Assembly in trouble over impeachment motions

The National Assembly plenary session was scheduled to deal with the impeachment motions against the prosecution leadership following the parliamentary interpellation session Friday, but the session was stalled until late into the night due to the rival parties¡¯ bickering over means to tackle the motions.

Earlier, the ruling Millennium Democratic Party held a party parliamentary measures committee and a general caucus of party lawmakers in succession and confirmed the party¡¯s policy of opposing the submission of the impeachment proposals to the plenary session on the ground that the motions, initiated by the opposition Grand National Party, fail to meet legal requirements. At the same time, the ruling party contended that even if a vote is conducted, legislators accused of violating election laws should be prevented from casting their ballots.

Lee Man-Sup has pledged to introduce the impeachment bills after the interpellation session in his capacity as Assembly Speaker. Accordingly, he presided over the question-and-answer session held at 11:30 a.m. in the day.

Meanwhile, both parties, in preparation for a vote showdown, were gearing up intra-party unity and exhorting the members of the splinter United Liberal Democrats to take their side for or against the impeachment motions. The motions will be approved with 137 aye votes. The present number of Assemblymen breaks down to 119 for the MDP, 133 for the GNP, 17 for the ULD and four others.