29 March 2007

“The evaluation of legislation influence on the process of drafts law debating” was discussed on March 29th from the Parliamentary Studies Centre, in collaboration with the Contemporary Studies Institution, supported from OSFA (Open Society Foundation, Albania).

The organizers submitted a report on the monitoring of the legislative performance of the parliamentary commissions of the Albanian Parliament. The organizers stated as well their point of view regarding the procedures of the legislative evaluation in our country, comparing similar practices from the parliaments of other countries.

During the project implementation, during a four month period (Sept – Dec 2006), some meetings of the parliamentary commissions were monitored. The monitoring staff noted the time that was dedicated to the discussion of different drafts of law, the participation of the deputies and the way discussions were transmitted to the Parliament. Large disproportions were noted on the practices of drafts of law discussions; the participation of deputies was rather low and in some cases, the representatives of different Ministries lacked expertise.

The meeting of March 29th recommended that procedures should be respected, during the debating of a draft of law in the Parliament of Albania, and that the participation rate of deputies on such a debating had to be greater. The meeting advised the organization of preliminary hearing sessions with the participation of groups of interest, mass media and civil society; increasing of expertise level during the debating of drafts of law, and also advised more intensive controls regarding the law implementation.