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REUTERS
President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin has said he doesn’t see himself as a reigning tsar but is ready to stay in power forever if Russian people want him to.
In an interview with the Russian news agency TASS, answering a journalist’s question on what awaits Russia in 2024 and whether he will stay in power forever, Putin said: “That’s if you want. Do you want this?”
Asked, where he sees himself after the completion of his presidential term in 2024, Putin said: “I don’t know, we’ll see. There is still a lot of time ahead.”
According to Putin, he understands “the elites are nervous” in a situation of uncertainty.
“Of course, this is a negative thing, this imbalance. Such an imbalance is possible. I am aware of this. But still, the people is the primary source of power,” he said.
Read alsoRFE/RL: Putin formally signs off on constitutional changes that allow him to extend power
The Russian president added he still has four years of presidency lying ahead, and now there is no answer whether he will stay “at the helm” of Russia.
Answering a question on how he feels about being called a “tsar,” Putin said: “Well, this isn’t true. You know, anyone else could be called a tsar. I work every day, I don’t reign. A tsar is someone who sits there, looking down and saying: ‘I will order and they will do this or that.’ Meanwhile, all he does is trying on his hat and looking in the mirror. I work every day.”
As UNIAN reported earlier, Russian State Duma on Tuesday, March 10, lifted restrictions on the number of presidential terms.
