Charge of 'Political Stasis' Levelled at Shakor Amid Parliamentary Chaos

Pator – The administration of Sanmatar Maleatu Shakor came under fire during a session of the Republic Parliament yesterday. Several members of parliament put foward an amendment on a routine financial motion charging that the Minmatar Republic is 'in a state of political stasis following the extraordinary assumption of powers by Sanmatar Maleatu Shakor and his administration.'

Yesterday's parliamentary session was the first full session held for several weeks and was made necessary by the strict funding regulations still in place in the Republic. These require a motion to approve the quarterly budget of the Minmatar Republic which is usually passed as a formality. By convention amendments are normally entered against the main annual budget motion only. A number of parliamentarians, particularly of the Sebestior and Krusual tribes, have increasingly complained about the virtual suspension of the Parliament by Sanmatar Shakor.

While the Sanmatar has not formally dissolved Parliament, which would trigger elections under Republic law, he has relied on a strong government majority in Parliament to limit voting sessions to those strictly necessary to run the Republic. This majority was on display again yesterday as the entire Brutor parliamentary group and significant majorities among other represented tribes voted the critical amendment down.

Before the vote, there were chaotic scenes as the Sebestior parliamentarian Orvas Seriador, a noted and radical 'democratist', railed against Sanmatar Shakor, declaring that, "Shakor is a dictator in the making, stifling Minmatar democracy while it is still in its infancy." Seriador was booed out of the chamber before he could finish his speech supporting the amendment.