07/03/11 - Deputies adopt law to amend Constitution

Дата публикации: Jan 15, 2012 12:20:2 PM

The Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis of Uzbekistan held a session to consider the draft law on amendments and additions to certain articles of the Constitution.

The changes were prepared in accordance with the legislative initiatives outlined in the speech of President Islam Karimov “The concept of deepening democratic reforms and formation of civil society in the country” at the joint session of both chambers of the parliament on 12 November 2010.

The document is aimed at further democratization of the state power and management, ensuring a more balanced distribution of powers among the three subjects of state authority: President as head of the state, legislative and executive branches, as well as strengthening the role and influence of political parties in the implementation of socio-economic and socio-political reforms, renewal and modernization of the country.

Prior to the consideration at the plenary session, the draft law was extensively discussed at meetings of political party fractions and deputy groups from the Ecological Movement of Uzbekistan, as well as in the committees of the Legislative Chamber.

During these discussions, the deputies fully supported the legislative initiatives of the head of the state, underlining the timeliness and importance of amendments to the Constitution, UzA informs.

During the discussion of the document, the members of the Liberal Democratic Party of Uzbekistan stressed that the draft law introduces amendments in the article 98 of the Constitution, according to which a new constitutional order is introduced when the nomination of the Prime Minister is proposed by a political party, which received the highest number of parliamentary seats at the elections to the Legislative Chamber, or by several parties that have the highest equal number of seats in the parliament.

This legislative initiative is the head of state defines the start of a new stage of democratic development of the country, and development of civil society, and has a historical significance for Uzbekistan. The MPs noted that inclusion in the Basic Law of the new order of forming the government significantly increases the responsibility of political parties, their role and importance in the society.

The members of the fraction of the People’s Democratic Party of Uzbekistan highlighted the importance of amendments to the Constitution, according to which the Oliy Majlis receives the right to express a no confidence vote to the Prime Minister. The draft law clearly regulates the mechanism for the implementation of this right.

Thus, article 98 stipulates that in case of sustained controversies between the Prime Minister and the Legislative Chamber on the proposal formally submitted to the President by at least a third of the Legislative Chamber deputies, the issue of expression of no confidence to the Prime Minister is submitted for consideration at the joint meeting of the two chambers of the parliement.

The vote of no confidence to the Prime Minister is considered approved if it receives the votes of at least two-thirds of the total deputies of the Legislative Chamber and members of the Senate. In this case, the President makes the decision to relieve the Prime Minister of the duties. The entire Cabinet of Ministers resigns together with the Prime Minister.

This new rule significantly increases the role of fractions of political parties and the parliament in addressing critical national issues, and expands the powers of the Oliy Majlis in the system of state authority, the deputies said.

Speakers from the Milly Tiklanish Democratic Party drew the attention to the changes and additions made in the paragraph 15 of the first part of article 78 of the Constitution, under which the chambers of Parliament are entitled to hear the report of the Prime Minister on urgent issues of socio-economic development of the country. This significantly expands the possibilities of the parliamentary control over the activities of the executive branch, and will become an important factor in increasing the effectiveness of the activity of the deputies and fractions in promoting the interests of their constituents in addressing the pressing social and economic issues.

The members of the fraction of the Adolat Social Democratic Party stressed that the introduced amendments to the Constitution significantly expand the rights and the effectiveness of the executive branch in organizing its activities. In the paragraph 8 of article 93 of the Constitution, the authority of the President to “form and direct the executive authority staff” is excluded.

Representatives of the Parliamentary Group of the Environmental Movement of Uzbekistan stressed the importance of the changes to the Constitution, which outline the mechanisms of parliamentary control in the formation and implementation of the national budget. For example, the new paragraph 6 of article 80 of the Constitution has a norm according to which the Senate is granted the right to approve the President’s decrees on appointment of the Chairman of the Accounts Chamber.

Taking into account the views expressed at the meeting, the Legislative Chamber adopted the Law “On amendments to certain articles of the Constitution (articles 78, 80, 93, 96 and 98)”.