Quotes by Boris Yeltsin

“We have gotten stuck half-way in our transition from the planned and command economy to a normal market economy. We have created...a hybrid of the two systems.”

“You can make a throne of bayonets, but you cant sit on it for long.”

“Today is the last day of an era past.”

“Lets not talk about Communism. Communism was just an idea, just pie in the sky.”

“It is especially important to encourage unorthodox thinking when the situation is critical: At such moments every new word and fresh thought is more precious than gold. Indeed, people must not be deprived of the right to think their own thoughts.”

“There are numerous bugbears in the profession of a politician. First, ordinary life suffers. Second, there are many temptations to ruin you and those around you. And I suppose third, and this is rarely discussed, people at the top generally have no friends.”

“A man must live like a great brilliant flame and burn as brightly as he can. In the end he burns out. But this is far better than [being] a mean little flame.”

“We can be proud that this is being done peacefully, without revolutions and coups.”

“We will solve this problem.”

“I understand that its hard for everyone, but one cannot give in to emotions... well have to draw lessons from the current crisis and now well have to work on overcoming it,”

“will not allow Kosovo to be touched.”

Russia also declared its independence. This was approved by the Supreme Soviet, and you know and remember that there was the Declaration on the Independence of Russia.