RUSSIAN BUDGET GETS UNETHUSIASTIC RECEPTION.

The Russian government has submitted a new draft of the 1997 federal budget for consideration on October 30 by a joint government/parliament conciliation commission. Duma Speaker Gennady Seleznev immediately dismissed the draft, calling the changes "cosmetic" and predicting that passage through parliament will be difficult. (RTR, October 28) The chairman of the Duma’s Budget Committee, Mikhail Zadornov of Yabloko, said that only a few of the changes were significant. These include increases in the military budget and in the sums earmarked for military reform, conversion, and housing for military personnel. (Interfax, October 28)

Modest Success for Kremlin in Local Elections.