Robust oversight key to rule of law, stress OSCE parliamentarians in Tbilisi

TBILISI, 6 June 2019 – Addressing a conference focused on parliamentary oversight today, OSCE Parliamentary Assembly President George Tsereteli (MP, Georgia) called for continued attention to uphold and strengthen OSCE parliaments’ roles in holding governments accountable.

The conference, organized by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) together with the Parliament of Georgia, the OSCE PA and the National Democratic Institute, brings together parliamentarians from a dozen countries to consider challenges and opportunities related to parliament’s oversight activities.

“Parliament is the steadying hand that makes sure that state actions are efficient and that they respond to the needs of the public,” said President Tsereteli in a keynote address at the opening session moderated by Marcin Walecki from ODIHR.

Tsereteli continued: “To put it simply: oversight improves government. Parliament’s work in holding governments to account may be an irritant in the short-term for those in power, but undoubtedly serves the long-term interest of our citizens and public institutions.”

The Chairperson of the Parliament of Georgia, Irakli Kobakhidze, and the Director of the OSCE/ODIHR Ingibjorg Solrun Gisladottir intervened with welcoming remarks for the participants. The conference serves as an opportunity to exchange experiences and best practices among parliamentarians particularly from Eastern Europe, Central Asia and the South Caucasus region. Representatives of civil society and international organizations also participated actively in the discussions. OSCE PA Vice-President Azay Guliyev (MP, Azerbaijan) moderated a session dedicated to exploring the roles of plenary and committees in conducting oversight. He encouraged full use of the various tools available to parliamentarians, including dedicated investigations in committees as well as agenda-setting opportunities in plenary.

Discussions addressed topics including parliament’s oversight in particular sectors such as finance and security institutions.

Tomorrow, the Rapporteur of the OSCE PA’s General Committee on Democracy, Human Rights and Humanitarian Questions, Kyriakos Hadjiyanni (MP, Cyprus) will address a session focused on oversight in the field of human rights. In his proposed resolution for the OSCE PA’s 28th Annual Session to be held next month, Hadjiyanni urges parliaments “to publicly hold governments accountable for violations of their OSCE commitments.”

Further debates are also expected on the particular role played by political opposition in holding governments to account, and public outreach mechanisms.

The OSCE PA and ODIHR work closely on an ongoing basis in advancing the role of parliaments in the OSCE region and upholding OSCE commitments related to democratic governance.