When the Minister of Energy reserves his answer to a parliamentary question concerning the locally produced strategic gas reserves, the issue shifts to a question at the heart of the relationship between the executive authority and the supervisory authority, and between the state and the citizen. Are the country's resources security secrets, or is transparency the default and withholding a justified and limited exception?
Under the parliament domes, the question is not raised on a personal level, nor are the answers given as personal favors. When a MP asks, he asks in the name of the people and as their representative and symbolic owner of the national wealth, hence the notion that the answer will be given privately between the MP and the minister raises a dual problem: first, in the principle of public parliamentary supervision and second, in the public’s right to be informed about its wealth and energy security.
There is no doubt that some information may fall under national security, especially if related to strategic reserves that might impact market dynamics or security considerations if detailed information is disclosed. However, this exception must be clearly regulated and not become a broad umbrella that conceals numbers and facts. The difference is significant between refraining from publishing sensitive details and failing to provide a general overview that reassures citizens about the robustness of their energy situation.
The citizen is a partner in the costs through taxes and bills, and also shares in the concerns during global energy crises and market fluctuations. When they feel that answers are being reserved, doubts begin to creep into the space that should be filled with trust—and doubt in economic issues is more dangerous than the number itself.
Parliament was established to serve as a platform for transparency and accountability. If the answer is entirely confidential, it should be handled within clear constitutional frameworks such as specialized committees and closed sessions as per internal regulations. But reducing the answer to a private promise to a specific MP undermines the idea of public representation and transforms the public question into a private matter.
The management of account of a sovereign, economic, and societal issue is such that the broader the circle of considered transparency, the narrower the space for doubt and the stronger the trust between the state and its citizens. The national wealth is a trust, and this trust is managed with responsible clarity.
