MOSCOW, February 18. /TASS/. A group of State Duma and Federation Council members has proposed an amendment to the bill on changes to the Russian Constitution asserting the immunity of Russia’s former presidents, the co-chairman of the working group on amendments to Russia’s fundamental law, Pavel Krasheninnikov, told the media on Tuesday.
The new version of article 92.1 will stipulate that a Russian president whose powers have come to an end enjoys immunity. A former president can be stripped of immunity in accordance with impeachment procedures described in article 93 of the Constitution, established for the incumbent head of state, Krasheninnikov said.
So far the presidential immunity and rules of terminating the immunity of Russia’s former president have been described in a federal law.
"These rules get more stable, because they are raised to the constitutional level," Krasheninnikov said.
Russia’s State Duma on January 23 unanimously adopted in the first reading a bill on amendments to the Constitution. Among other things the bill expands the powers of parliament and Constitutional Court, prohibits top officials from having other countries’ residence permits, limits the number of presidential terms of office, establishes supremacy of the national Constitution over international agreements and enhances the social responsibilities of the state. Also, the presidential bill envisages national public vote on the law on changes to the Constitution.
Originally, the second reading was scheduled for February 11. As many amendments began to pour in, the submission of amendments was first prolonged till February 14 and then till March 2.