TIRANA, May 21 /ATA/ – The ruling Socialist Party and the opposition Democratic Party have reached consensus on amendments to parliament’s rules of procedure, including limits on late-night sittings and changes to reporting requirements for independent institutions.
The parliamentary Council on Rules, Mandates and Immunity approved the draft amendments on Thursday, clearing the way for a vote in parliament.
The agreement, reached after talks between the two sides on Tuesday, resolves several issues previously disputed by the opposition.
Under the deal, parliamentary sessions will end at 10:00 p.m., while the number of parliamentary committees will remain unchanged at 11.
A key point of contention concerned the reporting of independent institutions to parliament. The Socialists had proposed that reports be presented only before parliamentary committees, but the parties ultimately agreed that only institutions explicitly required by the constitution to report to parliament would appear in plenary session.
Under the compromise, plenary reports will be delivered by the Ombudsman, the Prosecutor General, the heads of the High Prosecutorial Council and High Judicial Council, the High Inspector of Justice and the head of the State Supreme Audit Institution.
Institutions such as Albania’s Special Anti-Corruption Structure, known as SPAK, will no longer report before parliament in plenary session.
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