Lawmakers to Discuss Draft-Amendment to Parliamentary Rules of Procedure to Work Online on Thursday’s Session

Jerusalem, 24 November, 2020 (TPS) -- Skopje, 23 November 2020 (MIA) – Parliament Speaker Talat Xhaferi has scheduled a session for Thursday (Nov. 26) to discuss the draft-amendment to the Parliament’s Rules of Procedure, set to be approved in fast-tracked procedure, which includes lawmakers who have either been diagnosed with the coronavirus, or had to self-isolate to take part in Parliament sessions online.

61 MPs should vote for the amendment to the Rules of Procedures for it to be passed, however the majority at the moment doesn’t have 61 votes, because six MPs cannot partake in sessions due to health reasons.

Moreover, the opposition parties led by VMRO-DPMNE and the Alliance of Albanians and Alternativa oppose online work of the Parliament, pointing out that in this way the ruling majority wants to conceal the slim majority of only 62 MPs and that it would be a violation of an Article from the Constitution. The ruling parties SDSM and DUI are in favor of allowing absent MPs to join discussions online.

It should be also pointed out that parliamentary committee is to start debating the draft 2021 budget on Tuesday (Nov. 24).

Speaker Talat Xhaferi is holding early Monday a meeting with the coordinators of the parliamentary groups to discuss the motion.

2020-11-23 12:46:38, from Silvana Kochovska