PO: Parliament must function, even if it requires Nasheed’s resignation

President’s Office (PO) states it wishes for the Parliament to function again, even if it requires Speaker Mohamed Nasheed to resign.

In a press conference Thursday, PO spokesperson Miuvaan Mohamed said Nasheed was able to hold the Thursday’s sitting when he wanted to, and he had every opportunity to hold sittings the past two days as well.

“The Parliament Speaker Mohamed Nasheed was able to hold a sitting today when he wanted, wasn’t he? No institution or anyone else did anything more. The two previous sitting could have also been held if he wanted to. He also had the power to make alternative arrangements,” he said.

Miuvaan said that if Nasheed recused himself from presiding over sittings because of the no-confidence motion against him, he should pave the path for the Parliament to continue functioning even if it requires his resignation.

He said that the Parliament should not be incapacitated in a country with a functioning democratic presidential system.

Miuvaan said President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih would “do the necessary” as the head of state.

“The president held discussions with the MDP parliamentary group last week. But as I mentioned before, sittings are held when the Speaker wants,” he said.

Parliamentary sittings came to a halt after both Nasheed and Deputy Speaker Eva Abdulla recused themselves from presiding over sittings following no-confidence motions filed against them by the main ruling MDP.

Vilufushi MP Hassan Afeef had filled in for three consecutive days – the maximum allowed under the Parliament’s standing orders. No sittings were held from Tuesday and Wednesday, before Thursday’s sitting – presided over by Nasheed – was held.