The joint opinion report on the proposed law to amend the Law on the Angolan Passport and the Exit and Entry Regime for National Citizens of Angola was approved by the specialized committees of the National Assembly (parliament).
The legislative initiative by President João Lourenço states that it aims to include in the universe of entities benefiting from the diplomatic passport the retired Attorneys General of the Republic, the retired judges advisors of the higher courts and the retired Deputy Attorneys General of the Republic.
Former deputies and former assistants of the President of the Republic, as holder of executive power, are also on the list of beneficiaries of diplomatic status.
According to the report, presented at the session by the deputy rapporteur, Milonga Bernardo, the current law defines and delimits the entities entitled to a diplomatic passport, an international identification document intended only for diplomatic agents and other entities with this status.
The report, which, together with the diploma, will be sent to the plenary for discussion and voting in general, recalls that several entities carrying out their duties are entitled to a diplomatic passport, as well as former Presidents of the Republic and judges presiding over retired superior courts.
The current law, the text notes, leaves out some entities that, although they are no longer exercising their functions, enjoy diplomatic status.
In this session, deputies also approved the joint opinion report on the general proposal to amend the Anti-Doping in Sports Law.
The proposal, requested in an urgent process by the President, aims to align national legislation with international standards applicable to the matter, especially with the World Anti-Doping Code and the standards of the International Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).
“However, despite the effort made to approve the Anti-Doping Law (last March), after referral and consultation with WADA, it was found that there still exists some misalignment between what is foreseen in the law and what is required by international regulations”, said the deputy Rosa Branca, when presenting the report.
These misalignments, she added, “can lead to international sanctions, including the exclusion of national athletes from international competitions and the loss of opportunities for international sporting events”, noted the Angolan deputy.
The next plenary meeting of the National Assembly is scheduled for May 23.
