Paraguay
Chamber of Deputies committee approved, with changes, the bill on national symbols and an IPS reform
The Committee on Justice, Labor and Social Welfare issued favorable opinions on two initiatives on the Chamber of Deputies’ agenda. One regulates the design and use of national emblems, and the other proposes changes to the IPS governance structure.
The Committee on Justice, Labor and Social Welfare of the Chamber of Deputies approved, with modifications, the bill seeking to regulate the design and use of the Flag of the Republic, the National Coats of Arms and the National Seal, according to Última Hora.
According to that outlet, the committee is chaired by lawmaker Yamil Esgaib and the proposal aims to establish by law the technical and heraldic characteristics of the national symbols, as well as uniform criteria for their manufacture, use and preservation, in compliance with Article 139 of the National Constitution.
The initiative also includes guidelines on the use of the flag and coats of arms in public and educational institutions, the teaching of their history and symbolism, and a gradual adjustment scheme for the emblems to the new specifications. The bill appears in item 10 on the agenda for the ordinary session scheduled for this Tuesday in the Chamber of Deputies, where the changes introduced will be presented, always according to Última Hora.
The bill’s consideration drew criticism. According to the Paraguayan outlet, critics and some academics object to the possibility that the shields on the flag include a red-painted border instead of the original design. Opposition figures argue that the change would seek to rehabilitate the flag used during the dictatorship of Alfredo Stroessner.
At the same meeting, the committee also issued a favorable opinion, with changes, on another initiative linked to the IPS. The bill proposes changes to the institution’s legal framework, a reorganization of its governance structure and the creation of an Honorary Council for Representation and Oversight, Última Hora reported.
The proposal seeks to strip the current Board of Directors of its executive and decision-making powers over tenders and awards. At the same time, it provides for an honorary body made up of representatives of employers, insured workers, retirees and pensioners.
Sources
About this note. Written by El Notero with the assistance of artificial intelligence, based on what was published by the cited outlet. El Notero did not conduct its own reporting on this event.
