In an open letter to Yeltsin, Yabloko leader Grigorii Yavlinskii has blasted the president for tolerating and sometimes openly supporting ``the excesses of regional authorities in a number of Russian Federation subjects'', ``Nezavisimaya gazeta'' reported on 19 June. Yavlinskii cited the ``grandiose profanation called a presidential election'' in Bashkortostan (see ``RFE/RL Newsline'', 15 and 16 June 1998). He argued that Yeltsin's ``inaction serves as confirmation for numerous governors and presidents in our country that everything is permissible and justified''. Yavlinskii warned that such an attitude could lead to the country's ``feudal disintegration'' and is already making Russia ``more and more resemble a confederation of principalities''. The Yabloko leader asked Yeltsin whether he is ready to assume responsibility for ``future political murders'', since he condones ``illegal 'elections' and arbitrary rule'' in the regions. Yabloko is conducting its own investigation into the recent murder of Kalmykian journalist Larisa Yudina. LB

Murtaza Rakhimov began his second term as the president of Bashkortostan on 20 June following a lavish inauguration ceremony in Ufa, ITAR-TASS reported. Yurii Yarov, first deputy head of the presidential administration, attended the inauguration on behalf of the Kremlin and Deputy Prime Minister Oleg Sysuev on behalf of the government. Speaking during the ceremony, Sysuev said Rakhimov represents a 21st-century leader. He said that Bashkortostan has developed a stable political and social environment and that the republic's leaders have great authority, having carried out successful economic reforms while devoting attention to social support of the population. LB

Duma deputy Alekansdr Arinin is appealing to the Supreme Court to overturn the results of the Bashkir presidential election, RFE/RL's Moscow bureau reported on 22 June. Arinin has already won one court appeal against the Bashkir Electoral Commission's refusal to register him as a candidate. However, the commission ignored the Supreme Court's instruction to include him on the ballot (see ``RFE/RL Newsline'', 15 June 1998). Arinin criticized the federal authorities for keeping silent about the legal violations leading up to the Bashkir election. He added that a campaign of civil disobedience is gaining support in the republic and is demanding a new presidential election. Rakhimov faced no genuine challenger on the ballot, but more than 15 percent of voters cast their ballots ``against all candidates'', including more than a third of voters in the republic's capital, Ufa. LB

23 июня 1998г. Радио ``Свобода'' / ``Свободная Европа'' --- Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty