FREE AIR TIME FOR ALL.

The Central Election Commission issued an instruction to radio and television stations to allot air time, free of charge, to all parties and organizations with properly registered election lists. Similarly, the state-run and subsidized print and mass media must publish election campaign advertisements. The document says that refusal to grant air time or print space will be prosecuted by law. The state is committed to reimburse television stations for the cost of air time spent on election propaganda. The instruction also stated that candidates and political parties could buy additional air time, provided that such time does not exceed the television slot already obtained free of charge, and allows parties to set up their own radio and television channels. The first to take advantage of this opportunity was Grigory Yavlinsky, the leader of the Yabloko bloc, who has already launched his radio station, "Course." (6)

Ecological Bloc Set Up by Non-Ecologists.