RESULTS OF POLL CONDUCTED BY THE FUND FOR PUBLIC OPINION
ORT, Vremya, August 28, 1999, 21:00
If the presidential elections happened this weekend Yevgeny Primakov would win in the first round. About 21% of respondents would support him. Leader of the Communists Gennady Zyuganov took the second place (16%). Yury Luzhkov outstripped Sergei Stepashin and took the third position in the rating (11%). Stepashin would be supported by 9% of the potential electorate. The last line in the rating is taken by Grigory Yavlinsky (6%).
About 35% of respondents share Primakov’s political views. At the same time, personal qualities of the former Prime Minister attracted only 30% of respondents. About 24% of respondents trust Zyuganov as a politician. As an individual Zyuganov raises sympathies of 15% of the Russians. The rating of a political trust to Sergei Stepashin is a little bit higher than the rating of his personal qualities. While 19% of the respondents share his political views only 16% sympathize with him. Yury Luzhkov’s political views are shared by 18% of respondents but only 13% like the personal qualities of the Mayor of Moscow. Grigory Yavlinsky brings up the rear – 14% of respondents supported Yabloko, but Yavlinsky’s personal qualities attract only 11% of respondents. The sociological poll was conducted by the Fund for Public Opinion in all Russian regions.
SERGEI STEPASHIN WILL RUN FOR PRESIDENT
Russian Television, Vesti, August 28, 1999, 14:00
Sergei Stepashin revealed his plans connected with the upcoming elections. In his interview to the “Zerkalo” analytical program he hinted unambiguously that he prepares to a fight for the presidential post.
PRIMAKOV IS NOT AGAINST YELTSIN
Independent Television, Segodnya, August 28, 1999, 19:00
The leading three of the Fatherland-All Russia electoral list has been announced long ago but only today Primakov, Luzhkov, and Yakovlev appeared in public together. Primakov’s speech was a kind of response to his rivals. He enumerated all reproaches addressed to the bloc and parried them item by item. Primakov admitted that there are many Muscovites in the Fatherland-All Russia coalition but they do not separate the capital from the rest of the country. There are many officials in the movement but if the electorate supports them they must be there. He also stated that fatherland-All Russia will run for the president but the members of the bloc do not squabble for the portfolios.
At the final press conference Yevgeny Primakov stated that his bloc does not refuse to cooperate with the president of Russia.
Yevgeny Primakov: At any rate we never heard anything against our bloc on the part of the president and we appreciate it…
