The legal consultant of the Executive Branch, Antoliano Peralta, said this Wednesday that it is the right time to carry out the reform of the Constitution proposed by President Luis Abinader, “in the interest of Institutional Strengthening and Efficient State Management.”
By participating in the eighth meeting of the Thematic Table of Transparency and Institutionality, as part of the Presidential call for Dialogue, in the Economic and Social Council (CES), the official insisted that the constitutional proposals have three tasks:
First, “strengthen the system of controls of the powers of the State and the constitutional organs”.
Second“make the processes of the State and the Public Administration more efficient” and third“consolidate the democratic exercise, through punctual improvements to the electoral system and the legislative procedure”.
In addition, Peralta expressed that he is convinced that there is no obstacle so that the Reviewing Assembly The elements that are being suggested or others that are suggested about the independence of whoever heads the Attorney General’s Office and the depoliticization of the High Courts are gathered and arranged.
“We believe that if there is good sense, political will and the willingness of political parties and legislators, nothing happens if that is done in the Dominican Republic,” he said.
The discussions on the reform of the Constitution have been taking place since March 2 and it was expected that with this eighth meeting the debates would conclude, but another meeting was agreed for next Wednesday.
Proposals
Peralta said that the Dominican government has structured a constitutional reform proposal in nine general points, four of which were already addressed in the March session, which were: Process of formation of laws, Public Ministry, Administrative Attorney General and National Council of the Judiciary.
He also added that this Thursday’s agenda included the rapporteurship of the discussions held in relation to the four points already mentioned, and then the remaining five points, which are: Supreme Court of Justice and Judicial Power, Constitutional Court, Electoral Regime, Board Central Electoral and Superior Electoral Tribunal, system of control of public funds, Chamber of Accounts and Comptroller General of the Republic; as well as other temporary provisions.
Less patriotic reform
The Executive’s Legal Advisor pointed out that part of the debate on this issue has been generated outside this table, which he considered enriching.
However, he disagreed with the argument that the reform by the sanitary crisis in the process of recovery, produced by the Covid pandemic and by the economic difficulties triggered by the war in Europe.
“It is not a valid argument for us either, because we suppose that the economic crisis would have to be faced through a series of normative and institutional measures that require the reform of the constitution,” he added.
He highlighted that Despite currently being in an economic crisis, the Dominican State cannot remain stuck in the midst of a binding legal situation that would prevent the Government from taking the appropriate measures.
“The same sectors that point out that it is not the right time to reform the Constitution due to the current world situation, those same sectors have seen the Dominican Constitution reformed for other less patriotic purposes and of less general interest and I have certainly not heard that clamor. ”, emphasized the official.
Among the participants in the meeting are the general director of Ethics and Government Integrity (DIGEIG), Milagros Ortiz Bosch; the legal sub-consultant of the Executive Power, Pedro Montilla and the vice-ministry of Reform and Modernization of the State, Gregorio de Jesús Montero.