Russian President Vladimir Putin believes that it might be possible to remove from the Russian Constitution the reservation one person cannot take the post of the head of state for more than two terms in a row, the correspondent of Vestnik Kavkaza reported.
"What might be done in relation to these presidential terms is to cancel the reservation ‘in a row’ (in the Russian Constitution concerning the presidential terms of office)," the head of state told the year-end news conference in Moscow.
"We have two terms in a row. Yours truly spent two terms in office first and then stepped down. It was his constitutional right to take the president’s seat again, because it was not two terms in a row," Putin recalled.
The Russian leader remarked that this wording made "some political scientists and public figures feel certain confusion."
At the same time, the Russian President opposes the adoption of a new constitution, but understands the logic of the current discussion over giving the Russian parliament more rights.
He explained that the constitution is a living instrument, which must agree with the level of society’s development. Putin expressed opinion that we should not change the constitution or adopt a new one.
The head of state pointed to the fact that there are "basic things" stated in the fundamental law, which were still to be implemented in full.
He said that this concerns Chapter One of The Basics of the Constitutional System, which it is "sacrosanct." According to Putin, everything else can be changed one way or another in principle.
He confirmed that he was aware of the ongoing discussion and understood the "logic of those who propose such things". "This involves the expansion of the rights of parliament and changes to some prerogatives of the president and the government," Putin explained.
"But this can be done only after proper preparations and a fundamental discussion in society, but very delicately," the Russian President added.
Under the Russian Constitution "the same person cannot take post of Russia’s president for more than two terms in a row."
