The State Duma today gave final approval to an amended version of the bill, which allows for some sessions of the court to be held in the capital, after the upper chamber rejected a previous version of the document.
St. Petersburg, Russia's second-biggest city, is also President Vladimir Putin's hometown.
(ITAR-TASS, AP)
Russia Beyond 2008
President Putin is mulling his political future (epa)
THE 2008 QUESTION: President Vladimir Putin's second term of office ends in the spring of 2008. Since the Russian Constitution bars him from seeking a third consecutive term, this event threatens to present a crisis in a country that has a history of managed power transitions. Already, Russian politics are dominated by the ominous 2008 question.
RFE/RL's Washington office hosted a briefing to discuss the prospects of Putin seeking a third term. The featured speakers were RFE/RL Communications Director Don Jensen and political scientist Peter Reddaway of George Washington University.
LISTEN
Listen to Don Jensen's presentation (about 16 minutes):Real Audio Windows Media
LISTEN
Listen to Peter Reddaway's presentation (about 35 minutes):Real Audio Windows Media
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