Legislative Chamber hosts event on parliamentary control

The seminar was attended by deputies of the Legislative Chamber and members of the Senate of the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan, the Authorized Person of the Oliy Majlis for Human Rights (Ombudsman), representatives of ministries and departments, civil society institutions, as well as university professors and legal scholars.

A powerful impetus to further improvement of the efficiency of parliamentary activities, representative governing bodies, including their monitoring functions was made by the Concept of further deepening democratic reforms and establishing civil society in the country. Amendments and additions were introduced to a number of articles of the Constitution on its basis. So, the parliament have the right to hear the annual reports of the Cabinet of Ministers on key issues of socio-economic life of the country. As a result, adopted measures contribute to increasing the efficiency of implementing programs of socio-economic development of the regions, more fully guarantee the rights and legitimate interests of the population, just solution of actual issues at places.

As the President of our country noted at the joint session of the Legislative Chamber and the Senate of the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan on January 23, 2015, “activities of chambers of the Oliy Majlis, first of all factions of political parties on the implementation of parliamentary control over the activities of state governing bodies, unconditional execution of the adopted laws, the most important state programs of socio-economic, socio-political development must be established in the context of constitutional reforms on a new basis”.

It should be noted that the Parliament plays an important role in maintaining the system of checks and balances among the state governing bodies. The presence of parliamentary functions related not only to legislation but also monitoring activities of government agencies should be emphasized.

Therefore, to date, the Expert Group under the Commission, established by the decrees of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan of June 25, 2014 № F-4305 and of March 26, 2015 № F-4438, a draft Law “On parliamentary control” is developed.

Participants of the seminar discussed this draft law.

It should be noted that in the process of preparing the draft law by the Expert Group, firstly, the national experience was studied, that is, existing norms in the current legislation relating to parliamentary control. Theoretical aspects of parliamentary control, as reflected in the writings of legal scholars were taken into account. Secondly, the experience of more than 20 foreign countries was analyzed in developing the draft law.

Quotes of the President I.A.Karimov served as a methodological basis of the work of the Expert Group aimed at developing the draft law “On parliamentary control”.

As a result of this work the Expert Group offers the following definition of parliamentary control: “Parliamentary control is the activity of subjects of parliamentary control aimed at ensuring the execution of legislative acts, government programs by public authorities and their officials”.

It should be emphasized that today in our country, despite the lack of special law in the sphere of parliamentary control, functions of the Oliy Majlis on controling in some extent are reflected in more than ten laws.

Presence of such forms of parliamentary control, as parliamentary hearings; a vote of confidence; parliamentary inquiry, request of deputy of the Legislative Chamber and a member of the Senate, as well as the study of the state of executing legislative acts, government programs can be specified.

At the seminar, issues of parliamentary control, its forms, legal mechanisms for implementation and experience of foreign countries in the implementation of modern methods of parliamentary control were discussed, as well as suggestions and recommendations for improving the legislation and law enforcement practice in this sphere were received.