YELTSIN’S HEALTH A KEY ISSUE IN RUSSIAN ELECTION.

Only one day remains before Russians go to the polls in the second and final round of the presidential election that will decide whether Boris Yeltsin is reelected or whether Russia returns to Communist rule. Although campaigning is banned on the eve of the election, press conferences have been scheduled by Yeltsin’s Communist challenger Gennady Zyuganov, and by the Kremlin’s new strongman, Aleksandr Lebed. Zyuganov, who rounded off his official campaign yesterday with a televised attack on Yeltsin’s record in office, is today expected again to raise the question of Yeltsin’s fitness to rule and to repeat his demand for a medical report on the health of the 65-year-old president.

Yeltsin, who has not been seen in public for five days, appeared on television yesterday in a two-minute, pre-recorded appeal to voters to cast their ballots for "a free and normal life." (Russian Television, July 1) His halting speech and hoarse voice were seized upon by Russian nationalist politician Stanislav Govorukhin, a Zyuganov ally. Saying the president looked like "a mummy from a mausoleum," Govorukhin called for the election to be postponed until the president had recovered. (Financial Times, July 2)

Constitution Vague on Transfer of Power.