ABSTRACT
The task of forming the new Russian government was carried out primarily by Gennadi Burbulis. When after a three-months break the Fifth Congress of People's Deputies of Russia resumed its sessions, the main issue was the new cabinet. Suddenly Yeltsin announced his decision to head the government himself, with Burbulis as his First Vice-Premier and Gaidar as Vice-Premier in charge of economic reform. By the time of the Sixth Congress its deputies found themselves hostages to the executive and after the parliament's dissolution in October 1993 Democratic Russia lost the last vestige of influence on the course of events. Russian sovereignty proclaimed in 1990 was quoted as the main argument against immediately promulgating a new constitution and against holding new elections. Economic reform was accompanied by reductions in government support for education, science and culture, on so grand a scale that they were immediately driven to the verge of survival.
