ANOTHER GENERAL GAINS HIGH PROFILE IN ELECTION CAMPAIGN.

Former MVD and KGB Maj. General Aleksandr Gurov has emerged as a leading figure in an electoral bloc he has helped form two months ago with former social security minister Ella Pamfilova and Duma deputy Vladimir Lysenko, both democratic reformers. In his public appearances Gurov says that he would like to return power to the law enforcement agencies to fight corruption. He also expresses concern that the "mafia" will have plenty of representatives in the new Russian Duma. Gromov hopes that his entry into politics will help him gain a position from which he could promote the fight against organized crime. (9)

Gurov, who made his career fighting organized crime, first in the Ministry of Internal Affairs and later in the former Ministry of Security, resigned last year due to disagreements with the policies of the security agency’s leadership on combating organized crime. He is the author of the books Red Mafia and Mystery of the Red Mercury, in which he details Russian organized crime activities.

Congress of Russian Communities Proposes Anti-Crisis Program.