Early Day Motion - House of Commons

MJAFT! INITIATES EARLY DAY MOTION


MJAFT! Activists At the House of Commons

Versioni i Plote Shqip

MJAFT! Movement and its London branch, MJAFT! London Club, initiate an early day motion at the House of Commons. The House hopes that in considering the proposed reforms of broadcasting law, the parliament and government of Albania will ensure that both the public service broadcaster (Albanian Radio and Television) and the regulator (the National Council on Radio and Television) are independent of any one political party.

After a recent visit by MJAFT! activists at the House of Commons, a group of British MP's table an Early Day Motion titled "Albanian Broadcasting Law Reform" where MJAFT!'s role is valued as crucial for the promotion of good governance in Albania. The EDM is open to the signatures of all Members of Parliament.

Full Motion Text

MP's Signatures

" That this House welcomes the emergence of Albania as a member of the democratic family of European nations, recognised by membership of the Council of Europe since 1995 ; acknowledges the crucial role of organisations in Albanian civil society such as MJAFT! (Enough!) in arguing for good governance ; believes that the development of a free media independent of government is crucial to the future of Albania ; and hopes that in considering the proposed reforms of broadcasting law the parliament and government of Albania will ensure that both the public service broadcaster (Albanian Radio and Television) and the regulator (the National Council on Radio and Television) are independent of any one political party."

About Early Day Motions

The tabling of an EDM is a device to draw attention to an issue and to elicit support for it by inviting other MPs to add their signatures: an MP would not expect their EDM to be debated.  MPs can also table amendments to existing EDMs.

EDMs, amendments and names of signatories are circulated in the Vote Bundle, the daily working papers of the House of Commons. EDMs can often attract a great deal of publicity, and many people regard them as a gauge of opinion.

Although the majority of EDMs are never considered for debate, the group of EDMs known as 'prayers' may be debated. Prayers are motions to annul or revoke Statutory Instruments, and include the form of words 'that an Humble Address be presented to Her Majesty, praying that the [title of legislation], a copy of which was laid before this House on [date], be annulled.'

In this case, the EDM was sponsored by Mr John Grogan who is also the chair of the all-party parliamentary group for the BBC. It is the second EDM tabled for Albania in the last 10 years. In 1997, another EDM (EDM 535 - 13.02.1997) was tabled where the House condemned the continuing political support from the Conservative Party and its former Vice-Chair, the Right honourable Member for Chertsey and Walton, for the Albanian regime's leader, Sali Berisha whose support for financially deregulated pyramid schemes had led to widespread financial ruin for Albanians.

Official website of the Early Day Motion