The legislative body of Northern Asetia came up with the initiative to conduct a referendum on the issue of the third presidential term for the president of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin. The head of the Central Election Committee Veshniakov informed the press that the documents on grounding an initiative group for preparing the referendum were received by the CEC on September, 18th. In accordance with the legislation, the CEC has 10 days to decide whether the issue to be put at referendum is coherent with federal legislation. The CEC has already begun to analyse the documents presented. It is to pass its decision by September, 27th.

Along with this, A.Veshniakov prompted his stance that even if the Central Election Committee approves of the initiative, the proponents of the referendum will inevitably not meet a deadline, stating that a referendum may not take place within one year of parliamentary elections. Nevertheless, the Central Election Comittee is obliged to investigate the issue and verdict on "the very possibility of such a referendum".

It became known on Tuesday that the State Duma of the Russian Federation may consider a legislative initiative of Chechen parliamentarians regarding the alterations into the Constitution of the Russian Federation lifting the restriction for the president to be elected for the third term as early as in October or November. The Council of Duma has directed the law draft of Chechen deputies to Duma fractions and commitees. They should delineate the conception of the law draft within one month.

In late June the parliament of Chechnіa adopted a resolution on introducing a federal law draft "On the Amendment into the Constitution of the Russian Federation on the Changing of the Term of Office of the President of the Russian Federation" which would allow V.Putin to run for the third consecutive term of presidency in 2008. In order for the amendment to be adopted it needs to be ratified by two-thirds of the State Duma, i.e. garner 300 votes and, besides, the law must be approved by three-quarters of the Council of Federation and by no fewer than two-thirds of all the Legislative Assemblies of the federation subjects of the Russian Federation.

It should be noted that as early as in June 2006 in an interview to the French TF-1 V.Putin once again confirmed that the Constitution would not be carved so that to sanction his third term of office. The president stated that the biggest achievement of Russia in the recent years is the stability. "The situation in a country can not remain stable if we destabilise the Basic Law," stated the president.