The congressional block heads managed to agree on a legislative agenda, this after several weeks of inactivity and lack of consensus between the different groups. Among the initiatives that will be known is the Competition Law, scheduled to be approved in its first reading.
It was at yesterday’s meeting, in the absence of the ruling party, that the deputies placed it as the first point in the plenary session next Thursday. This is in the middle of the technical table that analyzes the initiative and was headed by the independent deputy, Samuel Pérez, now coordinated by the president of the Legislature, Nery Ramos.
The agenda had the approval of the majority of the parties, although it was not absolute, in the absence of the deputies elected by Semilla who cannot remain in the meetings due to a series of constitutional resolutions that prohibit them.
The initiative contemplates the discussion of 147 articles. According to the Economy Commission, which ruled favorably in 2022, the proposal contemplates limiting anti-competitive practices, in addition, it promotes and defends free competition, as well as prevents, investigates, combats, pursues and sanctions anti-competitive practices.
“In a broad sense, the Competition Law focuses on the defense and promotion of free competition,” reads the text of the opinion. It also adds that articles of the Commercial Code, Penal Code and other related regulations would be modified.
Among its articles it also proposes the creation of a Board of Directors, made up of a member and alternate appointed by the president of the republic, the Supreme Court of Justice and Congress.
No agenda
In the discussion points for the plenary sessions on Tuesday and Thursday, there are no proposals from the ruling party for the functionality of Bernardo Arévalo’s governance. Ramos indicated that “until this moment we have no approach regarding the issues you mention,”
The ruling party in the current legislature does not have a bench. The group by which they were elected – Movimiento Semilla – is suspended and cannot integrate heads of Block where the topics that will be known in the plenary sessions are approved.
Although these congressmen have not asked for any type of specific agenda to be promoted. Even the president of Congress highlights that he maintains open dialogue with Arévalo, but at the moment he said no particular law initiatives have been requested.
“Congress maintains a policy of open doors to all sectors of the country and to the other powers of the State of Guatemala to coordinate the work that, in accordance with their interests, as representatives of a power of the State, has implications in Congress,” Ramos explained.
The agendas promoted by Congress, according to Ramos, have been under the exclusive analysis of the Block heads and not of other instances “the due independence of powers is respected.”
The topics
For Tuesday, the Plenary Session of Congress has two elections on the agenda; that of regular and alternate rapporteurs of the National Office for Prevention Against Torture and that of the Monetary Board, as well as the call for the integration of a nomination commission to elect the general director of the Institute of Public Criminal Defense (IDPP).
For Thursday’s session, the Competition Law stands out as the main point. Two initiatives follow for third reading and final draft. These are laws to strengthen the chicle activity and to promote and strengthen the Braille writing system.
But the last points also include the call for the IDPP candidate and the election of rapporteurs against torture, in case these points are not approved in today’s session on Tuesday.
They ask for seriousness
Block deputies, both allies and opposition, asked the Board of Directors to be serious. Since in the last session the quorum was broken because some secretaries of the Board of Directors distanced themselves.
“We have been present, but those who have not had the commitment to be present throughout the entire time was the Board of Directors. We hope that the agenda can be completed and that there is the commitment of the secretaries,” said Elmer Palencia, from the Valor block.
Deputy Cristian Álvarez, of Commitment Renewal and Order (Creo), stated that it is necessary that the postulator’s call be prioritized, “to prevent these legal, but not correct, breaks in the quorum from occurring.”
Irtra Law
Once again, the block heads assigned for this afternoon’s session the approval of the final draft of the reform to the Law of the Recreation Institute of Private Company Workers (Irtra).
Initiative 6314 contemplates organizing and updating the purchasing processes, which with the current Contracting Law is done very slowly and reduces competitiveness by not being able to make interventions in the parks by exception, if not they are obliged to tender.
As Irtra authorities have previously stated, this reform will allow the construction of a convention center in Retalhuleu with capacity for 15 thousand people, the construction of an international airport in the same place and improvements to other parks.
The proposal has been scheduled on other occasions, but has not been discussed because the quorum is broken. Today is the fifth point on the agenda.
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