Lawmaker confident of Putin winning second term

The question of prolonging Russian President Vladimir Putin's term in office will not be raised during his second term, Russian Federation Council Chairman Sergey Mironov declared at a news conference today. Mironov expressed confidence that Putin would win his second term in office, "although the presidential elections will not be smooth".

Mironov reiterated that on December 10 the Federation Council would set the date of the presidential elections. "It will be March 14, legislation does not allow some other date," he said.

He also noted that the upper house of Russian parliament would pass the 2004 federal budget draft at its meeting on December 10.