The House of Councilors unanimously approved, during a legislative session held on Tuesday, bill n° 53.22 approving decree-law n° 2.22.770 of October 6, 2022 enacting specific provisions relating to the National Council of the press (CNP).
Presenting the PL on behalf of the Minister of Youth, Culture and Communication, Mohamed Mehdi Bensaid, the Minister of Health and Social Protection, Khalid Aït Taleb, indicated that this legislative text comes about because of the inability to hold, within the prescribed time, the elections of new members of the National Press Council from the categories of professional journalists and newspaper publishers.
Since the law establishing the Council does not provide for provisions in case the elections are not held in time, there is no mechanism other than that of extending the current mandate of the Council on an exceptional basis through this legislation, in order to avoid the illegal nature that the Council’s decisions would take on if it continued to exercise its functions beyond the time limits provided for by law to elect its members, he to be worth.
The mandate of the National Press Council having ended shortly before the holding of the ordinary session of the two chambers of parliament as provided for by the constitution, necessity demanded the adoption of a decree-law in accordance with the provisions of the article 81 of the constitution, argued the minister.
The bill includes a single article relating to the approval of Decree-Law No. 2.22.770 published on October 6, 2022 enacting specific provisions for the National Press Council, he underlined, indicating that with the approval of this project, the procedures provided for in article 81 of the constitution (first paragraph) will have been completed.
The capacity of the National Press Council to continue to exercise its functions is likely to capitalize on the achievements relating to the self-regulation of the journalistic profession, and to consolidate the position of the Kingdom as a unique model in the matter at the regional and international level, noted the Minister.
This solution remains exceptional, temporary and imposed as a necessity, he said, highlighting the importance of developing the current legal system according to a participatory, institutional and professional approach, in order to prevent such exceptional situation does not recur in the future.
In this sense, the Minister pleaded for the development of general rules for the approval of permanent provisional provisions guaranteeing that the Council continues its activities in the event that its organs cease to exercise their functions for any reason.