RUSSIAN DUMA APPROVES 1997 FEDERAL BUDGET.

The lower house of the Russian parliament approved Russia’s 1997 federal budget in its fourth and final reading on January 24. Communist deputies threatened to reject the bill up until the last moment, but when it came to the count the vote was 245/90 with 17 abstentions. Passage through the upper house is expected to be smooth. (Itar-Tass January 24)

Russians "Allergic" to Political Parties.