President Cortizo is "concerned" with the number of proposed modifications to the Electoral Code
Cortizo assured that he has not read the modifications proposed by the deputies, but reiterated his concern about the number of modifications proposed by the CNRE.
The president of the Republic of Panama, Laurentino Cortizo , expressed his concern this Saturday about the number of modifications to the Electoral Code contained in the project presented to the National Assembly by the National Commission for Electoral Reforms (CNRE).
"It worries me a lot, it worries me too much that large number of modifications ... if you have an Election that relatively worked quite well, adding 300 modifications seems too much to me ... this is almost a new Code", expressed Cortizo.
In February, the Electoral Tribunal (TE) magistrates presented the Electoral Reform project to the Plenary of the National Assembly, agreed upon by the CNRE participants.
The discussion in the first debate of the project began this month and after the approval of the first block of the Electoral Reform project, the TE announced its withdrawal from the discussion, due to the introduction of modifications, by the deputies, which at the discretion of the representatives magistrates were a "setback" in electoral matters.
President Cortizo intervened, and after talking with the president of the National Assembly, Crispiano Adames, and with the presiding magistrate of the TE, Heriberto Araúz, it was agreed to suspend the discussion of the reform project and the installation of a technical table.
Cortizo assured that he has not read the modifications proposed by the deputies, but reiterated his concern about the number of modifications proposed by the CNRE.
"In 2017 I participated, and there are some things that some kind of adjustment can be made to them, but make 300 modifications? ... too much," said President Laurentino Cortizo, "it is important that they sit down, both the Electoral Tribunal with the same Assembly, with the Commission, and see what things in that election did not go well, to make the adjustments ".
"It worries me a lot, it worries me too much that large number of modifications ... if you have an Election that relatively worked quite well, adding 300 modifications seems too much to me ... this is almost a new Code", expressed Cortizo.
In February, the Electoral Tribunal (TE) magistrates presented the Electoral Reform project to the Plenary of the National Assembly, agreed upon by the CNRE participants.
The discussion in the first debate of the project began this month and after the approval of the first block of the Electoral Reform project, the TE announced its withdrawal from the discussion, due to the introduction of modifications, by the deputies, which at the discretion of the representatives magistrates were a "setback" in electoral matters.
President Cortizo intervened, and after talking with the president of the National Assembly, Crispiano Adames, and with the presiding magistrate of the TE, Heriberto Araúz, it was agreed to suspend the discussion of the reform project and the installation of a technical table.
Cortizo assured that he has not read the modifications proposed by the deputies, but reiterated his concern about the number of modifications proposed by the CNRE.
"In 2017 I participated, and there are some things that some kind of adjustment can be made to them, but make 300 modifications? ... too much," said President Laurentino Cortizo, "it is important that they sit down, both the Electoral Tribunal with the same Assembly, with the Commission, and see what things in that election did not go well, to make the adjustments ".