President Leonel Fernandez appealed to congress to enact pending legislation dealing with social security reform, intellectual property rights, reform of the monetary and financial codes, import duties and the establishment of a stock exchange. The chief executive set forth his legislative priorities during a 15 minute meeting in the National Palace yesterday evening with Rafaela Albuquerque, Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies. Following the meeting, Albuquerque stated that Fernandez had expressed "concern" over congressional inaction. He emphasized that the need for passage of these bills is grounded in the country’s obligation to fulfill its part in various international treaties.Each of the respective bills has stalled at various points in the approval process, whether in the senate or in the lower house, both of which are controlled by the opposition PRD.
