MOSCOW, February 26. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin has supported the idea of organizing a nationwide vote on the constitutional amendments on April 22, which will be declared a day-off, Pavel Krasheninnikov, a co-chair of the working group for drafting amendments to the Russian constitution, said on Wednesday.
"Vladimir Vladimirovich has just agreed with it. So we proceed from it," he said, adding that it will be committed to paper in the law that the day of the nationwide voting on April 22 will not be a working day.
On January 23, Russia’s State Duma lower parliament house unanimously voted to approve the bill in the first reading on the constitutional amendments submitted by Russian President Vladimir Putin. The document, in particular, stipulates expanding the powers of the legislature and the Constitutional Court, a ban on high-ranking officials from holding residence permits in other countries, limiting the number of presidential terms, ensuring the supremacy of Russia’s constitution over international agreements and strengthening the state’s social obligations. The presidential bill also provides for a nationwide public vote on the law on amendments to Russia’s constitution.