CHECHNYA’S NEW PARLIAMENT MAY NOT CONVENE FOR TWO MONTHS.

The February 16 run-off elections to Chechnya’s 63-member parliament have been declared valid, election officials said yesterday. Thirty deputies were elected in addition to the five elected in the first round on January 27, when a 900-candidate field made it hard to score the outright majority required to win a seat. Repeat elections will have to be held in another 28 constituencies, where, because of low turnout, no deputy was elected. Another round is expected within two months. (Itar-Tass, AP, April 17) Until then, the new parliament will not be able to convene since it will lack the 42 members required to make up a quorum, Russian Television reported. The old parliament will meet in the interim and there is speculation that President Aslan Maskhadov may decide to rule by decree. (RTR, February 17)

Confusion Over Russian Government’s Policy Toward Giant Monopolies.