Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, March 6, 1990 TAG: 9003061820
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL PAGE: A4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: MOSCOW LENGTH: Medium
Yeltsin has said he will seek the presidency of the republic, which traditionally means a place on the Communist Party's ruling Politburo. That could return the Communist maverick to the membership he lost in February 1988 for advocating speedier change.
Leaders of popular movements in the Ukraine and Byelorussia, an outspoken television commentator in Leningrad and a defiant editor in Moscow also appeared to have won in Sunday's elections.
"We're so happy! Such success!" said Irina Rozhenko of the Ukrainian pro-democracy movement Narodny Rukh.
Byelorussia, the Ukraine and the vast Russian republic account for 80 percent of the Soviet Union. Most of the 1,800 contests for seats in the legislatures of the three republics remained undecided, with no candidate getting the required majority. State TV said fewer than 15 percent were resolved in the Russian republic.
Activists said strong showings in this round nearly guaranteed victories in runoff elections for candidates who want to step up the pace of reforms begun by President Mikhail S. Gorbachev. The runoffs are expected in two weeks.
Ukraine party chief Vladimir A. Ivashko, considered a moderate protege of Gorbachev, qualified for a runoff against an opponent backed by the Narodny Rukh pro-democracy group. Vitaly I. Vorotnikov, president of the Russian republic, defeated a lone opponent in the city of Krasnodar, winning 71.3 percent of the votes cast.
Zyanon Paznyak, leader of the Byelorussian People's Front, got 59 percent of the vote in his Minsk district, said spokesman Victor Ivashkevich.
In Leningrad, Bella Kurkova, controversial commentator of the television program "Fifth Wheel," appeared to be the only first-round winner, said IMA Press, an official youth news agency.
by CNB