RULES OF PROCEDURE OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY

V. WORKING BODIES OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY

1. General Provisions

Article 41

Working bodies of the National Assembly may be standing or ad hoc.

The standing working bodies shall be committees, and the Committee on the Rights of the Child as a special working body.

The ad hoc working bodies shall be inquiry committees and commissions.

Article 42

The working bodies of the National Assembly shall work in sittings.

The working body sittings shall be held on the premises of the National Assembly.

The working body sittings shall, as a rule, be held every Monday.

The working body sittings may also be held outside the premises of the National Assembly.

Article 43

The Speaker of the National Assembly may, upon proposal of a working body, entrust scientific or professional institutions, as well as scientists and professionals with a task of considering certain issues falling within the competence of the National Assembly.

2. Committees

Article 44

Within their individual scopes of work, committees shall:

  • consider Bills and proposals of other acts,
  • monitor the implementation of Government policy,
  • monitor the execution of laws and other acts,
  • consider work plans and reports of competent Ministries and other public authorities, organisations and bodies;
  • consider the National Assembly’s Annual Work Plan;
  • issue assents to the acts of state authorities, organisations and bodies which shall, in accordance with the Law, submit them to the National Assembly for its approval;
  • launch initiatives and submit proposals to the National Assembly, pursuant to the Law and these Rules of Procedure;
  • consider initiatives, petitions, complaints and proposals which are within its scope of work;
  • consider other issues within the scope of work of the National Assembly.

Decisions on disputed issues related to the scope of work of committees shall be made by the Speaker of the National Assembly.

Committees shall engage in mutual co-operation.

Committees may hold joint sittings to discuss issues of common interest.

Decisions on the issue referred to in paragraph 4 of this Article shall be taken separately by committees.

Committees may form sub-committees from the ranks of their members to consider certain issues from within their scopes of work and prepare proposals on those issues, and the Chairperson of a committee may form a special working group.

Sub-committees, i.e. working groups shall perform activities for the needs of committees and shall not be authorised to make decisions on their own, unless decided otherwise by the competent committee.

Article 45

Acting on the proposal of a parliamentary group, the National Assembly may adopt a decision on the termination of the duty of a member or deputy member of a committee elected from the ranks of that parliamentary group and on the election of a new member or deputy member of the committee.

Decisions on the termination of the duty of a member or deputy member of a committee and the election of a new member or deputy member of the committee shall be taken by the National Assembly at its first sitting following the submittal of the parliamentary group’s proposal.

Deputy members of committees substitute committee members in the event of their absence or termination of duty of a committee member until the election of a new committee member.

Article 46

The following committees shall be formed in the National Assembly:

  1. Committee on Constitutional and Legislative Issues,
  2. Defence and Internal Affairs Committee
  3. Foreign Affairs Committee,
  4. Committee on the Judiciary, Public Administration and Local Self-Government,
  5. Committee on Human and Minority Rights and Gender Equality,
  6. Committee on the Diaspora and Serbs in the Region,
  7. Committee on the Economy, Regional Development, Trade, Tourism and Energy;
  8. Committee on Finance, State Budget and Control of Public Spending,
  9. Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management Committee,
  10. Committee on Spatial Planning, Transport, Infrastructure and Telecommunications,
  11. Committee on Education, Science, Technological Development and the Information Society,
  12. Committee on Kosovo and Metohija ,
  13. Culture and Information Committee,
  14. Committee on Labour, Social Issues, Social Inclusion and Poverty Reduction,
  15. Health and Family Committee
  16. Environmental Protection Committee
  17. European Integration Committee,
  18. Committee on Administrative, Budgetary, Mandate and Immunity Issues,
  19. Security Services Control Committee.

Article 47

The Committee on the Rights of the Child shall be formed as a special standing working body.

The Chairperson of the Committee shall be the Speaker of the National Assembly.

Along with the Speaker of the National Assembly, members of the Committee shall be: Deputy Speakers, representatives of parliamentary groups in the National Assembly and the Chairperson of the Committee on Labour, Social Issues, Social Inclusion and Poverty Reduction.

Article 48

The Committee on Constitutional and Legislative Issues shall consider:

  • motion for the amendment of the Constitution of the Republic of Serbia;
  • Act proposals amending the Constitution of the Republic of Serbia;
  • Bills, proposals of other regulations and general acts from the aspect of conformity with the Constitution and the legal system and justification of their adoption;
  • Bills related to the organisation of the Constitutional Court, proceedings before the Constitutional Court and the legal effect of its decisions;
  • Statutes of autonomous provinces in the procedure for granting approval of the National Assembly;
  • Motions for initiating a procedure for the dismissal of the President of the Republic;
  •  Principle issues regarding the application of the Constitution;
  • - Issues regarding the election and appointment of the Constitutional Court judges, the election of the Protector of Citizens [Ombudsman] and other public officials in accordance with the Law;
  • - Notifications of the Constitutional Court on the existing situation and problems referring to the realisation of constitutionality and legality, opinions and indications of the Constitutional Court to the necessity of amending laws and undertaking other measures to protect constitutionality and legality, as well as proposals and initiatives to start procedures of assessing the constitutionality of laws and other general acts adopted by the National Assembly;
  • - Proposals for adoption of authentic interpretations of the law, and shall draft a proposal of the authentic interpretation of the law.

The Committee shall prepare a proposal of an act on the amendment of the Constitution of the Republic of Serbia, unless the National Assembly decides otherwise, and shall prepare a proposal of the constitutional law on implementing the Constitution.

The Committee shall examine formal compliance of an interpellation with the provisions of the Rules of Procedure, and submit a report thereon to the Speaker of the National Assembly.

The Committee shall monitor the construction of the legal system and inform the National Assembly thereon.

The Committee shall adopt an act regulating unique methodological rules for drafting regulations.

The Committee shall determine which amendments to Bills are identical in their content, which is important for the application of the Article 158 paragraph 5 and 6 of these Rules of Procedure, and shall reject amendments that are incomplete or have offensive content.

The Committeeshall monitor the implementation of these Rules of Procedure, consider and issue proposals for its amendments and, upon the request of the National Assembly, it shall deliver an opinion to the National Assembly on the implementation of certain provisions of these Rules of Procedure.

The Committee shall perform other activities in accordance with the Law and these Rules of Procedure.

The Committee shall have 17 members.

Article 49

The Defence and Internal Affairs Committee shall consider the following:

  • Bills and proposals of other general acts on conscription, labour and material obligations, mobilisation, state of emergency and state of war, status and other issues of professional personnel in the Serbian Armed Forces, the military education system, international co-operation in the area of defence and military co-operation; maintaining public law and order, public gatherings; road traffic safety; security of national borders and border control, as well as the control of movement and stay in border zones; residence of foreign nationals; trade and transport of weapons, ammunition, explosive and other hazardous materials from the scope of work of the ministry in charge of internal affairs; fire protection; citizenship; a citizen’s unique personal identification number [JMBG]; temporary and permanent residence of citizens; personal ID cards of citizens; travel documents; international assistance and forms of international co-operation in the area of internal affairs, including re-admission; illegal migrations; asylum;
  • Other issues referring to the Serbian Armed Forces, the defence of the Republic of Serbia, production, trade in and transport of weaponry and military equipment and sending the Serbian Armed Forces’ service personnel and other defence forces to multinational operations outside the borders of the Republic Serbia.
  • the National Security Strategy and the Defence Strategy;
  • issues regarding the realisation of parliamentary control of the Serbian Armed Forces and the defence system;
  • Proposals of budgetary resources necessary for the activities of the Serbian Armed Forces and control of spending of the budgetary resources;
  • Reports of the Ministry of Defence submitted on a quarterly basis by the Minister for Defence to the Committee during sessions of the National Assembly;
  • Public and state security issues;
  • Report on the performance of the Ministry responsible for internal affairs, related to the security situation in the Republic of Serbia submitted to the National Assembly upon its request;
  • Other issues in the area of defence and internal affairs.

The Committee shall perform other activities in accordance with the Law and these Rules of Procedure.

The Committee shall have 17 members.

Article 50

The Foreign Affairs Committee shall consider Bills and proposals of other general acts, as well as other issues regarding the following:

  • foreign policy;
  • relations with other countries, international organisations and institutions;
  • ratification of international treaties in the area of foreign-policy relations;
  • regulation of the procedure of concluding and enforcing international treaties;
  • protection of the rights and interests of the Republic of Serbia and its citizens and national legal entities in foreign countries.

The Committee shall conduct interviews with the ambassadors of the Republic of Serbia before they assume their diplomatic duties.

The Committee shall decide on the composition of delegations which are not standing, as well as the objectives and tasks of the delegations of the National Assembly.

The Committee shall designate heads and members of parliamentary groups of friendship and approve decisions on exchanges of visits with parliamentary groups of friendship of other countries’ representative bodies and shall keep records on membership in parliamentary groups of friendship.

Where the Committee is not able to decide on the composition of the delegation referred to in paragraph 4 of this Article or approve the decisions on exchanges of visits with parliamentary groups of friendship of other countries’ representative bodies, the relevant decision shall be made by the Speaker of the National Assembly, or a deputy Speaker of the National Assembly and the Chairperson of the competent committee of the National Assembly.

The Committee shall perform other activities relating to the co-operation of the National Assembly with representative bodies of other states and to the participation of its representatives in the work of certain international organisations and missions.

The Committee shall consider and adopt reports of the National Assembly’s delegations' visits and their participation in international meetings.

The Committee shall submit annual reports on international cooperation to the National Assembly.

The Committee shall perform other activities in accordance with the Law and these Rules of Procedure.

The Committee shall have 17 members.

Article 51

The Committee on the Judiciary, State Administration and Local Self-Government shall consider Bills and proposals of other general acts, as well as other issues in the following areas:

  • criminal legislation and legislation in the area of economic offences and misdemenours;
  • law of obligations and inheritance;
  • proceedings before courts;
  • organisation and activities of the judiciary,
  • control of criminal sanction execution, introduction of national mechanisms for prevention of torture, cruel, inhumane and humiliating punishments and proceedings;
  • international legal assistance and extradition;
  • amnesties and pardons;
  • expert-witnessing, the lawyer’s profession and other legal professions;
  • organisation and work of state auhtorities and execution of public powers;
  • administrative procedure and administrative disputes;
  • organisation of authorities, electoral system and associations of citizens;
  • the territorial organisation of the Republic of Serbia;
  • the organisation of local self-government and elections, funding and manner of work of bodies and services of the local self-government units;
  • registration books and seals;
  • holidays, decorations of the Republic of Serbia and the use of state symbols.

The Committee shall deliver its Opinion on the proposed decision on the election of the President of the Supreme Court of Cassation and the State Public Prosecutor.

The Committee shall consider the proposed decision on the election of the members of the High Judicial Council, members of the State Prosecutorial Council, court presidents, public prosecutors, and judges and deputy public prosecutors elected for the first time.

The Committee shall deliver an opinion on proposals of decisions on the election and dismissal of public officials, in accordance with the law.

The Committee shall perform other activities in accordance with the Law and these Rules of Procedure.

The Committee shall have 17 members.

Article 52

The Committee on Human and Minority Rights and Gender Equality shallconsider Bills and proposals of other general acts, as well as other issues in the following areas:

  • realisation and protection of human rights and freedoms and the rights of the child;
  • implementation of ratified international treaties which regulate the protection of human rights;
  • exercising of the freedom of religion;
  • the status of churches and religious communities;
  • realisation of ethnic minority rights and inter-ethnic relations in the Republic of Serbia.

The Committee shall cooperate with National Minority Councils.

The Committee shall consider Bills and proposals of other general acts from the aspect of the advancement and achievement of gender equality, carry out the review of policies pursued by the Government, execution of laws and other general acts by the Government and other authorities and public officials accountable to the National Assembly, from the aspect of respecting gender equality.

The Committee shall perform other activities in accordance with the Law and these Rules of Procedure.

The Committee shall have 17 members.

Article 53

The Committee on the Diaspora and Serbs in the Region shall consider Bills and proposals of other general acts, as well as other issues regarding:

  • preservation, fostering and establishing relations between the kin-state and the Serbs in the region;
  • improving the position and protection of rights and interests of the Diaspora and Serbs in the region;
  • creating conditions for use, learning and preservation of Serbian language and Cyrillic Script, preservation and fostering of the Serbian cultural, ethnic, language and religious identity of the Diaspora and Serbs in the region;
  • creating conditions for return of the Diaspora members to the Republic of Serbia and their inclusion into political, economic and cultural life of the Republic of Serbia;
  • creating conditions for return of the Serbian refugees to the places of their prior residence and shall propose measures for protection of their rights aimed at sustainable return.

The Committee shall cooperate with state institutions, organizations and bodies dealing with protection of the rights of the Diaspora and Serbs in the region, as well as with organizations and the Diaspora and Serbs in the region.

The Committee shall perform other activities in accordance with the Law and these Rules of Procedure.

The Committee shall have 17 members.

Article 54

The Committee on the Economy, Regional Development, Trade, Tourism and Energyshall consider Bills and proposals of other general acts and other issues in the following area:

  • economy and economic development, equal regional development, business companies and other forms of businesses, business and financial restructuring;
  • entrepreneurship, bankruptcy, investments, standardisation, accreditation;
  • foreign economic relations, international trade agreements, foreign trade, foreign investments, concessions;
  • economic, bilateral and regional co-operation of the Serbian state institutions with international trade organisations;
  • industry, except for the food industry;
  • mining, geological and seismological research,
  • energy sector, the oil and natural gas economy,
  • the operation of public enterprises in the areas of industry, mining and energy,
  • trade and supply of goods and services, control of services, standards and units of measurement;
  • the use of trademarks and service marks, quality marks and denominations of origin of products;
  • functioning of the market, prevention of monopolistic activities and unfair competition;
  • commodity reserves and the consumer protection;
  • establishment and functioning of commodity markets;
  • tourism development planning, zoning plans, protection and use of areas intended for tourism and promotion of tourism;
  • measures and precious metals;
  • privatisation.

The Committee shall consider monthly reports of the Ministry responsible for privatisation activities during the privatisation process, concluded capital/property sale contracts, initiated privatisation procedures and the work of entities in charge of implementing privatisation procedures, and shall deliver to the National Assembly opinions and proposals regarding privatisation issues.

The Committee shall perform other tasks in accordance with the Law and these Rules of Procedure.

The Committee shall have 17 members.

Article 55

The Committee on Finance, State Budget and Control of Public Spending shall consider Bills and proposals of other general acts and other issues in the following areas:

  • the system of financing public functions, taxes, duties and other public revenues;
  • state budget and financial plans of compulsory social insurance organisations;
  • the Budget Financial Statement, final financial statements of financial plans of compulsory social insurance organisations and audit of the final financial statements;
  • loans, guarantees and lottery;
  • the public debt and the financial assets of the Republic of Serbia,
  • public procurement;
  • the credit and monetary, banking, foreign-exchange and customs systems;
  • insurance of assets and persons;
  • ownership relations and expropriation;
  • payments and payment operations, securities and the money market;
  • prevention of money laundering and combating corruption;
  • accounting and auditing;
  • other issues in the field of finance.

The Committee shall:

  • consider reports of the State Audit Institution and submit a report with opinions and recommendations thereofto the National Assembly;
  • control the implementation of the state budget and accompanying financial plans in regard to legality, purposefulness and efficiency of public spending, and submit a report thereof with recommendations of measures to the National Assembly;

The Committee shall perform other tasks in accordance with the Law and these Rules of Procedure.

The Committee shall have 17 members.

Article 56

The Committee on Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management shall consider Bills and proposals of other general acts and other issues in the following areas:

  • agriculture and the food industry;
  • agricultural cooperatives and rural development;
  • veterinary medicine and plant protection;
  • forestry and water management.

The Committee shall perform other tasks in accordance with the Law and these Rules of Procedure.

The Committee shall have 17 members.

Article 57

The Committee on Spatial Planning, Transport, Infrastructure and Telecommunications shall consider Bills and proposals of other general acts and other issues in the following areas:

  • railway, road, water and air transport;
  • urbanism and spatial planning, and housing and utility issues-related activities;
  • construction and civil engineering, regulation and use of buildable land and land surveying and land register;
  • postal traffic and telecommunications.

The Committee shall consider the proposal of the Spatial Plan of the Republic of Serbia, by the procedure stipulated in these Rules of Procedure.

The Committee shall perform other activities in accordance with the law and these Rules of Procedure.

The Committee shall have 17 members.

Article 58

The Committee on Education, Science, Technological Development and the Information Society shall consider Bills and proposals of other general acts and other issues in the following areas:

  • pre-school, elementary and secondary education;
  • college and university education;
  • schoolchildren’s and students’ standards of living;
  • scientific research activities;
  • scientific and technological development and innovation policies;
  • nuclear energy research and security of nuclear facilities;
  • production and storage of radioactive materials, except in nuclear power plants;.
  • developing an information society and an information infrastructure;
  • sports and physical culture, the status of the youth and the protection of their interests.

The Committee shall perform other activities in accordance with the Law and these Rules of Procedure.

The Committee shall have 17 members.

Article 59

The Committee for Kosovo and Metohija shall consider Bills and proposals of other general acts and other issues regarding the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija taking care of the Serbian national interests and state interests of the Republic of Serbia.

The Committee shall propose to the National Assembly relevant decisions, declarations and resolutions and monitor their implementation or realisation by relevant bodies and institutions.

The Committee shall perform other activities in accordance with the Law and these Rules of Procedure.

The Committee shall have 17 members.

Article 60

The Committee on Culture and Information shall consider Bills and proposals of other general acts and other issues in the following areas:

  • development of culture and artistic creation;
  • protection of cultural monuments and cultural heritage;
  • literature, translation, music and theatre;
  • fine arts, applied arts and design;
  • feature films and other creative audio-visual media activities;
  • library, publishing, cinematographic and musical performance activities;
  • endowments, foundations and funds;
  • public information.

The Committee shall perform other activities in accordance with the Law and these Rules of Procedure.

The Committee shall have 17 members.

Article 61

The Committee on Labour, Social Issues, Social Inclusion and Poverty Reduction shall consider Bills and proposals of other general acts and other issues in the following areas:

  • labour relations and rights stemming from labour, occupational health and safety;
  • employment;
  • the right to strike and trade union organisation;
  • social protection system;
  • the system of pension and disability insurance, social insurance and protection of insured military personnel;
  • protection of ex-servicemen, disabled military personnel, civilians with disabilities and war victims, members of their families and the members of families of conscripted servicemen.

The Committee shall consider Bills and proposals of other general acts from the aspect of social inclusion and monitor the decision-making process and allocation of the budget in the area of social inclusion; provide suggestions, views and assessments related to policy realization; develop partner relations at all levels in order to achieve efficient, rational and opportune realization of the social inclusion process with an aim to achieve the European standard and full social inclusion of all citizens and marginalised groups; engage in institutionalisation and participation of citizen’s representatives in the decision-making process.

The Committee shall perform other activities in accordance with the Law and these Rules of Procedure.

The Committee shall have 17 members.

Article 62

The Health and Family Committee shall consider Bills and proposals of other general acts and other issues in the following areas:

  • health care, the system and organisation of the health-care activity;
  • the system of health insurance;
  • protection of the population from communicable diseases;
  • production and trade in medicaments and other pharmaceuticals;
  • production and trade in narcotics and precursors of prohibited narcotics;
  • requirements for harvesting and transplanting human body parts;
  • family-legal protection, marriage, family planning and social care about family;
  • other issues in the area of health care ensuring the required legal preconditions for regulating the health care system, as well as the preservation and advancement of public health.

The Committee shall perform other activities in accordance with the Law and these Rules of Procedure.

The Committee shall have 17 members.

Article 63

Environmental Protection Committee shall consider Bills and proposals of other general acts and other issues in the following areas:
-    environmental protection and improvement;
-    protection and sustainable use of natural resources;
-    removal of threats to natural resources and prevention of pollution of natural resources;
-    production and trade in poisons and other hazardous materials, except for narcotics and precursors.
The Committee may allow atendance, i.e. participation of the citizens' or citizens' associations representatives at the committee meeting, when deliberating on environmental issues.
The Committee shall perform other activities in accordance with the Law and these Rules of Procedure.
The Committee shall have 17 members.
 

Article 64

The European Integration Committee shall:

  • consider Bills and proposals of other general acts from the aspect of their conformity with the EU Acquis and the Council of Europe legislation and issue preliminary opinion on justification of the abbreviated procedure;
  • consider plans, programmes, reports and information on the EU Stabilisation and Association Process;
  • monitor the implementation of the Association Strategy, propose measures and launch initiatives for accelerating the realisation of the Association Strategy within the competences of the National Assembly;
  • propose measures for the establishment of a general, national agreement on Serbia’s association with the European institutions;
  • develop international co-operation with parliamentary committees of other countries and parliamentary institutions of the European Union.

The Committee shall perform other activities in accordance with the Law and these Rules of Procedure.

The Committee shall have 17 members.

Article 65

Committee on Administrative, Budgetary, Mandate and Immunity Issues shall:

  • - adopt general and individual acts on status and material matters of MPs, rights and duties of MPs and officials elected by the National Assembly, in accordance with the law, and issue opinions on another public office held by these persons;
  • - submit a proposal of the Code of Conduct of MPs;
  • - submit the proposal of the Act on design and use of official amblems, insignias and other symbols and accoutrements of the National Assembly ;
  • - adopt the Act on the management of acts submitted in an electronic form, acts treated as secret, stenographic notes and issue an approval for the Act on Back Office and Electronic Back Office Operations.
  • - adopt the Act on the internal order in the building of the National Assembly, the distribution of seating for MPs and other persons in the session chamber of the National Assembly, and the Act on the use of the area around the building and official vehicles;
  • - adopt the Act on the accreditation and work conditions for the public media representatives in the National Assembly;
  • - adopt the Act on employing consultants in parliamentary groups of the National Assembly and on cost compensation for engaging scientists and experts in the work of the National Assembly;
  • - submit a proposal of the Decision on the Organisation and Activities of the National Assembly Service;
  • - approve of the Rulebook on Internal Organisation and Job Classification (Systematisation) in the National Assembly Service;
  • - adopt acts on the Establishment of Tender and Complaints Commission;
  • - make appointments in the National Assembly Service, acting on a proposal of the Secretary General of the National Assembly, make decisions on remuneration of the Secretary General and Deputy Secretary General of the National Assembly, as well as civil servants in appointed positions or appointed persons in the National Assembly Service;
  • - determine the parliamentary budget and see to the regularity of the use of the parliamentary budget funds and perform control of expenditures, in line with these Rules of Procedure, and submit annual reports to the National Assembly thereof;
  • - adopt the Act on property records and other issues of interest for managing the property of the National Assembly;
  • - consider the objections to the minutes from the National Assembly sittings and submit a report to the Natioanl Assembly thereof.

The Committee shall consider:

  • reasons for the termination of mandates of MPs, along with proposals for verification of mandates, and submit a report to the National Assembly thereof;
  • issues regarding the establishing or waiving the immunity of MPs and other elected persons, in accordance with the Constitution and the law, and submit a proposed decision thereon to the National Assembly;
  • requests for approving deprivation of liberty of a public prosecutor, deputy public prosecutor and member of the State Prosecutorial Council, and render a decision thereon;

The Committee shall perform other activities in accordance with the Law and these Rules of Procedure.

The Committee shall have 17 members

Article 66

The Security Services Control Committee shall:

  • supervise the constitutionality and legality of the work of security services;
  • supervise conformity of the work of security services with the National Security Strategy, the Defence Strategy and the Security and Intelligence Policy of the Republic of Serbia;
  • supervise preservation of political, ideological and interest neutrality in the work of the security services;
  • supervise the legality of the application of special procedures and measures for secret collection of data;
  • consider proposal of budget resources necessary for the work of security services and supervise the legality of budget and other resources spending;
  • consider and adopt reports on the work of the security services;
  • consider Bills, other regulations and general acts from the scope of work of the services;
  • launch initiatives and submit Bills from the scope of work of the services;
  • consider proposals, petitions and complaints of citizens addressed to the National Assembly regarding the work of the security services and propose measures to resolve them, and notifies the applicant thereof;
  • determine facts on identified illegal acts or irregularities found in the work of the security services and their personnel and deliver conclusions thereon;
  • inform the National Assembly on its conclusions and proposals.

The Committee shall perform other activities in accordance with the Law and these Rules of Procedure.

The Committee shall have 9 members.

Article 67

The Committee on the Rights of the Child, as a special standing working body, shall consider Bills from the aspect of the protection of rights of the child; shall monitor the implementation and application of laws and other acts regulating the status of the rights of the child; shall assess conformity of national legislation with international standards in the area of the rights of the child; shall co-operate with national and international institutions and bodies, and with local authorities; shall initiate amendments of regulations and propose the adoption of certain acts and taking measures aimed at the protection of the rights of the child; shall promote the rights of the child; shall consider other issues of importance for the rights of the child.

The Committee shall perform other activities in accordance with the Law and these Rules of Procedure.

3. Inquiry Committees and Commissions

Article 68

The National Assembly shall establish the Inquiry Committee or Commission for the purpose of assessment of the situation in a certain area or establishment of facts on certain occurrences or events.

The Decision Establishing Inquiry Committee shall lay down the Committee’s composition and tasks, and the time period for executing the tasks.

The Decision Establishing the Commission shall lay down its tasks and composition.

The Inquiry Committee shall be composed of MPs, and the Commission of MPs, representatives of institutions and organisations, scientists and experts.

The Inquiry Committee and the Commission may not perform investigative and other judicial actions.

The Inquiry Committee and the Commission shall be entitled to demand data, documents and information from state institutions and organisations and to take statements from individuals which they require.

Representatives of state institutions and organisations shall respond to the invitation of the Inquiry Committee or Commission and provide truthful statements, data, documents and information.

The Inquiry Committee or Commission shall submit to the National Assembly reports with recommended measures.

The Inquiry Committee or Commission shall terminate their activities on the date its report is decided upon at a sitting of the National Assembly.

Article 69

Provisions of these Rules of Procedure regulating the work of committees shall accordingly apply to the work of the Inquiry Committees and Commissions.

4. Sittings of Committees

Article 70

The Chairperson of a committee shall:

  • convene sittings of the committee and chair the sittings of the committee;
  • harmonise the work of the committee with other committees and the work of the National Assembly;
  • co-operate with the Speaker of the National Assembly, Chairpersons of other committees and representatives of the state institutions regarding the issues within the committee’s scope of work;
  • ensure that all received materials are communicated to all committee members without delay;
  • propose actions to the committee regarding initiatives, petitions, complaints and proposals relating to issues within the scope of work of the committee;
  • ensure the implementation of the committee’s conclusions;
  • perform other tasks envisaged by these Rules of Procedure.

The Chairperson of a committee, in the event of temporary inability to work or absence, shall be substituted by the Deputy Chairperson of the committee.

In case the term of office of the Chairperson of a committee is terminated, the duty of the Chairperson of the Committee shall be performed by the Deputy Chairperson until the election of a new Chairperson.

Article 71

The Chairperson of a committee shall convene a sitting of the committee, acting upon the request of at least one-third of the total number of committee members, or upon the request of the Speaker of the National Assembly.

The request referred to in paragraph 1 of this Article shall be submitted to the Chairperson of the committee in writing and it shall contain an agenda and time period for convening the sitting.

If the Chairperson of the committee does not convene a sitting within the proscribed time period, the sitting of the committee shall be convened by the Deputy Chairperson of the committee or the Speaker of the National Assembly.

At the sitting convened in the manner referred to in paragraph 1 of this Article, the committee shall work according to the agenda specified in the request for holding the sitting.

Article 72

The Convocation of a committee sitting shall contain the date, hour and location of the sitting and a proposal of the agenda.

The Convocation of a committee sitting shall be communicated in writing to the committee members, parliamentary groups and the Government and posted on the notice board of the National Assembly, at latest three days prior to the date of the committee sitting. By exception, the Convocation may be communicated within a shorter period, which the committee Chairperson shall substantiate at the sitting.

The agenda of the sitting shall be determined by the committee, by a majority of votes cast by those members present, provided the majority of the total number of committee members is present.

Debates at committee sittings, according to the determined agenda, shall be conducted irrespective of the number of committee members present.

A committee may hold sittings without the quorum required for making decisions, if the sitting is held for the purpose of a debate aimed at informing the committee on issues within its scope of work.

Article 73

Committee members shall participate in the work of the committee.

Committee members prevented from attending a committee sitting shall, in a timely manner, notify their deputies and the committee Chairperson thereon and on the reasons for the absence.

Deputy of a committee member shall attend the sitting at which the member he/she substitutes is not present.

Article 74

Committee sittings may be attended by MPs who are not members of the committee, and they may participate in the committee’s work without decision-making powers, except where specified otherwise by these Rules of Procedure.

Where Draft Bills and amendments to Draft Bills are considered at committee sittings, their proposers, or their authorised representatives, shall also be invited to the sitting.

Representatives of the Government and Government Commissioners shall take part in committee sittings.

When reports, initiatives and issues within the scope of work of state institutions, organisations and bodies are discussed at committee sittings, their authorised representatives shall be invited to the sitting.

Scientists and experts may, upon the invitation, take part in the work of committees, .

In the performance of activities within its scope of work, a committee may require from a Ministry or other state institutions data and information of importance for the committee’s work.

Article 75

Committee members shall be granted the floor for up to ten minutes during the debate in principle.

The proposer of Bills or other general acts, or the authorised representative of the proposer, shall be granted the floor for up to twenty minutes in total.

The Chairperson of the committee, as a participant in the debate, shall have the same right to speak as a member of the committee.

An MP from the parliamentary group which has a member within the committee shall be granted the floor within the timeframe allocated for the committee member from the same parliamentary group, in agreement with the member of the committee.

An MP from a Parliamentary group which does not have a member in the committee shall be granted the floor for up to ten minutes.

Independent MPs, who are not members of the committee, shall be granted the floor for up to five minutes.

Members of the Committee may allocate the time from the paragraph 1 of this Article to another member of the Committee, i.e. an MP.

The time referred to in paragraphs 1 to 6 of this Article does not have to be used to its full extent.

Article 76

The Committee may decide, upon the proposal of the member of the Committee, to hold a cognate debate in principle at the committee sitting.

Article 77

The time for the debate in detail shall equal the time referred to in Article 75 of these Rules of Procedure.

Article 78

The committee may decide, upon the proposal of a member of the committee, to abbreviate, extend or not to limit the time referred to in Articles 75 and 77 of these Rules of Procedure.

Article 79

When a debate on the item of the agenda of the committee sitting is opened, the Chairperson of the committee shall grant the floor to the participants at the committee sitting in the following order:

  • The proposer of the document, i.e. the authorised representative of the proposer, who shall be given the floor upon his/her request;
  • Scientists, experts and other persons invited to the committee sitting, in the sequence of their requests to be granted the floor;
  • Members of the committee, in the sequence of their requests to be granted the floor;
  • MPs who are not members of the Committee.

Article 80

A committee shall make decisions by a majority vote of committee members present, at the sitting at which majority of committee members are present, unless stipulated otherwise by the Law and these Rules of Procedure.

The member of the committee present in the chamber in which the committee sitting is held shall be deemed present in a line with the paragraph 1 of this Article.

A deputy committee member shall have decision-making powers in the absence of the member he/she is substituting.

Article 81

Minutes shall be kept at committee sittings.

The minutes shall contain basic data on the work performed at the sitting, the names of those present and absent members or deputy members of the committee, the names of other participants at the sitting, verbal and written proposals, the committee’s positions, the results of every vote taken, and the name of the rapporteur designated by the committee.

The minutes shall be signed by the committee Chairperson and Secretary.

At sittings of the Committee on Constitutional and Legislative Issues, and the Committee on Administrative, Budgetary, Mandate and Immunity Issues, shorthand notes shall be kept, and audio recordings shall be made, and at sittings of other committees, this shall be kept upon their request.

Stenographic notes or a processed audio recording shall be attached to the minutes and be its constituent part.

Article 82

Provisions of these Rules of Procedure on sittings of the National Assembly shall be applied to the proceedings of committee sittings, if not otherwise regulated by these Rules of Procedures.

5. Public Hearings

Article 83

Committees may organise public hearings for the purpose of obtaining information, or professional opinions on proposed acts which are in the parliamentary procedure, clarification of certain provisions from an existing or proposed act, clarification of issues of importance for preparing the proposals of acts or other issues within the competences of the committee, as well as for the purpose of monitoring the implementation and application of legislation, i.e., realisation of the oversight function of the National Assembly.

Article 84

Proposals for organising public hearings may be submitted by any committee member.

The proposal referred to in paragraph 1 of this Article shall contain the topic of the public hearing and list of persons who shall be invited.

Decisions to hold public hearings shall be made by the committee.

The Chairperson of the committee shall notify the Speaker of the National Assembly on the decision referred to in paragraph 3 of this Article.

The Chairperson of the committee shall invite committee members, MPs, and other persons whose presence is of importance for the public hearing topics.

The invitation referred to in paragraph 5 of this Article shall contain information on the topic, time and location of the public hearing, and a list of invited participants.

Public hearings shall be held regardless of the number of committee members present.

After the public hearing, the committee Chairperson shall draft a memo and communicate it to the Speaker of the National Assembly, the committee members, and to the participants in the public hearing. The memo shall contain the names of the participants in the public hearing, a brief overview of the opinions, attitudes and proposals presented at the public hearing.

Members of the committee and participants in the public hearing may submit written complains on the memo of the public hearing to the committee Chairperson who shall forward them to persons referred to in paragraph 8 of this Article.

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