MPs told to avoid acts disrupting social peace

National Assembly Speaker Carolina Cerqueira Thursday urged MPs to refrain from the events or actions likely to violate the fundamentals of the rule of law.

The appeal is expressed in a message addressed to the 7th Ordinary Plenary Meeting of the 1st Legislative Session of the V Legislature.

Carolina Cerqueira urged the representatives of the people to deny taking part, voluntarily or involuntarily, in actions that violate the law.

According to Carolina Cerqueira, it is crucial that MPs condemn all actions that disrupt social harmony.

“I appeal to all members, regardless of their opinion and freedom of expression – rights granted by democracy – not to take part in the acts or demonstrations that violate laws or adopt behaviours that violate social peace”, she expressed.

The Speaker also recommended the MPs to avoid uttering statements that incite civil disobedience and public disorder, vandalism of public and private property, as well as behaviour likely to disturb social cohesion and stability.

The MP added that the strength of the ideas and convictions, freedom of expression, in terms of democratic and legal principles, must always match the legitimacy that stems from the democratic mandate.

According to Carolina Cerqueira, political action, based on insulting and offending people and institutions, no longer represents democracy, but a “virus that destroys the essence of democracy”.

She requested, therefore, that the deputies live up to the responsibilities inherited from peacemakers, guaranteeing the maintenance of stability and social cohesion.

The Speaker also said that the Parliament, in the constitutional system, constitutes an organ of central sovereignty of democracy and concomitantly of the rule of law.

The parliamentary session discussed three diplomas and approved that authorising the President of the Republic, as holder of the Executive Power, to legislate on the alteration of the Tax Regime for the Concession of Blocks 30, 44 and 45, as well as the final global vote on the Draft Law of the Labor Procedure Code.

The session also discussed the citizens’ rights and freedoms versus acts of public disorder. VM/NIC

Source: Angola Press News Agency (APNA)