Moscow - A Russian business tycoon and politician Mr Boris Berezovsky, yesterday called for the Communist Party to be banned because of anti-semitism in its ranks following recent anti-Jewish remarks by a member of parliament.
Interfax news agency quoted Mr Berezovsky, who is secretary of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) and of Jewish origin, as saying the Communists had "put themselves beyond the laws of the civilised world, beyond Russian laws". Controversy over anti-semitism and ethnic prejudice erupted last month when a Communist member of parliament, retired Gen Albert Makashov, told a public meeting that Russia's economic difficulties were the fault of Jews.