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Mayor Blames Officials

MOSCOW () -- Mayor Yury Luzhkov is demanding criminal charges be brought against federal officials he says are responsible for high excise taxes.


Luzhkov, often at odds with the federal government over reform policies like privatization, criticized the federal government's 1995 tax policy at a meeting of city administrators Tuesday.


He said the Krystall distillery nearly went bankrupt earlier this year after the government miscalculated in imposing a 90 percent excise duty.


"The facility came to a standstill for eight weeks," he said. "Huge damages were sustained and the state derived no revenues. Criminal charges must be brought against those responsible."

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