Parliamentary President Degn calls for more transparency in OSCE decision-making

ISTANBUL, 10 November 1999 - "Democratic control and accountability are essential elements of regional institutions, like the OSCE which needs greater transparancy, credibility and efficiency, stated the President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, Mrs Helle Degn, today in her address to the OSCE Summit in Istanbul.

According to Mrs Degn, who represents more than 300 parliamentarians from 54 OSCE participating States, the OSCE should seriously consider its decision-making process as advocated by the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly since 1993. It is hardly democratic when a single country can block the common will of 53 others and can prevent essential and timely action when it is needed. We have consistently advocated a modest change in the decision-making process which would mean no single country vetoes, said Mrs Degn.

The Parliamentary President also reminded the Summit that the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly still lacks formal status in the decision-making process. Many important decisions in the OSCE, such as the approval of the budget or appointment of Senior Officials are taken without any involvement or consultation with the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly which represents "an obvious democratic deficit in the OSCE".

According to the President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly "democratically elected Parliamentarians have to stand up for the development of democracy in their own international organizations and should play a crucial role as guardians of democracy, transparancy, accountability, the rule of law and the respect for human rights at the national, regional and international level".