Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that amendments to the Constitution are a step towards the democratization of the Russian society. So he responded to criticism of the proposed amendments. The head of state stressed that changes in the basic law will not lead to dictatorship because the powers of the President, on the contrary, will be reduced. He noted that many of the proposals including social support of the population, “ripe, but were not included in the basic law, and now needs to find its place.”

  • RIA Novosti
  • © Natalia Seliverstova

The President of Russia Vladimir Putin on air of TV channel “Russia-1” told about the importance of the amendments to the Constitution of the country, which on July 1 will be a nationwide vote.

Putin noted the need to fix in the basic law issues related to social support, in particular measures to protect children, and compliance with the minimum subsistence level minimum wage.

“There are many other things. For example, the Constitution refers to the need for the normal functioning of the pension system, that it should be. But there still has not been told that the pension income should be regularly indexed”, — said Putin.

The head of state added that some of the other things that are “ripe, but were not included in the basic law, must now find its place.” For example, he noted that the act required the indexation of pensions already exist, however, in the future circumstances may prompt the authorities to adopt another law that will allow “to correct previous about need indexing”.

“But if it be laid down in the Constitution, then any government in future will not you do not, can not be indexed”, — said Putin.

He explained that the constitutional measures “not be forgotten.”

“To work on, so they are not forgotten and was then cleaned of practical life, as I just said, there is a law about the necessity of indexation of pensions, but then adopted another law on the budget in which exceptions are made in this year this will not be done or will be done in a different mode. That’s all. But if the Constitution is written, it inevitably all authorities and the government will be obliged to do it,” — said Putin.

In addition, the head of state commented on the opinion of the opponents of the amendments claim that they supposedly “lead to oligarchic rule and dictatorship.”

“On the contrary. After all, the President gives up some very significant powers. If today the President himself says the President of the government, with the consent of the state Duma, and then without the consent of the Parliament appoints the Ministers actually, the situation changes dramatically — now the final decision on the Chairman of the government takes the Parliament as well as Ministers. And the President in the proposed variant has no right to reject them. This is a significant part of the powers given to the Parliament,” he explained.

The President pointed out that the amendments were “a step towards the democratization of the Russian society”.

We will remind, the package of amendments to the Constitution proposes to consolidate changes in several socio-political issues.

So, in case of approval during the national vote, the document will be assigned to mandatory indexation of pensions, allowances and other social payments. Also in the basic law will be submitted to a clause stating that the minimum wage (SMIC) can not be below the subsistence level.

In addition, Russia will be declared successor of the USSR on its territory, secured status of the Russian language as the language of the constituent people, part of a multinational Union of equal peoples of Russia. Children will be declared a key priority of state policy of Russia.

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In addition, the current President of Russia is given the opportunity to participate as a candidate in the presidential elections that will take place after the adoption made to the Constitution changes.

The amendments prohibit future President, Prime Minister, Federal MPs and a number of persons holding public office, have foreign citizenship or residence permit.

In March Putin during a meeting with members of the public of the Crimea, explained the amendments to the Constitution, adding that it is not about changing the basic law. The Russian leader pointed out the need to “reveal the social character of the state, its social essence, to fix some things that are related to ensuring rights of citizens.”

“We’re not changing the Constitution, we are there only add-ons. The first, second, ninth Chapter do not change, which are the Foundation of the Constitution itself, which reflects fundamental rights of citizens. But nevertheless life goes on and forward and technologically, and politically, our society is changing, society has become more Mature, more demanding,” he said.