At least one-third of Russia's secret police force will be looking for jobs soon, according to an interview published Wednesday.
Many could end up working for the Interior Ministry or military prosecutors, according to Nikolai Golushko, head of the disbanded Security Ministry.President Boris Yeltsin did away with Russia's powerful secret police on Dec. 21, saying the former KGB had failed to warn him of dangerous political currents.
The decree came after the surprisingly strong showing of extreme nationalists led by Vladimir Zhirinovsky in parliamentary elections Dec. 12.
Yeltsin gave Golushko two weeks to disband the Security Ministry and form a new counterintelligence agency.
In the interview, Golushko made it clear he had been given an unwelcome task.
"You probably know the popular saying: `If you want to weaken an organization, you should begin by reorganizing it,"' he said.
Golushko, who once ran the KGB directorate that handled Soviet dissidents, will head the new agency.
At least one-third of the Security Ministry's employees will not get jobs with the new agency, Golushko predicted.
Asked about the new agency's hiring criteria, he said it would be "a sense of duty, high professional skills and faithfulness to the Motherland."
Golushko did not elaborate on the new agency's mission. He did say, however, Yeltsin had given him "written recommendations."
The counterintelligence agency will incorporate Russia's border troops and will answer directly to the president, not to the government or parliament.