Amendments to the Russian constitution regarding the status of the State Council, a presidential advisory board, are necessary to bring the document in line with how far the national political system has developed, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Wednesday
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 05th February, 2020) Amendments to the Russian constitution regarding the status of the State Council, a presidential advisory board, are necessary to bring the document in line with how far the national political system has developed, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Wednesday.
In his address to the parliament in January, Russian President Vladimir Putin suggested significant changes to the constitution, including reducing the presidency to two terms and expanding the role of the legislature. Putin also said that the State Council, currently an advisory body made up of regional governors, should have its status and duties fixed in the constitution.
"It is simply a matter of ensuring that this system meets the level of development at which the political system and civil society are, meets the expectations that are emerging in society, including in the depths of the political system," Peskov told reporters, when asked why constitutional amendments regarding the status of the State Council were needed.
According to the draft amendment in question, the council will outline priorities for Russia's domestic and foreign policies and define the road map for social and economic development.
Aside from the State Council changes, the working group tasked with drafting the amendments has recently proposed enacting a procedure that would allow the president to appoint the prosecutor general after consulting with parliament.
"It probably makes no sense to ask about the Kremlin's position or support for individual aspects [of the amendments]," Peskov said, when asked whether the Kremlin supported this proposal.
According to him, work on this is underway and further changes are being accumulated.
The lower house of parliament passed the presidential bill on amendments in the first reading on January 23, but the working group continues refining its details to prepare it for the second reading, slated for February 11. A nationwide vote on the amendments is expected to be held after both chambers of the parliament pass the bill.
