Policy|Legislation
The President and the Secretary General remind the government “seriously” that the government cannot set timetables for Parliament to change the laws.
Parliamentary speaker Anu Vehviläinen (Central) and the Secretary General of Parliament Maija-Leena Paavola In the letter, they criticize the Finnish government for speeding up the preparation of laws to combat the coronavirus. In their view, it puts Parliament in an embarrassing situation.
“We therefore consider it appropriate to remind you seriously that the Government cannot set timetables for Parliament as to when the government’s proposals to change legislation should be considered in Parliament,” the authors state.
The letter sent on Monday is addressed to the Prime Minister Sanna Marinille (sd), members of the Government and the Chancellor of Justice of the Government.
In the letter particular reference is made to the law on the closure of restaurants. The government told the public on 25 February that it would propose to Parliament that the restaurants close on 8 March, the letter said.
“With this unilateral announcement by the Government, Parliament has been placed in an embarrassing and undesirable situation from the point of view of the careful law-making work required by the Finnish Constitution,” the letter reads.
The government submitted a bill on the closure of restaurants to parliament on Monday.
In the letter however, it is stated that the pandemic situation in Finland is serious and that there is a common will to fight the virus.
“Careful legislative work and sufficient time for Parliament to ensure this is also necessary in urgent situations of enacting legislation,” the President and the Secretary-General state.
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source https://pledgetimes.com/legislation-president-vehvilainen-criticizes-the-government-for-speeding-up-the-law-on-restaurant-closures-parliament-put-in-an-embarrassing-situation/
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