Luanda - The first secretary of the Bureau of the National Assembly (AN), Manuel Dembo, considered unfounded the statements of the president of the UNITA parliamentary group on alleged violation of constitutional provisions in the change of the opening of the 2023-2024 parliamentary year from Sunday (15) to Monday (16).
Speaking to the press on Wednesday in Luanda, the parliamentarian explained that, on October 9, the meeting of the Standing Committee of the AN was held, which decided, by consensus, that the Solemn Plenary Meeting for the Opening of the Second Legislative Session of the V Legislature will take place on October 16.
He pointed out that, by virtue of 15 October 2023 falling on a Sunday, paragraph 2 of Rule 107 of the Parliamentary Rules of Procedure provides, “that when the expiry of any deadline falls on a Saturday, Sunday or public holiday, it is transferred to the next working day, in this case 16 October”.
“The statements by the president of the UNITA Parliamentary Group according to which there has been manipulation or violation of constitutional provisions are unfounded,” Manuel Lopes Dembo said, considering that parliamentary ethics requires respect for the decisions of the bodies of the National Assembly.
In this regard, the First Secretary of Parliament's Bureau reiterates his sense of state to the Chairman of the UNITA Parliamentary Group as a member of Parliament's Standing Committee.
Under the terms of the Constitution, the President of the Republic, João Lourenço, will address a Message on the State of the Nation to the country, marking the opening of the Parliamentary Year (2023-2024) of the V Legislature of the National Assembly.
The president of the UNITA parliamentary group, Liberty Chiyaka, disagreed, a few days ago, with the change in the date of the start of the legislative session, which this year falls on a Sunday (October 15), to Monday (October 16), alleging violation of constitutional requirements. DC/VIC/ADR/DOJ
