Herat MP criticizes Karzai’s establishment of local administration department

(Transcript of report by state-owned National Afghanistan TV on September 17, 2007.)

[Presenter] The parliament approved the organizational structure of the government today after a series of hot debates.

My colleague Mohammad Aref Azizi has more details.

[Correspondent] In the general meeting of the parliament, MPs debated the remaining parts of the organizational structure of the government, including the separation of local administration department from the Interior Ministry, and separation of the Ariana [Airline] Department from the Transport Ministry, by the government.

A number of MPs say the government interference and decisions in establishing, splitting and merging government departments are against the constitution.

They claim the parliament is the only source of approving, rejecting and amending the laws in the country.

[Ahmad Behzad, MP from Herat Province] Establishing, dissolving, and amending administrative units is the authority of the parliament of Afghanistan. Mr Chairman, these issues should therefore not be summed up this way.

[Another MP] One of the authorities of the president is to oversee the implementation of the constitution. When the president violates the constitution and acts against it, what is the decision of the parliament about it?

[Mohammad Yunos Qanuni, parliamentary Speaker] When the parliament is present, the creation of the office for local [provincial] administration affairs, through a legislative decree, is a clear violation of the constitution.

[Passage omitted] .

[Description of Source: Kabul National TV Afghanistan in Dari -- state-run television. OSC IAP20070917950116 Kabul National TV Afghanistan in Dari 1430 GMT 17 Sep 07]