#22 | November 20 - December 3, 1997  

By Edward Limonov

Periodically, every year or so, Moscow is convulsed by a witch hunting. Witches are played willingly by a few folkloric persons in thirst for vanity, like a "fascist" Vedenkin, surfaced on television in 1995. Hunters are professional "anti-fascists" as they call themselves. In 1995 "anti-fascist" No. 1 of Russia was a chief of State Committee for Press and Information Mr. Grisunov. Today's most notorious anti-fascist is a deputy of Moscow's city Duma, Mr. Proschechkin. If witches see to satisfy only its vanity, hunters pursuing more vulgar goals-they make a good living out of their "anti-fascism." Witch hunting activity profitably distinguish themselves from other rather gray competitors for the offices of deputies and government officials. They, in addition, receive grants and money from abroad, awarded for their "defense of democracy." For example, high volume "Political Extremism in Russia," produced by Verkhovsky, Papp and Pribilovsky, was created on money of American National Endowment for Democracy. The general manager of project was Freedom House. So, American money help to create fascist menace in Russia. Me, and my party comrade Alexander Dugin, philosopher, have a pleasure to be listed amongst sixty-four extremists, our detailed biographies included, cited by that McCarthyist style book. But among the extremists of Mother Russia one can find such persons as a governor of Kurskaya Oblast, Mr. Rutskoi, head of Liberal Democratic Party Mr. Zhirinovsky (irony of sort, as his party in parliament for all those years unanimously voted in support 100% of government laws). Bulk of a crowd listed as extremist consist, however, of caricatures such as Mr. Vedenkin, or Mr. Barkashov, whose organization "Russian National Unity" pose for TV cameras to frighten citizens with its uniforms of operetta's fascists for many years now, but shows zero of political activity. I know well all the "willing witches" "extremists" from 1992, my political activities obliged me to. My diagnosis is: they are handful, they are vain, harmless, photogenic, coquettish and good for nothing. With only three exceptions: Victor Anpilov's organization "Working Russia," Stanislav Terekhov's organization "Union of Officers" and Edward Limonov's organization "National-Bolshevik's Party."

On October 2, 1997, we, above-mentioned, have had united our political forces and announced creation of an Electoral Bloc of Radicals, having for a goal 1999's elections to a State Duma. Surprise, but only few days after was announced creation of Presidential Committee for Struggle Against Political Extremism with a Mr. Stepashin (the former head of the FSB) at its head, and including such members as Mr. Laptev, head of a State Committee for Press and Information, Mr. Kovalev, head of Federal Service of Security. Noticeable is difference between anti-extremists campaigns of the past. This time it is a State itself who is witch-hunting.

On October 16, and October 23, apartments of two ex-members of National-Bolshevik's Party were searched and consequently both men been arrested on charges of possession of the weapons. Also, on October 23, poet Alina Vituhkovskaya, close to National-Bolshevik's Party, was taken under arrest during her trial for alleged pushing of drugs. Now she is in Women's Prison Number Six of Moscow. Obvious is desire to find a motivation for a repression against my party. On October 31, Ministry of Justice have summoned representatives of parties and movements to announce them their obligation to re-register their organizations. State Duma also contributed to the campaign of repression against us Radicals-their political rivals. Beginning October, Duma voted unanimously for a new law proposed by President: that only political organizations will from now have right to participate in elections. Confusing, however, is that law: no definition of political organization is available.

If sporadic anti-extremist campaigns of the past have had a goal to frighten public, to create non-existent fascist menace, do "democracy" in Russia will appear to be only one force who is able to stop those monstrous fascists. New mighty Committee was created with a different purpose: to stop radicals from entering Duma. In context of a growing disappointment of communist electorate with behavior of Zyuganov's Duma faction of Communist Party of Russian Federation (KPRF), we, radicals, have strong hopes to charm their electorate. Even if we will succeed partly, Radical Bloc will receive well over five percent of votes. In 1995's elections Anpilov alone almost acquired that goal-he harvested 4.86%. Today's political situation is much more profitable for Radicals. Disgusted by cowardice of Zyuganov's party, by KPRF's deputies refusal to vote against government, disgusted by vulgar show of President Yeltsin delivering a medal to KPRF's speaker Mr. Seleznyov, radical party of communist's electorate will vote for a Bloc Anpilov/Terekhov/Limonov. That is precisely the reason why Committee Against Extremism was hastily created. That is why arrests, re-registration, restriction laws are hastily employed in order to stop us.

Is National-Bolshevik's Party an extremist party? National-Bolshevik's Party is political organization of a nation which has 27 million of compatriots been taken away by hostile neighboring countries, created as a result of destruction of Soviet Union. So we, National-Bolsheviks, for the union of all Russians in one State. German nation reunification in 1990 was saluted by the whole world as a positive event. Why similar demand of Russian party should be called extremist? Russia's territories such as Crimea and North Kazakhstan, populated overwhelmingly by majority of Russians, were sliced away from it. National-Bolsheviks Party were sliced demanding that Crimea and Northern Kazakhstan should be returned to Russia. George Washington and his boys were much more extremists in their time of a young American state. Russia is a young state today, born in 1991. Why we National-Bolsheviks should be called extremists, if England fought a bloody Falkland Island's War in 1982 for a few rocks in the ocean many thousands miles away? What is permitted to England is not permitted to Russia? National-Bolshevik's Party is for installment of anti-abortion law, for the creation of kind of sheriff's institution in Russia, in order to beat criminality. So, why we are called extremist? Because IT IS POLITICALLY PROFITABLE FOR OUR POLITICAL RIVALS AND FOR THE FOREIGN POWERS.