Russian President Vladimir Putin is opposed to any changes in
the constitution aimed at extending the presidential term, the
Kremlin press service said Friday.
The president did not see "any need or use in changing the
constitution," said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.
He said President Putin's stance over the issue remained
unchanged.
Peskov made the remarks after Sergei Mironov, speaker of
Russia's Federation Council, proposed earlier in the day that
presidents should be permitted to serve more than two consecutive
terms and the presidential term should be extended to more than
four years.
"Four years is a short period of time for a large country like
Russia," the Itar-Tass news agency quoted Mironov as saying.
Boris Gryzlov, speaker of the State Duma, however, quickly
expressed his opposition to the proposal, saying that the United
Russia party, which dominates the lower house, would defend the
constitution.
(Xinhua News Agency March 31, 2007)
