COMMENTARY & POLITICS

EDITORIAL
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Russian tax men are not God: Two weeks ago tax police in St Petersburg detained a Western businessman over tax matters for the first time. Tax consultant JIM BEATTY examines the perils of the Russian tax system.
Kovalyov faces West, turns his back on Yeltsin: Sergei Kovalyov's open letter of resignation to President Boris Yeltsin, published in Wednesday's Izvestia marked the end of the troubled five year courtship between Mr Yeltsin and Russia's liberal intelligentsia.

The St. Petersburg Press welcomes letters to the editor. They should not be longer than 250 words. Letters for publication should bear the name and address of the writer. Names may be withheld on request. The St Petersburg Press reserves the right to edit letters. Letters can be e-mailed to letters@sppress.spb.su, faxed to (812) 314 2120 or delivered to our offices: 6th floor, 5a Razyeszhaya Ulitsa, St Petersburg. Those sending letters from abroad should post them to our international mailing address: St Petersburg Press, PO Box 8, SF 53501, Lappeenranta, Finland.