PRIVATIZATION PROCESS MAY BE CHANGED.

Yeltsin economic adviser Aleksandr Livshits told a Kremlin briefing January 18 that a more carefully considered privatization policy was required for the sale of state-owned assets. Livshits is considered the front-runner to replace departed First Deputy Prime Minister Anatoly Chubais, although former Deputy Premier Aleksandr Shokhin, former Federation Council speaker Vladimir Shumeiko, vice president of the Russian business round table Vladimir Shcherbakov, and director of AvtoVAZ (maker of Lada cars) Vladimir Kadannikov are also said to be in the running. However, as Izvestiya reported yesterday, "government sources say that even if Aleksandr Livshits (a consistent free-market advocate) is selected, current economic policies are unlikely to be preserved." (6) Regarding the presidential decree on the prompt payment of wages, rumor has it that populist policy may see top government officials get their wages only after lower-ranking employees have been paid. (7)

Communists Gain Additional Presidium Seat in Duma.