2023-11-02 10:29:24
In accordance with the provisions of article 87 of the Constitution taken up by article 4 of the Internal Regulations of the National Assembly, President Louis Gbèhounou VLAVONOU opened this Tuesday, October 31, 2023 at the Palace of Governors in Porto-Novo, the second session ordinary meeting of the year 2023 devoted essentially to the examination of the draft general budget of the State for management 2024.
Present at this opening ceremony were 95 deputies, presidents of institutions, members of the government, members of the diplomatic and consular corps, representatives of international organizations, the prefect of Ouémé, the mayor of Porto-Novo , the wise and notable as well as the crowned heads.
From the outset, President Vlavonou, after welcoming the massive presence of personalities at the sanctuary of democracy that is Parliament, identified the issue of the ceremony: “This ceremony marks the start of the second ordinary session of the year, in accordance with the provisions of article 87 of the Constitution of our dear country, taken up by article 4 of the Internal Regulations of the National Assembly. The first half of this session will be essentially devoted to the examination and vote of the State budget for 2024 management. As we all know, the adoption of the finance law, a quantified expression of the management of the country in all its compartments, is a constitutional prerogative and a major political act which goes beyond relations between the Government and Parliament. It challenges and interests all components of the national community.”
Still in his speech, President Vlavonou insisted on the climate of peace and harmony which is constantly maintained collectively by the Government, Parliament, justice and diplomacy. Furthermore, in his speech, he invited the deputies and the entire political class to mutual respect for the vitality of democracy. He also mentioned the population/development problem which is a question which torments everyone’s mind and which sometimes pits one against the other.
Congratulations to the deputies
In his opening speech to the 2nd ordinary session of 2023, President Vlavonou praised the deputies for not only their presence at the said ceremony but also for all their actions. “…Ladies and Gentlemen, Honorable Deputies, my dear colleagues, I would be very sorry if I did not thank you from the bottom of my heart for your massive presence at this ceremony; I would like to detect in it the omen of your repeated assiduity to the work, both in committees and in plenary sessions, throughout this session. Moreover, how can I not recall, if only to congratulate myself, that, thanks to the seriousness which you have always shown in the exercise of your respective functions, the inter-session, often considered as a period vacation, was very rich in parliamentary activities?
You were particularly attentive to the workshops, seminars and other capacity building activities organized for you. Thanks to your availability, we were also able to hold two extraordinary sessions to resolve urgent files. In this regard, I can only welcome the timely adoption by our Parliament, on Monday October 2, of the budget of the institution, the amount of which was integrated as it is in the finance bill that we we prepare to review. This adoption, which was made in compliance with the Constitution, the organic law relating to finance laws and the Internal Regulations, confirms, if necessary, the separation of powers and the necessary autonomy that it implies to the benefit of the National Assembly.
Furthermore, some of you have been very active on the front of parliamentary diplomacy…..Similarly, it is important to emphasize, you, Honorable Deputies, for the most part, have taken advantage of the rest of the time to report on your activities to your respective constituents and collect, where applicable, their various concerns with a view to improving the quality of your parliamentary work. It is therefore on all this, and many other activities, that I wanted to congratulate you because they have all contributed, in one way or another, to making the parliamentary institution more visible and that is to the credit of each of us….”, suggested the President of the National Assembly before congratulating them on their exceptional appointment to the National Order of Merit.
All conditions are met a priori for the budget vote
Part of the president’s speech was devoted to examining the 2024 draft state budget. For him, from the budget orientation debate on June 13, 2023 with observations and amendments to the vote on the 2024 budget of the National Assembly, respect for organic law no. 2013-14, of September 27, 2013, relating to finance laws without forgetting the transparency and inclusion which characterize the process, nothing in reality should be an obstacle to the examination and adoption of the 2024 draft state budget. “…In view of all the above and without however denying the National Representation its right of amendment as provided for and framed by the provisions of the Constitution and our Internal Regulations, I consider, for my part, that all the conditions are a priori met for an examination and adoption, without significant clashes, of the finance bill for 2024 management.”, reassured President Vlavonou.
Continuing his remarks, he lifted a corner of the veil on a few points on the agenda of the 2nd ordinary session of 2023, notably the presentation and adoption of its Activity Report for the period from April 1 to September 30. 2023, the examination and vote of several projects and legislative proposals which reflect the need to continue, or even strengthen, the reforms undertaken, with a view to making Benin a better and better governed country and, above all, placing it resolutely in the orbit of economic and social development.
QA November 2, 2023
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