social-Democratic 
Faction, whose members "feel a need for democracy, not for stringent party 
centralism." Meanwhile, during a 10 February meeting of government members 
with deputies from the MDS and its coalition partner, the Slovak National 
Party, Deputy Premier Roman Kovac spoke about his "differences of opinion" 
with Premier Vladimir Meciar. Kovac said he does not suffer from "basic 
ideological conflicts" with the premier but rather from "differences of 
opinion on the organization of the party and relations between deputies 
and the government." Kovac and Foreign Minister Jozef Moravcik allegedly 
have at least twelve supporters among MDS deputies, TASR reports. Also on 
10 February MDS deputy Peter Tomecek announced that he was creating a new 
group within the MDS called the Alternative of Political Realism, CTK 
reports. The ten-member group aims to create a wide government coalition 
without Meciar. Finally, Chairman of the MDS parliamentary caucus, Tibor 
Cabaj, confirmed that two of his deputy chairmen, Vladimir Bajan and 
Marian Kelemen, resigned from their posts on 10 February. Sharon Fisher, 
RFE/RL, Inc.

SLOVAK DEMOCRATIC PARTY OFFICIALS KILLED IN CAR CRASH. On 6 February 
Democratic Party Chairman Ivan Duris and Deputy Chairman Vladimir Cech 
died in a car accident in eastern Slovakia. The DS is an 
extraparliamentary party which recently merged with the Conservative 
Democratic Party. Sharon Fisher, RFE/RL, Inc. 

HUNGARIAN STOCK MARKET HITS RECORD. The 4 February issue of the Financial 
Times reported that the Budapest Stock Exchange's index rose by 58 % in 
January. According to the paper, the new high level was mainly achieved 
through a substantial inflow of foreign capital into the Hungarian market. 
At the same time, the Credit Suisse First Boston investment company 
announced the launching of a $200 million fund which is to become active 
on the stock exchanges of Warsaw, Prague and Budapest. Karoly Okolicsanyi, 
RFE/RL, Inc.

KEBICH ON MONETARY UNION. In an interview with Interfax on 11 February, 
the Belarusian prime minister, Vyacheslau Kebich, said that nearly all the 
terms of the monetary union between Russia and Belarus have been 
initialed. The final documents are to be signed in the near future when 
Russian Prime Minister Viktor Chernomyrdin visits Minsk. When asked if the 
union implied that Belarus would institute market economy reforms along 
the Russian road, Kebich replied that Belarus would not do so. According 
to Kebich, the merger of the monetary systems would not amount to a 
political or economic alliance, and only if Belarus entered an economic 
alliance with Russia would the country have to use the same approaches. 
One of the main issues of the monetary union has been the price Russia 
will charge Belarus for its energy. Belinform-TASS reported on 9 February 
that Kebich said if Russia did not charge Belarus the same price it 
charges Russian consumers there would be no monetary union. Ustina Markus, 
RFE/RL, Inc. 

BELARUSIAN TRADE UNIONS OPPOSE STRIKE. On 9 February an RFE/RL 
correspondent reported that the independent trade unions of Belarusian 
industry decided against joining a national strike on 15 February. The 
strike had been called by the Council of Strike Committees of Belarus to 
demand the resignation of the government and new parliamentary elections. 
The head of the car and tractor union, Aleksandr Buhvostau, told Belapan 
that the unions would not participate in the strike because it is 
politically motivated. Buhvostau added that if the government did not act 
to relieve economic hardship the unions would make preparations for their 
own national strike. According to Interfax on 11 February, the unions' 
main demands are that the government take immediate measures to support 
domestic manufacturers, approve a program for creating new jobs and 
tighten state control over prices. A draft of the resolution also demands 
that a minimum salary of 45,000 Belarusian rubles be set from March. 
Ustina Markus, RFE/RL, Inc. 

ESTONIA PROTESTS OVER KOZYREV'S ACCUSATIONS. On 9 February Estonia's 
President Lennart Meri demanded that Russian Ambassador Aleksandr Trofimov 
present an official explanation for recent statements by Russian 
officials, including Foreign Minister Andrei Kozyrev and Foreign Ministry 
spokesman Mikhail Demurin on Russia's intention to protect ethnic Russians 
living in the former Soviet republics and accusations that Estonia and 
Latvia were carrying out ethnic cleansing against Russians living there. 
On 10 February Estonian Prime Minister Mart Laar told BNS that "Russia's 
recent statements make it clear that Moscow is attempting to effect a 
turnabout in its relations with Estonia. Already "there is open talk about 
the insufficiency of diplomatic means to resolve the situation." Laar 
added, however, that "Estonia will stick to the same steady and calm 
course as before," but noted that "We intend also in the future to state 
our views to our eastern neighbor clearly and unambiguously." That same 
day Juri Kahn, Estonia's ambassador in Moscow, expressed his country's 
displeasure over recent Russian foreign policy statements to Aleksandr 
Udaltstev of the Russian Foreign Ministry and the Estonian parliament 
adopted a statement deploring what it perceived as the increasing 
imperialist tendencies in Russian foreign policy. Dzintra Bungs, RFE/RL, 
Inc. 

LAAR, ZHIRINOVSKY ON ROZHOK. On 4 February the Estonian authorities 
initiated criminal proceedings against Petr Rozhok, representative of 
Russian Liberal Democratic Party in Estonia, for attempting to instigate 
ethnic enmity. Rozhok recently told the Sillamaeski Vestnik that Estonia 
is ancient Russian territory and urged retired Russian officers and 
soldiers to form military units to protect their honor. Russian Liberal 
Democratic party leader Vladimir Zhirinovsky told the BNS on 9 February 
that "if a hair of Rozhok's head should be touched, the Estonian 
government will have to think about the fate of 900,000 Estonians." 
Affirming the correctness of bringing criminal action against Rozhok, 
Estonian Prime Minister Mart Laar also pointed out that "Zhirinovsky's 
displeasure with us puts us in the pleasant company of all those East 
European nations he has expressed his annoyance with," BNS reported on 10 
February. Laar said an investigation into the origin of anti-Semitic 
leaflets that are being disseminated in Estonia must also be conducted. 
"They may be linked with the activity of the Russian Liberal Democratic 
Party," he said. Dzintra Bungs, RFE/RL, Inc.

LITHUANIAN CURRENCY BOARD. On 7 February Lithuanian Prime Minister Adolfas 
Slezevicius met with deputies representing the Lithuanian Democratic Labor 
Party in parliament, BNS reported on 8 February. He managed to secure 
their backing for his proposal to create a currency board and to peg the 
litas to a single foreign currency. The main opponent of the proposal is 
Bank of Lithuania Chairman Kazimieras Ratkevicius, who in an interview 
with Radio Lithuania on 31 January rejected the criticism by IMF 
officials, who said a tighter monetary policy was needed to combat 
inflation. Saulius Girnius, RFE/RL, Inc.

[As of 1200 CET]

Compiled by Wendy Slater and Michael Shafir The RFE/RL Daily Report is 
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