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Vanuatu court rules in favor of Parliament; Vohor appeals

By Staff Writer - Taiwan News
Posted Wednesday, December 8, 2004

The Supreme Court of Vanuatu ruled yesterday that the Parliament is entitled to depose its leader, a decision that threatens the tenure of Prime Minister Serge Vohor and island's newly established diplomatic ties with Taiwan.

Supreme Court Judge Vincent Lunabek made the announcement yesterday, according to Michel Lu, spokesman for the Taiwan Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Prime Minister Serge Vohor, who has insisted on maintaining diplomatic relations with Taiwan, immediately brought his case to Vanuatu's Court of Appeal, but up to press time last night the court had not yet decided whether to accept Vohor's case.

Vote of no-confidence

Vohor was facing a no-confidence vote in Parliament after 16 lawmakers deserted his administration, leaving 37 of the legislature's 52 members opposing him.

Parliamentary Speaker Josias Moli had adjourned the Parliament until the Vanuatu Supreme Court decided whether the no-confidence motion was legal, as a newly amended constitutional article prevents a prime minister from being challenged during his first year in office.

Vohor has led the impoverished island country for six months.

The court ruled yesterday that the parliament could hold the no-confidence vote because the constitutional amendment had yet to be ratified by a referendum.

In order to keep close track of the volatile situation, Michael Kao, Taiwan's deputy minister of Foreign Affairs, has been stationed in nation's capital city of Port Vila where he has been lobbying the opposition parties since late November.

Tensions, meanwhile, have increased between Vohor and Chinese diplomats.

Beijing's newly installed envoy to Port Vila, Bao Shusheng, said that he was punched on the shoulder by Vohor when he sought to complain that the flag of Taiwan was still flying in the capital after it should have been taken down following a ruling by the Vanuatu council of ministers.

Taiwan, meanwhile, emphasized that diplomatic ties remained firm as long as Vohor is in power.

 

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