MOSCOW, January 16. /TASS/. Bills on amendments to Russia’s Constitution, which President Vladimir Putin proposed in his State of the Nation Address to the Federal Assembly on Wednesday, will be submitted to the State Duma (parliament's lower house) in February or March, a source in the Federation Council (upper house) told TASS.

"In all likelihood the corresponding bills will be submitted to the State Duma in February or March 2020," the source said.

In his Wednesday Address to the Federal Assembly Vladimir Putin suggested putting to the public vote a package of amendments to the Russian Constitution, giving wider powers to the State Duma and the Federation Council, and asserting the status of the State Council and the priority of Russia’s fundamental law in the Russian legal space. Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said later that Putin would sign a special decree to determine the dates and rules of the voting on amendments to the Russian Constitution. On Wednesday, Putin signed an instruction on the working group for drafting proposals for amendments to the Russian Constitution.

The Russian Constitution was adopted in a plebiscite on December 12, 1993. Over the past 25 years a number of amendments has been made to it: extension of the presidential term of office from four years to six and of the powers of State Duma members from four years to five, the merger of the Supreme and Arbitration courts, the appointment of 17 presidential senators, and specifications to the list of Russian federal subjects. The basis of the Fundamental Law concerning the rights and freedoms of citizens, the functions and responsibilities of the state and the principles of federalism and power sharing has remained unchanged.