The Senate of the Oliy Majlis of Uzbekistan held a seminar “Issues of improvement of parliamentary control over the years of independence: the role of deputies and senators in the enforcement of laws and public programs”, organized by the Committee of Legislative chamber on democratic institutes, NGOs and local authorities and a Senate Committee on legislation and judicial-legal issues.
The seminar was attended by deputies of the Legislative chamber and members of the Senate of the Oliy Majlis, the Commissioner of the Oliy Majlis for human rights (Ombudsman), representatives of the constitutional court, Supreme court, Supreme economic court and the General Prosecutor of the Republic of Uzbekistan, ministries and departments, Accounts chamber, non-governmental organizations and media, as well as scientists and teachers of the Tashkent State Law University, Academy of public administration, members of the Institute for monitoring of current legislation under the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Centre for legal excellence.
As was noted at the event, after gaining independence, the legislature of the country underwent radical transformations, a solid legal framework for the activities of the national Parliament has been created. Implemented stage-by-stage reforms contributed to the creation of a bicameral Parliament, which operates today on a professional basis.
In the process of democratization, improvement of the legal basis of the activity of the Parliament, its role and value in the system of public authorities has been significantly increased. In 2014, the Constitution of the Republic of Uzbekistan was introduced amendments, aimed at constitutional recognition of the institution of parliamentary control, the further expansion and strengthening of the supervisory functions of the legislature, increasing the responsibility of public authorities and management for the implementation of the legislation. Today, the Parliament plays an important role in maintaining the system of checks and balances among the organs of state power. Thus, it is necessary to emphasize the parliament functions not only in lawmaking, but also in monitoring the activities of state bodies.
A landmark event in the Parliament’s activities was the adoption of the Law “On parliamentary control”, aimed at further improving activities of the Oliy Majlis on the implementation of parliamentary control, as well as the introduction of additional mechanisms to increase the responsibility of public authorities and management before Parliament.
The main purpose of this law is to create a holistic system of legislation in the implementation of parliamentary control over execution of requirements of the Constitution and laws, improving the efficiency and accountability of public authorities and management on the implementation of its tasks and functions, as well as major state programs. The law defines the subjects and objects of parliamentary control, fixed its form, and regulates the measures taken following the results of parliamentary control, including mechanisms to respond them. So, the subjects of parliamentary control are the chamber of the Oliy Majlis, the committees (commissions) of the chambers, the faction of political parties, deputy groups, deputies and senators, as well as the Commissioner of the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan for human rights (Ombudsman).
During the discussion, members of Parliament stressed that further improvement of the activities of the Oliy Majlis on the implementation of parliamentary control are linked with the strengthening of the role of the Oliy Majlis in the system of bodies of state power, rule of law, legality, the execution of the Constitution and laws of the Republic of Uzbekistan, raising the responsibility of bodies of state power and control over the execution of the tasks they are entrusted with.
One of the forms of parliamentary control is the request made by the deputy of the Legislative chamber and member of the Senate. The deputy of the Legislative chamber has the right to send a request to officials of bodies of state authority and control to give a reasonable explanation or to present a position on issues related to ensuring the rights and legitimate interests of voters of the respective electoral district or the Ecological movement of Uzbekistan, while a member of the Senate on matters related to the interests of the regions. A written response to the request should be sent not later than ten days from the date of its receipt, if another term is not set.
In their speeches the participants of the seminar expressed their views on theoretical and legal aspects of the parliamentary request, the role of the deputies and senators in the implementation of parliamentary control.
Following the discussion, the seminar participants also shared a number of concrete proposals on further improvement of the legislation and law enforcement practice in the sphere of parliamentary control, increasing the effectiveness of Parliament in this direction, the information service of the Senate of the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan said.
