Speaker of Parliament Mohamed Nasheed has stated parliament sittings must continue without interruption, despite the difficult circumstances caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Speaking at the High Level Session of the European Union (EU) Democracy Week, Speaker Nasheed noted the Parliament of the Maldives has continued its sittings without interruption amid the COVID-19 pandemic, with sittings held virtually during the lockdown. The speaker said the parliament was able to work on several important bills and resolutions through the virtual sittings held during the lockdown. He said it is crucial for the parliament to continue working even under difficult circumstances as it involves important decisions made at a national level.
Noting the normal sittings were resumed after more than one and half months of holding virtual sittings, Speaker Nasheed said physical proceedings were deemed important as the parliamentary debates were not carried out with its usual energy during the online sittings. He added the aim of returning to normal sittings was to maintain public interest in the proceedings by ensuring high intensity and energy in parliamentary proceedings.
The parliament speaker took part in the UN High Level Session virtually, while in the UK.