'Center' Initiative Proposes Creation of Second Parliamentary Chamber

Banska Bystrica, March 26 (TASR) - The Centre initiative, affiliating several mayors of towns in Banska Bystrica region, proposes the creation of a second parliamentary chamber, in which representatives of local and regional authorities would serve and influence, assess as well as attach comments to bills that regulate activities of villages, towns and regions, Banska Bystrica regional governor Ondrej Lunter announced at a press conference on Wednesday. "The Slovak Republic is a decentralised state, in which about 80 percent of all services are provided to citizens by towns, villages and regions. However, our standing in the system of power and the degree of authority we wield in the legislative process don't reflect that whatsoever," explained Lunter. In cooperation with constitutional lawyer Radoslav Prochazka, the Centre initiative drafted an amendment to the Slovak Constitution to create the new Parliament's chamber, in which all levels of local and regional authorities would be represented. Made up of 48 members, the Council of Regional and Local Authorities would be invested with the power to assess bills approved by Parliament that impact the governance of towns, cities, villages and regions, and veto them - in a similar vein as the president. "This specific proposal of the constitutional law is non-ideological, which means that it doesn't grant advantage to any political group or faction and doesn't cost taxpayers a single euro," stated Lunter, adding that the second parliamentary chamber would in no way, shape or form weaken the power of Parliament. mf