Some cries of disgust have been ringing out in parliament after deputy head of the governing Smer-SD party and parliamentary speaker Pavol Paska removed the camera in parliament that was monitoring the arrivals and departures of MPs.
Speaking on TV Markiza, Paska claimed that the camera was degrading MPs, but it is not sure exactly in what way, as the camera merely monitored who was signing the attendance sheet and when. It was put in place by Paska’s predecessor Richard Sulik (head of the SaS party), partly in an attempt to stop MPs signing the attendance sheet for absent colleagues (a common practice). Sulik feels the camera was important to keep MPs on their toes as they are paid by taxpayers’ money.
So now MPs have had their dignity restored, and will no longer have to suffer the humiliation of a camera watching over them as they enter and leave the parliament building. No longer will they have the indignation of having to prove that they work for their fat paycheck. Maybe other employers could take a lesson from this, and dismantle all the cameras they have in their factories etc., and so give the ordinary peasant some dignity back as well.
They should set up C-Span like in the US and UK, where all House/Parlimanet actions can be viewed by the public, to see what is actualy going on! Even if they do sign in, are they sitting there for the session, are they listening or on their tablets, and who is fighting for who? Bizzar Government… If I see a camera I smile and keep walking past.. they should do the same!
Bobby and his crew had one of the worst attendance and voting records of the last parliament which was presumably reflected in their paypackets. Back in office less than two months and its back to SMER business as usual. I hope the opposition parties keep a close eye on who is or is not in the House and the votes cast.