Bashkorstostan's president rejects land privatization

Bashkir President Murtaza Rakhimov claimed that allowing farm land to be bought and sold could lead to ``tragic consequences'' for Russia, according to an interview published in ``Segodnya'' on 4 October. Rakhimov said that although he is open to all types of ownership, the government must recognize that its citizens, and rural dwellers in particular, were raised with a psychology of ``hatred'' for more successful neighbors. He also asserted that living standards at most kolkhozy and sovkhozy (collective and state-owned farms) are no worse than on farms in the West. While acknowledging that his views on land privatization differ from current government policy, Rakhimov confirmed that he will support Prime Minister Viktor Chernomyrdin's bloc ``Our Home Is Russia'' in the upcoming Duma elections for the sake of stability. --- Laura Belin


5 октября 1995г. Радио ``Свобода'' / ``Свободная Европа'' --- Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty