Russians to decide on charter reforms on July 1

MOSCOW－Russia will hold a nationwide vote on constitutional reforms on July 1, President Vladimir Putin said on Monday.

Putin postponed the original vote, which had been set for April 22, because of the coronavirus outbreak, saying the health and safety of citizens was his top priority as the coronavirus crisis worsened.

But he said the situation has now broadly stabilized and the number of coronavirus infections in Moscow has dropped sharply, allowing the capital to start easing some restrictions.

The changes that Russians will vote on, already approved by parliament and Russia's Constitutional Court, would reset Putin's presidential term tally to zero, allowing him to serve two more back-to-back six-year terms until 2036 if reelected.

"I really hope the country's citizens will take part actively in the vote on the amendments to the Constitution," Putin, whose current term ends in 2024, told a televised government meeting.

He emphasized the importance of the vote, saying that "the Constitution forms the foundation of our country's life, the lives of our children, and will determine the main legal guarantees, key social and labor relations guarantees as well as principles of our interaction with international partners".

Under the current law, Putin, 67, wouldn't be able to run for president again in 2024 because of term limits. A new measure would reset his term count, allowing him to run for two more six-year terms if he chooses.

Putin said Russia will have 30 days before the vote to take additional efforts to control contagion and make the plebiscite fully safe.

Officials reported to Putin that voters will have a chance to cast ballots in the six days before July 1 to reduce crowds and increase safety amid the pandemic. They said that at some polling stations voting could be held outdoors to help make it safer.

9,000 new cases a day

While the spread of the outbreak has slowed down, Russia has the world's third-largest caseload, with nearly 415,000 infections. It is also continuing to record a steady increase in the number of new cases, with more than 9,000 new cases reported over the 24 hours until Tuesday morning.

The Kremlin has said the authorities will take all necessary measures to ensure voters' safety.

Russia's economy has been hit hard in the last two months, both by lower oil prices and a lockdown that has stoked resentment among some business owners.

Last week, Putin said that the country's military parade to mark the 75th anniversary of the Soviet victory against the Nazis in World War II, postponed from May 9 because of the pandemic, will be held on June 24.

Agencies - Xinhua