[Announcer] Before the next presidential election in Russia, candidates should undergo a medical examination, Yabloko faction leader Grigoriy Yavlinskiy told our radio station in a live interview. He said that if his health ever precluded him from working at full strength, he would be open and frank about it before his electorate. Grigoriy Yavlinskiy believes that Boris Yeltsin will continue working until the end of his term of office, that is, until the year 2000. At the same time he believes the country needs a new man in the post. [Begin Yavlinskiy recording] I believe Russia needs a different president. A different president, not Yeltsin, should be elected in a general election. As for the possibility of President Yeltsin leaving his post early, it is not up to me to make a decision. This issue should be decided either by the President himself -- and we have heard his reply to this question many times -- or by the citizens, the people of the Russian Federation. [end recording] [Announcer] I have been and still remain a political opponent
of the president, but I refuse to take part in the persecution of Boris
Yeltsin [referring to State Duma efforts to impeach the president], Grigoriy
Yavlinskiy told our radio station. Any political persecution is disgusting
in itself, particularly when taking part in it are those who helped him
to retain power in 1996, he stressed.
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