(15 Apr 1998) Russian/Nat
The leader of Russia's Communist Party said on Wednesday he would do everything to prevent Friday's vote on the candidacy of Sergei Kiriyenko for Prime Minister from taking place.
Kiriyenko has been acting Prime Minister since Boris Yeltsin sacked his government last month, but he failed to win the approval of Russia's parliament in a vote last week.
Boris Yeltsin proposed Kiriyenko a second time but the communist-dominated parliament has called that a breach of the constitution.
Tuesday's optimism by the speaker of the Russian parliament that Sergei Kiriyenko would be confirmed as Russia's Prime Minister this Friday has suffered a setback.
On Wednesday, communist leader Gennady Zyuganov said that the 35-year-old's nomination for a second vote was unconstitutional.
At a news conference in the Russian Parliament or Duma, Zyuganov, whose party dominates the parliament, said Kiriyenko had already been rejected once and that Yeltsin should nominate a new candidate
SOUNDBITE: (Russian)
"The President does not have the right to re-propose a candidate whose candidacy has already been discussed and rejected by the Duma. The decision, and it makes no sense to discuss it again, our decision is based on the law and President Yeltsin is once again breaking that law."
SUPER CAPTION: Gennady Zyuganov, Communist Party Leader
Communist lawmaker Viktor Ilyukhin, who's calling for Yeltsin's impeachment over the nomination, says Friday's vote should be postponed until the Constitutional Court has made its ruling.
SOUNDBITE: (Russian)
"I will be raising the question in today's session and calling for the vote on Kiriyenko to be put off until we have heard the decision of the Constitutional Court. We have that right."
SUPER CAPTION: Viktor Ilyukhin, Communist Lawmaker
Russia's Constitutional Court has said that it won't consider the question of Kiriyenko's candidacy breaching the constitution before Friday and the likelihood is that the vote will go ahead as planned.
The man at the centre of the controversy, Sergei Kiriyenko, seems unconcerned about the communist's threats.
Speaking after a meeting with the country's leading scientists, Kiriyenko told reporters that he's going ahead with his job and not worrying about what will happen on Friday.
SOUNDBITE: (Russian)
"I'm busy with other things. I'm a little tired of discussing my candidacy. For me it's much more interesting discussing our economic programme and how to realise it. I am busy with that. Those who are interested in my candidacy can discuss that."
CAPTION: Sergei Kiriyenko, Acting Prime Minister
The dissolution of parliament would permit Yeltsin to rule by decree for several months until new elections are held and would also threaten the current communist deputies with losing seats to more left-wing candidates.
The country's lawmakers would also be faced with the prospect of losing valuable perks such as Moscow apartments and free transportation.
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