NID: USSR: LITHUANIAN DECISION WILL REVERBERATE WIDELY

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: The Collapse of Communism in Eastern Europe: A 30-Year Legacy
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 06826809
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: November 26, 2019
• Document Release Date: December 10, 2019
• Publication Date: December 8, 1989

Approved for Release: 2019/10/29 C06826809
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USSR: Lithuanian Decision Will Reverberate Widely
The Lithuanian Supreme Soviet's more yesterday to legalize a
multiparty political system in the republic will help raise the issue of the
Communist Party's role to the top of national and republic le i
agendas; it will further erode the party's status and prestige.
The Estonian party Central Committee yesterday endorsed removing
the constitutional guarantee of thc republic party's leading role, a
decision that must be formally approved by the republic's Supreme
Soviet. This week the republic legislature in Armenia failed to draw
a quorum to consider a similar constitutionfil change but is likely
to return to the issue soon.
The Lithuanian legislature's decision comes on the eve of a series of
local and republic legislative elections throughout the USSR that will
end in March. In local elections in Estonia and Latvia this weekend
and in elections that follow, most candidate backed solely by the
Communist Party apparatus are expected to fare poorly.
President Gorbachev has repeatedly rejected calls for a multiparty
system. Last month, moreover. the USSR Supreme Soviet voted not
to put the issue on the agenda of the Congress of People's Deputies.
which reconvenes Tuesday. And my Sakharcur and five other
prominent Deputies, however, have called for a nationwide warning
strike on Monday to demand the Congress remove the guarantee of
the party's leading role from the USSR Constitution.
Comment: In the short run, the Lithuanian party's decision and its
all but certain move later this month to declare itself independent
from the CPSU may improve its competitive position in February's
republic elections by removing major source.; of public resentment
toward it. In the long term, however. leveling the playing field in the
republic's political arena will undercut the party. The Lithuanian and
Estonian decisions will also encourage other republics. including
Latvia. Georgia. and perhaps Armenia. to follow suit.
Gorbachev and his allies are almost certainly concerned by
the Lithuanian vote. To forestall other republic legislatures. they
probably will try to work out a constitutional compromise that
guarantees the legitimacy of other parties bu:. preserves a special
status for the CPSU. The Lithuanian decision. and events in Eastern
Europe. will raise the public's awareness of the debate over the party's
role and might increase popular participation in the nationwide
warning strike Monday.
Tcs 2984/89
8 December 1089
Approved for Release: 2019/10/29 C06826809
Approved for Release: 2019/10/29 C06826809
t�t
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TOrSticrer--
Republic and Local Elections Begin in the USSR
Republic Local Soviets Supreme Soviets
Russian (RSFSB) 4 March 1990 4 March 1990
Armenian (not set) (not set)
Azerbaijan (not set) (not set)
Belorussian 4 March 1990 4 March 1990
Estonian 10 December 1989 18 March 1990
Georgian 17 June 1990 25 March 1990
Kazakh 24 December 1989 25 March 1990
Kirghiz 25 February 1990 25 February 1990
Latvian 10 December 1989 18 March 1990
Lithuanian 24 March 1990 24 February 1990
Moldavian 25 February 1990 25 February 1990
Tajik 24 December 1989 25 February 1990
Turkmen 7 January 1990 7 January 1990
Ukrainian 4 March 1990 4 March 1990
Uzbek 18 February 1990 18 February 1990
TCS 2984/89
8 December 1989
Approved for Release: 2019/10/29 C06826809