Russian President Dmitry Medvedev says proposed amendments to the constitution will give parliament more oversight over ministers.

The Duma, or lower house of parliament, approved the amendments last week on first reading, RIA Novosti reported. Amendments extending presidential terms and parliamentary terms from four years to six for the president and five for parliament are to be debated later this week, the Russian news agency said.

Requiring the government to report to parliament will not make Russia a parliamentary republic, Medvedev said.

"This will not turn us into a parliamentary republic, and honestly speaking, I think Russia must never become a parliamentary republic, which would be the death of us," he said.

Medvedev said property rights and justice were the basis of the system and must remain unchanged.