Colombian President Alvaro Uribe expressed his frustration with congress on Tuesday for not accomplishing enough during 2010, and asked the legislative body to work overtime to pass pending legislation prior to the turnover to the new congress, reports El Espectador.
After meeting with Uribe, the president of Colombia’s lower chamber, Edgar Gomez Roman, confirmed that extra time would be needed to accomplish what Uribe seeks, saying, “If the national government wants to pass some of the initiatives, it will have to call extra sessions,” prior to the congressional turnover on June 20.
Senate President Javier Caceres Leal, who also met with Uribe, confirmed Roman’s statements, admitting that it would be difficult given the current conditions to move forward with the projects that the government hopes to pass.
Throughout 2010, the Colombian congress has been unable to meet the necessary quorum to officially hold votes due to the congressional and presidential elections. This, coupled with its preoccupation with issues such as the presidential re-election referendum, has left them with insufficient time to pass desired legislation.