DUMA BILL CHALLENGES YELTSIN ON PRIVATIZATION.

Just beforegoing on its summer recess, the Russian parliament passed a billwhich would give the regions and the parliament rather than theexecutive branch of the Russian government control over the paceand direction of future privatization, Segodnya reportedJuly 29. Meanwhile, and in order to retain his power to controlthe country’s monetary system, Boris Yeltsin vetoed a much-amendedbill on banking activity which would have provided a legal frameworkfor the country’s financial institutions, Interfax reported July31. Yeltsin has returned the bill to the Duma for further consideration.On the same day, Yeltsin signed a decree setting up additionalmeasures to protect small investors, the news service said.

One Russian Diplomat in Four Has Quit Since 1992.