The fact that the parliamentary opposition is absent from the plenary sittings of the legislative body affects the lawmaking process and does not ensure an authentic debate on the adopted bills, says a report produced by Promo-LEX Association.

“The absences of MPs in the autumn session totaled 357. BECS was absent in protest from five plenary sittings. The Shor Party didn’t attend any sitting of the autumn session. We consider the non-participation by the opposition MPs in the plenary sittings, including the debates on draft normative documents, affects the legislative process,” said Mihaela Duca Anghelici, a legal expert of Promo-LEX Association.

The autumn session had 19 sittings – 17 plenary sittings and two solemn and diplomatic meetings. “As a rule, there were 85 MPs at the beginning of sittings and only 62–63 MPs remained at the end of the sittings. No bill was adopted by the votes of all the MPs registered at the start of the sitting,” stated Mihaela Duca Anghelici.

The experts of Promo-LEX also ascertained that the citizens cannot know what issues will be discussed by the legislature as over 50% of the subjects added to the agenda initially were excluded. Decisional transparency in the bill adoption process was 69% affected.

Mihaela Duca also said that the MPs do not make full use of the parliamentary control methods stipulated by law. “In spring 2022, there were recorded two ordinary no-confidence motions, while in the autumn session there was proposed only one motion. The MPs do not show interest in exercising the available parliamentary control methods.”

As to the Parliament’s visibility, the experts recommend ensuring better communication with the people through all the available methods. The MPs are urged to review their behavior so that the Parliament’s credibility and the citizens’ confidence in the legislative body are not affected.