afrol News, 20 August - The Speaker of Mauritania's parliament has confronted the ruling military junta on its plans to convene an extra-ordinary parliamentary session on Wednesday, describing the move as "legally null and void."

Messoud Ould Boulkheir has issued a statement saying that any intitiative to hold such a session without the Speaker's approval will be null and void.

He said as matters stand, no date has been decided for the extra-ordinary session whose agenda was "neither examined, nor approved" in accordance with the rules and regulations. Mr. Boulkheir said it was also the right of lawmakers to take such an initiative when they form the majority.

Besides, the Speaker informed the public that the opening and closing of an extra-ordinary session are exclusively the responsibility of President Sidi Ould Cheikh Abdallahi who was democratically elected in 2007 only to be overthrown by a military junta on 6 August.

The junta leader General Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz ordered the parliament to convene an extra-ordinary session to among others review statutes of the national assembly, election of high court officials and legislate a bill on consumer protection."

Deputies will debate on the establishment of a parliamentary supervisory board on special intervention plan, a parliamentary investigtion commission on the management and financing of the Khattou Mint Boukhary Foundation and a parliamentary audit commission for the financial and administrative management of the senate.

The foundation, which was named after the wife of the deposed President, has been accused of receiving "secret financing." Khattou Mint Boukhary said she would not hesitate to shed light on the management methods of the foundation.

By staff writer

© afrol News

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