THE CONFRONTATION: A STORM IN A TEACUP OR SOMETHING MORE SERIOUS?

By V.A. Mironov

The start of summer in Russia–traditionally associated with parliamentary recess, officials’ holidays and political truce–has coincided this year with certain maneuvers on its political stage. New political coalitions have begun to be formed, work has been stepped up on party-building, individual political structures have undertaken attempts to gain control of financial and information flows and so on–all of which have caused many analysts and politicians to conjecture that the election campaigns both for the federal parliament and for the presidency have actually begun. Particular attention is being paid to the difficulties which have arisen in relations between Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov and the presidential structures. The media are once again talking of confrontation between President Boris Yeltsin and Luzhkov, saying that Yeltsin currently considers Luzhkov his main political opponent. But is there actually conflict here? What facts are there to support the idea that these two political figures have locked horns and what are the reasons and purposes of this skirmish?

BORIS YELTSIN AND YURI LUZHKOV: ONE SMALL STEP FROM LOVE TO HATE