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Putin not considering third consecutive term as president

Putin has not taken any decisions regarding future employment of ex-Finance Minister Alexei Kudrin yet

SOCHI, May 10. /TASS/. The proposal for letting the same person lead the country for three presidential terms in a row is not on Vladimir Putin’s agenda, acting presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in the wake of a proposal to this effect made by the Chechen authorities.

"This question is not on the president’s agenda," Peskov told the media.

When asked about the possibility of increasing the tenure of office Putin replied, "I think that I told you yesterday I have never changed the Constitution, in particular, for the sake of my own interests. And I have no such plans today."

The Chechen parliament on Thursday unanimously voted for the proposal of putting forward a legislative initiative for prolonging the powers of the head of state to three terms in a row. Under the Russian Constitution the same person cannot take the position of Russia’s president for more than two terms running.

Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev has not yet submitted to President Putin proposals on the structure of the executive branch.

"First, the head of the government is to propose the structure of the cabinet to the President. This has not been done yet," Peskov told reporters. 

He was commenting on mass media reports that in the near future the Federal agency for scientific organizations will be liquidated and its functions will be given to the Ministry of Education and Sciences.

Dmitry Medvedev took the post of Prime Minister of Russia on May 8 after his candidacy was approved by the State Duma, lower house of parliament.

Putin has not taken any decisions regarding future employment of Chief of the Center for Strategic Research (CSR) and ex-Finance Minister Alexei Kudrin yet, he went on. 

"President has not taken any decisions regarding the issue yet," he said.

As reported earlier lawmakers from the ruling United Russia party are currently discussing the candidacy of former finance minister to the post of the Russian Audit Chamber's head.