We only held our founding conference in December of last year. At that time we decided to form an opposition within Komsomol, because there are no stable, political youth movements outside. So far most activists are students, young white-collar workers, post-graduate students. There are few workers. We think that as unemployment becomes an imminent danger we can also get support from young workers. • Given the general mood of dissociation from Communism following the August coup it seems difficult - perhaps even unwise — to try to "re-found" the Komsomol. Has the aftermath of the coup changed your views on this?
We think that the present structures of the Komsomol are neither Leninist nor communist. What we want to found is precisely a communist organization. We are trying to unite the whole spectrum of communist youth, who could work within such an organization. By the way, we do not understand why the August coup is being called a "communist" one. We don't consider these people communists, and the attack on the CPSU afterwards was absolutely illegal. If they can ban the CPSU today and confiscate its property the same could happen tomorrow to any party not in tune with the rulers. I think this will happen and that the radical democrats, who in August greeted the fall of the CPSU and tore down statues, will be the first to suffer. • After the fall of the CPSU a series of initiatives to set up new paries have been taken. What is your attitude to them?