Opposition: Consensus Needed on New Rules of Parliamentary Procedures (2)

Bratislava, December 27 (TASR) - Opposition insists that new parliamentary Rules of Procedure should be passed with a consensus across the entire political spectrum, it follows from end-of-the-year interviews that representatives of the opposition have given to TASR. PS chair Michal Simecka underlined the need for the consensus. "This shouldn't, and I hope it won't, get passed only with a narrow majority," he noted. Simecka hopes that the working group will come up with a consensual proposal and rejects any muzzling of the opposition. "I hope that this won't happen and that we won't topple yet another taboo of our parliamentary democracy," he claimed, adding that the first taboo already violated was the ousting of opposition nominees from parliamentary posts. This view was echoed by SaS chair Branislav Groehling, who hopes for a consensus as well. According to his information, Parliament is set to deliberate on the new Rules of Procedure in March. At a session of the working group, SaS submitted its own draft that contained more stringent rules for the use of fast-track procedures and the option to attach comments also to MP proposals. The Christian Democrats (KDH) have their own proposals as well, with KDH chair Milan Majersky announcing that KDH wants parliamentary caucuses to be able to submit amending proposals too. Currently, only a group of at least 15 lawmakers can do so. Such a change, in Majersky's view, would simplify situations in Parliament, as currently caucuses can have the minimum of eight legislators. KDH also intends to address the code of ethics, including the drinking of alcohol. "We might have as many rules, laws and norms as we like, but when you run about in Parliament under the influence of alcohol and you're also a legislator, you're not a good role model for either your colleagues or the people in Slovakia," he said. Chair of the 'Slovakia'-For the People-KU coalition caucus Michal Sipos stated that it's necessary to introduce the testing for drugs and alcohol in Parliament, as the problem with alcohol is particularly prevalent in the Slovak Parliament. Sipos is concerned that the new rules will be misused by the coalition against the opposition, as debates are routinely shortened already. "I perceive it as a great danger that they're intending to turn Parliament into a rubber-stamping machine that will only churn out laws according to their wishes and, ideally, without anyone having any opportunity to criticise them," he stated. mf