DEMONSTRATION AGAINST RUSSIAN NAZIS IN MINSK.

Thousands of residents demonstrated on February 27 in central Minsk against the authorities’ apparent encouragement of the penetration of Russian Nazism in Belarus. The democratic opposition called the demonstration in response to recent actions of supporters of Russian National Unity (RNE) who–sporting Nazi uniforms with impunity–disseminated Russian ultranationalist propaganda in Minsk and beat up democratic opposition activists (see the Monitor, February 8, 10). Leaders of the Belarusan Popular Front (BPF), the United Civic Party, the Charter-97 civic initiative and the Belarusan Helsinki Committee addressed the rally and called for international attention to the spillover of Russian antidemocratic ideologies into Belarus.

On the eve of the Minsk demonstration, RNE supporters clad in Nazi regalia attacked and damaged the Popular Front’s headquarters in the city of Hrodna, a stronghold of the democratic opposition. Members of the Young Front (the BPF’s affiliate) fought back. Police passivity toward RNE is prompting some members of the opposition to call for the formation of self-defense units (Belapan, RTR, February 27).

OSCE’S NEW PARLIAMENTARY LEADER TO ENERGIZE EFFORT IN MOLDOVA.