31.   Lukashenko, a former state farm director openly nostalgic for the Soviet past, has aroused intense opposition with his attempt to merge with Russia and his authoritarian policies.

32.   Millions of Russians want to turn back the clock to the Soviet past, nostalgically recalling lower prices and the rudimentary social security system.

33.   Nostalgia for the Soviet past is strong among workers, the old and infirm and others unable to find a niche in the new Russia.

34.   Russian Communists long have praised Lukashenko, who is openly nostalgic for the Soviet past and pushes for closer ties with Moscow.

35.   The authoritarian Lukashenko, who openly professes nostalgia for the Soviet past, dispatched of his opponents by dissolving parliament immediately after the vote.

36.   The bugging scandal has raised questions about whether Estonia can break the habits of its Soviet past when the dreaded KGB tapped phones as a matter of course.

37.   Tens of thousands of Russians turned out for May Day marches and rallies across Russia Wednesday, carrying red banners, flags and other symbols of the Soviet past.

38.   The Communists and their allies have strong popular support and still hanker for the Soviet past.

39.   The budget is at the heart of economic policy -- and economic policy is at the heart of Russian politics as it emerges from its Soviet past.

40.   The move was welcomed by many Russians, who felt that the nation had been too hasty in trying to cut its ties with the Soviet past.