MOSCOW, February 5. /TASS/. The proposed amendments to the Russian Constitution are aimed at ensuring the efficient development of the country’s system of government, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters when asked to comment on the need to amend the Constitution.
"The president came up with the initiative in order to improve the political system’s performance based on its level of development. The only goal is to maintain the concept of the welfare state and ensure the efficient development of our system of government," Peskov pointed out.
When commenting on Putin’s statement that the amendments are dictated by life, Peskov mentioned the pension indexation issue and noted that according to current legislation, the government has the opportunity not to index pensions every year.
"Enshrining the principle of pension indexation in the Constitution will entail a significant financial burden but the government is ready for it," the presidential spokesman said, adding that it would end legal loopholes that made it possible to cancel the indexation of pensions.
In response to a question about the Russian judicial system and the State Council, Peskov emphasized the need to make sure that "the system suit the level of development of the political system and civil society, and also match the expectations of the public and the political system."
At the same time, the Kremlin spokesman declined to comment on a proposed constitutional amendment, which stipulated that consultations with the Federation Council (the upper house of parliament) would be mandatory for the appointment of the country’s prosecutor general and his deputies. "Proposals are still being collected, there is hardly sense in asking about the Kremlin’s stance on each and every one of them. The work is not over yet," Peskov said.