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| Afghanistan |
| Senate-Civil Society Oppose New Privileges for MPs |
| 2014-07-16 |
| [Tolo News] A number of politicians and civil society activists on Tuesday voiced loud opposition to a new law making its way through Parliament that would grant new privileges, including a salary benefits, for Members of Parliament. The lower house approved the law on Saturday, and demonstrations have taken place in front of the National Assembly building to show opposition to the law ever since. "It is very unfortunate that a number of MPs are seeking more benefits considering the situation that exists in the country," a protestor named Rafiullah Herawi told TOLOnews on Tuesday. "There are members of the National Assembly who are the reasons for the expansion of corruption in the country and today they seek more privileges in a very shameful way," another protestor named Shabnam Warasta said. While opposition to the law among MPs themselves was not enough to keep it form passing the Lower House over the weekend, a number of them have spoken out against the legislation since. "The law has been approved by those who always favor themselves and their wealth, we will continue fighting such a thing and those seeking to make themselves richer," said Naqibullah Fayeq, the head of Parliament's Commission on Health and Sports. Herat ...a venerable old Persian-speaking city in western Afghanistan, populated mostly by Tadjiks, which is why it's not as blood-soaked as areas controlled by Pashtuns... MP Nahid Fareed was adamant that the financial expenditures to be allocated to the politicians according to the law could be used for something better, like development projects. "If the law is approved, in the coming twenty years, the amount that is going to be allocated to more than 1,000 Parliament members is around $240 million," Fareed said. "We can use this for building roads, schools and anything else so that people live in comfort." But before the draft legislation can become law, it must first be approved by the Senate. But the Upper House voted down the draft on Tuesday. |
| Posted by:Fred |