DUMA REJECTS IMPEACHMENT, SETS NO CONFIDENCE VOTE.

On June 23, the Russian parliament rejected a Communist-backed proposal to impeach Russian president Boris Yeltsin, Itar-Tass reported. Although the Communists had collected 150 signatures to put the measure on the agenda, only 172 deputies voted for the measure; 58 voted against, with most deputies abstaining. On the same day, the Duma voted 249 to 7 to hold a second no confidence vote on the government of Prime Minister Chernomyrdin on July 1. Chernomyrdin on June 22 had asked for a quick repeat vote–required to force Yeltsin to either dismiss the government or prorogue the parliament. The deputies have agreed to schedule the vote two days after Yeltsin’s Security Council will have considered replacing one or more of the power ministers. Because the original vote garnered only 17 votes more than the simple majority needed, the Duma is likely to fail to pass the second no-confidence vote. That is because Yeltsin has indicated that he is prepared to remove one or more of the power ministers, the main targets of the parliamentary protest, and because many deputies fear that Yeltsin would in fact disperse the parliament were it to attempt to bring down the government.

Yeltsin Announces Election Year Budget.