Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, March 13, 1990 TAG: 9003133570
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL PAGE: A/1 EDITION: EVENING
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: MOSCOW LENGTH: Medium
The Congress, the country's top legislative body, also scrapped the clauses of the Soviet Constitution that guarantee the Communist Party's leading role in society, creating a multiparty system. It also legalized private ownership of factories.
The lawmakers approved the measure on the presidency by a vote of 1,817 to 133, with 61 abstentions, the official Tass news agency said. A two-thirds majority of the 2,250-member Congress of People's Deputies was required for the motion to pass.
"We are standing before the greatest, most meaningful step in the history of our government," Gorbachev said.
The measures on the presidency, private property and scrapping the leading role of the party had earlier been approved by the Supreme Soviet, the smaller parliament that handles day-to-day business.
Gorbachev had argued that the more powerful presidency was needed to keep the crumbling union intact as he presses ahead with reforms. Opponents said it would give the president dangerous dictatorial powers.
Lithuanians had been so dismayed by the presidency proposal that they rushed to declare independence before it passed.
Earlier today, Gorbachev said a legislative commission was studying the Lithuanian problem and that he would consider the status quo not to have changed "until the entire situation is cleared up."
"We welcome the fact that deputies from all the republics, including Lithuania, are in attendance," he said.
On Monday, another member of the Communist Party's ruling Politburo, Yegor Ligachev, said Moscow would not use force in Lithuania.
The deputies are expected to nominate and elect Gorbachev to the new presidency. It is expected that after Gorbachev's initial term, the five-year presidency would be filled by popular election.
Gorbachev has said the new powers are needed so the Soviet Union will not fall into a destabilizing rash of ethnic and nationalist violence.
Soviet Vice President Anatoly Lukyanov introduced the latest draft of the presidency proposal Monday by promising, "There is no reason to believe that the institution of the presidency would lead to alleged authoritarian power."
Lukyanov said the bill creates checks and balances between the executive and legislative branches of power. He said it allows Congress to recall the president for breaking the law and restricts the passage of legislation to the Congress and the Supreme Soviet, the standing legislature.
The current constitution allows the leadership of the Supreme Soviet - which Gorbachev heads - to issue decrees.
Throughout Monday, deputies huddled with Gorbachev and each other seeking compromises.
Progressive deputy Anatoly Sobchak said Monday night that a tentative compromise had been reached on the proposal's most controversial point.
Under the compromise, the president would not be able to declare a state of emergency, suspend the parliament of a republic and take over its administration without first obtaining permission from the republic or the national parliament, Sobchak said.
Several of the independence-oriented republics have adopted constitutional amendments allowing them to suspend Soviet laws on their territory.
Gorbachev supporter Sergei Alexeyev argued that the Soviet Union is "in a paralysis of power," and "the presidency is the only way to transfer the real power from the [Communist] party to the government."
If the presidency issue is resolved positively, "we can get down to drafting a new constitution immediately which will confirm human rights, democracy and conversion to a market economy," Alexeyev said.
But Yuri Afanasyev, a leader of a group of progressive deputies, urged that the presidency be adopted only in conjunction with a new constitution, direct election of the president, real opposition parties and freedom of the press.
He then infuriated many deputies by attacking Soviet founder Vladimir Lenin.
"The use of force and violence is our entire history. If our leader and founder laid the foundation of anything, it was the institution of mass violence and state terror," he said. Deputies shouted their anger.
Afanasyev, a historian, said later he was proud of the statement even though it undoubtedly cost the progressives votes.
by CNB