LITHUANIAN RULING PARTY LEADER OUSTED

. The governing Democratic Labor Party’s Council yesterday designated parliament chairman Ceslovas Jursenas as the party’s temporary chairman in place of Adolfas Slezevicius, who was recently forced out as prime minister. The Council issued an urgent appeal for party unity and end to factional activities. Latest opinion surveys show a marked decline in the DLP’s rating because of its leadership’s persistent support for Slezevicius despite public disapproval of his misconduct in the banking crisis. The surveys show a corresponding rise in the popularity of President Algirdas Brazauskas and of several opposition leaders who pressed for replacing Slezevicius as prime minister. (15) In moving to replace Slezevicius as party leader, the DLP Council yielded to pressure from below in order to avert a looming party split. Most of the DLP’s parliamentary faction and the grassroots seemed to be turning against the party leadership because of its loyalty to the controversial leader. The DLP has lost its parliamentary majority in the crisis and formed a minority government to tide the country over to the legislative elections due this autumn.

Refusal of Koenigsberg Corridor Firmed Up.