PANAPRESS
Panafrican News Agency
Togo: Government, opposition discuss political reforms
Lomé, Togo (PANA) – Opposition political parties in Togo on Thursday had separate meetings with Prime minister Arthème Kwessi Ahoomey-Zunu in Lome to open talks on constitutional and institutional reforms.
The first deputy chairman of he main opposition party, National Alliance for Change (ANC), Patrick Lawson, stressed the need to return to the Global Political Agreement (GPA) signed between the political stakeholders in 2006 following the socio-political troubles linked to the 2005 elections after the death of president Gnassingbé Eyadema.
He said the GPA did not want the talks on institutional and constitutional talks to be held at Parliament where the ruling party had the majority, but in a framework which political consensus could be reached.
Another opposition party, the Action Committee for Regeneration (CAR), led by its chairman, Mr Paul Dodji Apévon, said that “the reforms must be discussed within a framework of consensus. Once consensus is found, Parliament will be able to discuss it”.
The Union of Forces for Change (UFC) reminded political stakeholders of the Permanent Dialogue and Consultation Framework (CPDC) where the issue of reforms had been discussed.
On Friday, the Prime minister would receive the leaders of the ruling Union for Republic (UNIR) and the Alliance of Democrats for Integral Development (ADDI), an opposition party that allies with ANC at Parliament.
Initiated on 5 March, the contact between the head of government and political parties aims at having the opinion of the political stakeholders in view of the talks on institutional and constitutional reforms expected since 2004 and which were yet to be achieved.
Also expected are the reform of the constitutional court, the electoral code, the composition of the national independent electoral commission (CENI), composition of the High audiovisual and communication authority (HAAC) and the term of the president.
-0- PANA FAA/IS/MSA/MA 13March2014
The first deputy chairman of he main opposition party, National Alliance for Change (ANC), Patrick Lawson, stressed the need to return to the Global Political Agreement (GPA) signed between the political stakeholders in 2006 following the socio-political troubles linked to the 2005 elections after the death of president Gnassingbé Eyadema.
He said the GPA did not want the talks on institutional and constitutional talks to be held at Parliament where the ruling party had the majority, but in a framework which political consensus could be reached.
Another opposition party, the Action Committee for Regeneration (CAR), led by its chairman, Mr Paul Dodji Apévon, said that “the reforms must be discussed within a framework of consensus. Once consensus is found, Parliament will be able to discuss it”.
The Union of Forces for Change (UFC) reminded political stakeholders of the Permanent Dialogue and Consultation Framework (CPDC) where the issue of reforms had been discussed.
On Friday, the Prime minister would receive the leaders of the ruling Union for Republic (UNIR) and the Alliance of Democrats for Integral Development (ADDI), an opposition party that allies with ANC at Parliament.
Initiated on 5 March, the contact between the head of government and political parties aims at having the opinion of the political stakeholders in view of the talks on institutional and constitutional reforms expected since 2004 and which were yet to be achieved.
Also expected are the reform of the constitutional court, the electoral code, the composition of the national independent electoral commission (CENI), composition of the High audiovisual and communication authority (HAAC) and the term of the president.
-0- PANA FAA/IS/MSA/MA 13March2014
