Skopje, 16 September 2024 (MIA) - Parliament Speaker Afrim Gashi said he will not convene a new committee session on the Defenders Law, noting that only the Parliamentary Committee on Social Policy chair Ilire Dauti has the powers to do so. He added that he does not violate the Rules of Procedure. 

Gashi told Kanal 5 TV that in order to resolve all the vagueness misused by the MPs, he will request that all issues be considered with the Parliamentary Committee on Rules of Procedure. These also include the Defenders Law, which Ilire Dauti from the "European Front" coalition refuses to put on the agenda.

"Article 120 of the Rules of procedure does not say "If the Chairperson of the working body refuses to convene a session", but it says "If the Chairperson of the working body does not convene a session". Seeing that Ilire Dauti convened a session within the deadlines, I cannot convene a session, the Rules of Procedure deprive me of the right to intervene and appoint another MP to chair the session. In these four months, we have seen several vague issues including with the Defenders Law, Talat Xhaferi's dual office-holding, and several other issues that I plan to resolve soon through the Committee on Rules of Procedure - for them to decide and draw conclusions on the next amendment to the parliamentary Rules of Procedure," said Gashi. 

Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski on Monday reiterated his support for the defenders, noting that it was up to the Parliamentary Committee on Social Policy, Demography and Youth chair Ilire Dauti to put the proposed Defenders Law before lawmakers for consideration. He said he did not talk to the ruling coalition partners Worth It about giving their support to the law.

"No, we have not discussed this topic," Mickoski said. "We have voiced our position very clearly in the past. Our defenders have had, and will have, my support," Mickoski said.

Worth It coalition member and current Health Minister Arben Taravari told the press Monday that now was not the time to discuss such topics.

"I don't know why this drama surrounding the Defenders Law. This is the seventh time it is being passed, after 2002, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2013, and 2015," Taravari said in response to a question if he would discuss this law within his coalition.

"I don't think now is the time to discuss such topics. This issue will not even be addressed now. It will not even be helpful. There is nothing tragic about it. Why all this drama about it? The opposition parties, especially the [ethnic] Albanian ones, have all voted for this kind of law six times, so I don't think it is the right moment to discuss it," Taravari said.

The new Defenders Law, proposed by SDSM MP and former defense minister Slavjanka Petrovska, received the lawmakers support to be adopted in a fast-track procedure during the 14th session of Parliament.

Photo: MIA archive