REMOTE ACTIVITIES OF THE PARLIAMENTARY ASSEMBLY OF THE COUNCIL OF EUROPE AND THE NATIONAL PARLIAMENTS IN TIME OF COVID-19

Abstract

The current world crisis raised serious debate about the role and place of the information and communication technologies (hereafter “ICT”) in the parliamentary activities. The new advanced technologies play a pivotal role in maintaining the efficiency and public service value of digitalisation by creating optimal conditions for the exercise of parliamentary functions. Before the current global health crisis, vast majority of the national parliaments had neither the possibility for remote plenary and/or committee meetings, nor a possibility for remote (distance) voting. Even the parliaments of the countries that have been struck by terrorist attacks in recent decades have not introduced a system of remote (distance) meetings or voting in case of any real direct risks for the parliamentary functioning. Democracy is never accomplished or perfect in its nature; it is an ongoing process that is continuously faced with new challenges and needs to adapt itself to new contexts. The parliamentary system is one of the most impactful institutions in the modern world and is steeped in deep country's history. Consequently, all new steps must be taken with extreme caution. The article offers an analysis of the strengths and weaknesses aspects of the parliamentary functioning in a “virtual space”, as well as a description of new mechanisms and methods.