Putin Introduced the Amending Constitution Bill to State Duma

Vladimir Putin introduced a draft law on constitutional amendments to the State Duma, Presidential Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov announced, on Jan 20 - RIA News reports. "The representatives of the Russian president in the State Duma bill consideration will be the co-chairs of the constitutional commission Klishas, Krasheninnikov and Khabrieva," he added. President The bill, published in the Duma’s electronic database, states that the same person cannot hold the post of president of Russia for more than two terms. Thus, article 81 of the Constitution is proposed to be worded as follows: “The President of the Russian Federation is elected for a term of six years by citizens of the Russian Federation on the basis of universal equal and direct suffrage by secret ballot <...> The same person cannot hold the post of the Russian Federation President for more than two terms." Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Ministers, Ministers, Deputies, Senators The document also states that Russians over 30 years old who do not have citizenship or a residence permit of another state may be the prime minister, deputy prime ministers, ministers and other heads of federal executive bodies. The Prime Minister will submit for Duma ‘s approval the candidatures of his deputies and ministers, with the exception of those appointed after consultations with the Federation Council. It is envisaged that the president will not have the right to refuse the appointed and approved by the State Duma deputy prime ministers and ministers candidates. After consultations with the Federation Council, the President will be able to appoint and dismiss ministers "in charge of defense, state security, internal affairs, justice, foreign affairs, emergency prevention and the elimination of natural disasters, public safety." As a State Duma deputy can be elected any citizen who reaches 21 years of age and has the right to participate in elections, permanently resides in the Russian Federation, does not have foreign citizenship or a residence permit of another state. A citizen of the Federation Council can become any Russian citizen who has reached 30 years of age, has been permanently residing in Russia, and also does not have the citizenship of a foreign state or residence permit. Judges According to the bill, citizens of Russia who have reached 25 years of age possesing higher legal education and work experience of at least five years, permanently residing in Russia and not having other citizenship will be able to become judges. “Federal law may establish additional requirements for the Russian Federation courts judges,” the document says. The number of judges of the Constitutional Court is reduced from 19 to 11, the chairman and his deputy included. Verification of laws for constitutionality It is envisaged that the president will have the right, which he had previously rejected but was again adopted by the parliament, to apply to the Constitutional Court to check the document for compliance with the Basic Law, before signing the federal law. “If the Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation confirms the constitutionality of federal law, the President of the Russian Federation signs it within three days from the date the Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation makes the decision. If the Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation does not confirm the constitutionality of federal law, the President of the Russian Federation returns it to the State Duma without signing ", - indicated the project. The State Duma Committee on State Building will consider the presidential bill at the meeting on January 21. According to RIA Novosti, the head of the constitutional committee of the Federation Council, Andrei Klishas, an all-Russian vote on amendments to the Constitution may take place after the adoption of the law by parliament, citizens will vote for the entire document. He added that the working group to make proposals for amending the Basic Law would meet at least twice a week.