YELTSIN MEMO ORDERED RETALIATION AGAINST REGIONAL LEADERS, NEWSPAPERS.

According to the Financial Times, an internal memorandum signed by Yeltsin and sent to senior government ministers earlier this month ordered the dismissal of regional officials who did not support the pro-government "Russia is Our Home" movement in last month’s parliamentary elections. (7) The newspaper notes that three of the four regional leaders identified have already been sacked. The memorandum is also said to call for tighter control over state-owned media and for ending or sharply curtailing financial backing for regional newspapers that supported opposition candidates in the December elections. In addition, the memo calls for steps to ensure that Yeltsin supporters dominate the Central Electoral Commission and its regional subsidiaries. The newspaper does not reveal how it obtained a copy of the memorandum.

Yabloko