Prague – municipality: Marvanová wants to enforce transparent council proceedings
In May 2019, the newspapers were full of it. At that time, the Prague councilors secretly voted on the geological survey of metro D, which Marvanová criticized. “I reject the secret vote of the city council, nota bene on billion dollar investments“, she described for Blesk at the time. The fact that Mayor Zdeněk Hřib (Pirates) did not add to the credibility of the strange situation he carried the ballots in his jacketsince it is considered to be “waste”. A secret vote on the fate of the Libeň bridge also caused similar embarrassment.
End of secret ballot and audio recordings
Marvanová wants to prevent similar political escapades by amending the Rules of Procedure of the City Council. m of Prague. “If we want to prevent cases like Dosimeter and similar ones, I am convinced that The Prague City Council must accept a change in the main agenda. By increasing transparency and public control, the space for corrupt practices changes political responsibility for the decisions taken increases,” he means.
Therefore, as councilor for the area of legislation, she would like to propose to the rules of procedure that voting was not anonymous, as is customary today, but was by name. “Today, we do not retrospectively reveal whether anyone had any objections, for example, to Mr. Hlubuček’s proposals,” the councilor reports to Blesk.
“As part of the voting, we found out the number of votes. How many people voted for the proposal, against the proposal or who abstainedbut no longer whether someone in particular presented strong arguments. We won’t know that from the minutes of the council,” he is surprised by the fact that, on the contrary, this practice works during council meetings, which, on top of everything, are public and covered by cameras.
“That’s why I would like to introduce them to be kept as well audio recordings meetings at these councils, these are often important decisions and statutes regarding various municipal contracts,” she states, adding that she would like to discuss the changes at the next meeting with the coalition partners. But she was already questioning the evil one. She prepared for the draft being prepared press release. But the municipality refused to hand her over.
A message that didn’t go out
Press spokesman of the municipality m Tadeáš Provazník specified for Blesk, for what reasons. “About the final release of the press release under the heading of the City Hall m of Prague (i.e. for the office) the media and marketing department of the MHMP decides. In this case councilor Kordová Marvanová was not accepted by the union on the grounds that the draft press release is currently a political proclamation,” points to the upcoming municipal elections. They are listed for September this year.
According to this opinion, it is not material that the office should publish, because on the one hand has not yet been discussed by the councillet alone approved. “AND there is no coalition consensus on it,” Rope added. “I received a justification from the press department that there is no coalition agreement on this topic, I have to pause on that. That with our coalition partners (Pirates and Prague to each other – note Red.) opposed these proposals with restraint in the past, I would understand that, but that even today after the Dosimeter case this the effort to be transparent is annoying?” Marvanová shakes her head.
Provazník proves that this is a standard procedure and not a political “ban from above” with the following words: “All press releases issued by the City Hall. m of Prague are always checked by the media and marketing department of the MHMP before publication. Organizationally, the department of media and marketing falls under the director of the office. Not to issue a press release on the basis of an instruction from a member of the General Council. m of Prague is not possible.”
Nothing unprecedented
Each councilor has the opportunity through the municipal press department publish press releases that relate to their role in the running of the city, decisions taken or actually known actions – e.g. regarding transport, maintenance, culture or extraordinary measures. “If it is about planned affairsit is necessary that she reign over them agreement of the head m of Prague. If this is not the case, it is not possible to issue a press release,” the spokesperson explains, adding that in the case of councilor Kordová Marvanová this is not the first “ban” among Prague politicians.
“Through internal processes, we can prove, for example, possible irregularities, if it is a election campaign or opinion of an individual or political party. A similar situation where the press release is not issued remains completely exceptionally, because the determined procedures are known to all members of the city,” he concludes. The nearest meeting of Prague councilors, where Marvanová will be able to present her proposal, if it is included in the program, is taking place August 29.
Record of the capital city council’s vote on the Libeň bridge, April 29, 2019. Jiří Marek
Petr Hlubuček hearing of the District Court for Prague 9 on detention. (June 17, 2022)
Author: Aktu.cz