MOSCOW, April 11 (Itar-Tass) — Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin is willing to discuss the exclusion of the word “consecutive” from the regulation on the limitation of the presidential powers to two terms in office.
Putin had held presidential office for two four-year terms in 2000-2008 and was re-elected president for a six-year term in 2012.
“I think it’s reasonable to remove the phrase ‘two consecutive terms’ and leave just ‘two terms,’ it is possible to consider this,” he said, answering journalists’ questions after his annual report to the State Duma lower house of parliament on the government activities.
“We should do this together, with the participation of all the factions. I say this quite sincerely, and not because it applies to me to a lesser degree, as you know, we’re aware what we are talking about, we’re grown men,” Putin continued.
“The law is not retroactive, so from the moment it is adopted, I can work for the following two terms, there is no problem here. But - if the situation allows,” he added.
“The fact is that there comes a moment in the life of each of us, and I assure you that it has come in my life, when there is no need any more to cling to something, and you can and need to think about the fate of the country,” the prime minister said. “I agree that it is always necessary to think about improving our political system to make it stable, reliable, efficient and flexible in terms of reaction to the processes that occur within the country and around it.”
“Let’s think about it together. In fact, it is a super task for me, the ultimate priority in all my work, and perhaps life. So I do not exclude any option,” Putin concluded.