Today Russia marks the Constitution Day for the 18th time in its contemporary history. Though this date is no longer a day off in Russia, two thirds of Russian people still celebrate it.

      18 years ago Russia passed the Main Law about the state system, rights and freedoms of the citizens, functions and powers of the country's authorities.

       Throughout the life of the Constitution, it has been changed only once. Three years ago the authorities increased term of office of the President and the State Duma (Parlament) to 6 and 5 years respectively. 

      The current Russia's Constitution was adopted on 12 December 1993 by nationwide referendum. Since 1994 that day has been marked as a state holiday and day off for more that ten years. But in 2005 the State Duma changed Russia's holidays calendar, so now the Constitution Day is only a commemorative day. 

      According to statistics, two thirds of Russian people remember that day without an additional reminder. More that 47% of the Russians are sure that the Constitution can only be changed in case of emergency.

      For the first time, the Constitution in Russia was adopted on 23 April 1906, when the emperor Nicholas II issued two manifests - "About an Improvement of the State Order" and "About the Right of the State Committee to Approve Legislations Adopted by the State Duma".

      In the Soviet time the Constitution Day was celebrated at first on December 5 - in the day of adoption of the Constitution of 1936 years, and then on October 7 - that day a new version of the country's main law was issued. 

Source: dni.ru Image: rusnovosti