RULES OF PROCEDURE OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
Non official translation
(With the amendments of October 25, 2023)
• CHAPTER 1. THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
• CHAPTER 2. THE DEPUTIES OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
• CHAPTER 3. THE CHAIRPERSON AND THE VICE CHAIRPERSONS OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
• CHAPTER 4. THE FACTIONS OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
• CHAPTER 5. THE STANDING COMMITTEES OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
• CHAPTER 6. THE AD-HOC COMMITTEES OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
• CHAPTER 7. THE INQUIRY COMMITTEE OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
• CHAPTER 8. THE COUNCIL OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
SECTION 2. THE SESSIONS AND THE SITTINGS OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
• CHAPTER 9. THE FIRST SESSION OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
• CHAPTER 10. THE REGULAR SESSIONS OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
• CHAPTER 11. THE EXTRAORDINARY SESSIONS OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
• CHAPTER 12. THE SPECIAL SITTINGS OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
• CHAPTER 13. THE GENERAL PROCEDURE FOR HOLDING THE SITTINGS OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
• CHAPTER 14. THE GENERAL PROCEDURE FOR DEBATING THE ISSUES IN THE SITTINGS OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
SECTION 3. THE LEGISLATIVE PROCEDURE
• CHAPTER 15. THE LEGISLATIVE INITIATIVE
• CHAPTER 16. THE GENERAL PROCEDURE FOR THE DEBATE OF A DRAFT LAW
• CHAPTER 17. PROCEDURE FOR THE DEBATE OF THE DRAFT LAW FOR THE FIRST READING
• CHAPTER 18. PROCEDURE FOR A DEBATE OF THE DRAFT LAW FOR THE SECOND READING
• CHAPTER 19. ADOPTION AND AMENDMENT OF THE CONSTITUTION
• CHAPTER 20. ADOPTION OF THE STATE BUDGET
• CHAPTER 21. SPECIAL PROCEDURES FOR THE DEBATE OF THE DRAFT LAWS
• CHAPTER 22. PROCEDURE FOR THE PRESENTATION AND THE ADOPTION OF THE DRAFTS OF THE RESOLUTIONS, STATEMENTS AND ADDRESSES OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
• CHAPTER 23. SPECIAL PROCEDURES FOR THE DEBATE OF THE ISSUES RELATED TO THE DECISION OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
SECTION 5. PARLIAMENTARY OVERSIGHT
• CHAPTER 24. OVERSIGHT TOWARDS THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STATE BUDGET
• CHAPTER 25. PROCEDURES FOR THE DEBATE OF OTHER ISSUES RELATED TO THE PARLIAMENTARY OVERSIGHT
• CHAPTER 26. SPEECHES, REPORTS AND STATEMENTS OF THE STATE BODIES
• CHAPTER 27. THE ISSUES ON ELECTION AND OPPOINTMENT TO AN OFFICE
• CHAPTER 28. THE ISSUES ON DISCONTINUATION AND TERMINATION OF POWERS, CALLING BACK, DECLARING UNCERTAINTY AND SUSPEND OF OFFICIALS
SECTION 7. DISCONTINUATION AND TERMINATION OF THE POWERS OF DEPUTIES
• CHAPTER 29. DISCONTINUATION OF POWERS OF DEPUTIES
• CHAPTER 30. DISCONTINUATION AND TERMINATION OF THE POWERS OF DEPUTIES
SECTION 8. ORGANIZATION OF THE WORK OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
• CHAPTER 31. INTER-PARLIAMENTARY TIES OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
• CHAPTER 32. PROVISION OF THE ACTIVITY OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY AND ITS BODIES
SECTION 9. CONCLUDING AND TRANSITION PROVISIONS
• CHAPTER 33. CONCLUDING PROVISIONS
• CHAPTER 34. TRANSITION PROVISIONS
Article 1. The Constitutional Status and Functions of the National Assembly
1. The National Assembly shall be the representative body of the people.
2. The National Assembly shall implement the legislative power of the Republic of Armenia.
3. The National Assembly shall exercise oversight over the executive power, shall adopt the state budget and shall perform other functions prescribed by the Constitution.
4. The powers of the National Assembly shall be prescribed by the Constitution.
Article 2. The Functions and Bodies of the National Assembly
1. The National Assembly shall exercise its powers and functions in accordance with this Law (hereinafter: The Rules of Procedure) in accordance with sessions, sittings as well as through the work of its bodies.
2. The Deputies, the Chairperson and the Vice Chairpersons of the National Assembly, Factions, Committees and the Council of the National Assembly (hereinafter: Council) are the bodies of the National Assembly.
Article 3. The Rights of a Deputy
1. Deputy has a right to:
1) take the floor with a legislative initiation;
2) submit draft laws, resolutions, statements and addresses of the National Assembly;
3) deliver speeches, pose questions and make proposals at the sittings of the National Assembly and its committees and working groups as well as at parliamentary hearings;
4) pose questions in written form to the Government;
5) pose verbal questions to the bodies of the Government;
6) occupy offices conditioned by his/her status;
7) be included in the composition of a working group of a standing or an Ad-hoc committee;
8) be included in the composition of his/her established sub-committee.
9) leave the composition of the faction;
10) familiarize oneself with any document addressed to the National Assembly and (or) its factions, committees, except for private or personal materials, as well as information containing state secret whereof the Deputy is not entitled to be aware;
(Amended by the LA-97-N, dated 01.03.2023)
11) address inquiries and proposals to the state and local self-government institutions and public officials;
12) have two assistants; one of which works on a paid basis, and the other on a voluntary basis.
2. The procedure for exercising the rights of the Deputies shall be defined by the Rules of Procedure, the Law of the Republic of Armenia "On the Guarantees of the Activities of the Deputies of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia" and by the Work Procedure of the National Assembly (hereinafter: Work Procedure) .
3. The Guarantees of the activities of the Deputies shall be defined by the Law of the Republic of Armenia "On the Guarantees of the Activities of the Deputies of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia" and by other laws.
Article 4. The Obligations of the Deputies
1. A Deputy shall:
1) be included in the composition of a standing committee, except in the cases foreseen by part 7 of Article 11 of the Rules of Procedure;
2) participate in the sittings of the National Assembly, as well as the committees, and the working groups of which s/he is a member;
3) participate in the parliamentary hearings held by the committees of the National Assembly, of which s/he is a member;
4) keep the rules of ethics required for the Deputies;
5) ensure the implementation of the requirements regarding incompatibility of the Deputy mandates;
6) organize the reception of citizens, as well as within its powers to answer the citizens' written proposals by the procedure established by law;
7) approve the security rules operating in the area of the residence and the building of the National Assembly;
CHAPTER 3
THE CHAIRPERSON AND VICE CHAIRPERSONS OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
Article 5. The Chairperson of the National Assembly
1. The Chairperson of the National Assembly shall represent the National Assembly and ensure the normal operation thereof.
2. The Chairperson of the National Assembly:
1) presides over the sittings of the National Assembly;
2) convenes the extraordinary sittings and sessions of the National Assembly;
3) puts into circulation the issues submitted for the debate to the National Assembly, and shall appoint a head committee;
4) shall send to the President of the Republic the laws adopted by the National Assembly, as well as the resolutions of the National Assembly on designating a referendum for the adoption of the draft amendments to the Constitution;
(Amended by the LA-309-N, dated 22.06.2020)
4.1) in the case foreseen by part 3 of Article 129 of the Constitution, shall sign and promulgate the law adopted by the National Assembly.
(Supplemented by the LA-50-N, dated 17.01.2018)
4.2) shall publish the amendments to the Constitution adopted by the National Assembly in a case envisaged by part 2 of Article 202 of the Constitution;
(Supplemented by the LA-309-N, dated 22.06.2020)
5) signs and promulgates the resolutions, statements and addresses of the National Assembly;
6) convenes and presides over the sittings of the council;
7) submits to the National Assembly and the Council the draft agendas of the regular session and sittings for approval;
8) signs and promulgates the resolutions of the Council;
9) approves the compositions of the committees of the National Assembly and the changes thereof;
10) may give instructions to the Vice Chairman of the National Assembly to ensure the normal functioning of the National Assembly.
11) convenes political councils as needed;
12) administers the material resources of the National Assembly;
13) shall appoint and dismiss the chief of the Staff of the National Assembly (hereinafter Staff), deputy chiefs of the Staff;
(Edited by the LA-46-N, dated 21.01.2020)
13.1) shall approve passports of offices of civil service in the Staff, as well as shall appoint and dismiss civil servants holding offices of 1st, 2nd and 3rd subgroups of leading offices of civil service in the Staff;
(Supplemented by the LA-46-N, dated 21.01.2020)
14) shall approve the list of offices of the staff and the official rate of remuneration of the staff members;
(Edited by the LA-46-N, dated 21.01.2020)
15) by the presentation of the chair of the competent standing committee, shall ratify the submitted requirements to the experts of the Budget Office of the National Assembly, (hereinafter; Budget Office), as well as the descriptions of their offices;
16) (Expired by the LA-46-N, dated 21.01.2020)
17) may convene parliamentary hearings, having defined the procedure of holding those hearings;
18) may establish advisory bodies on a voluntary basis;
19) appoints a representative of the National Assembly in the Constitutional Court;
20) during the elections, may send an invitation of implementing an observation mission to international organizations and foreign non-governmental organizations, having the right of conducting an election observation mission.
21) approves the safety rules operating on the premises of the National Assembly;
22) awards the Medal of Honour of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia, the Diploma of Honour of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia, the Letter of Gratitude of the Chairman of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia, the Commemorative Medal of the Chairman of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia, the Souvenir of the Chairman of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia, as well as encourages with monetary awards.
23) shall appoint a standing committee of the National Assembly with the power to nominate a candidate for commissions electing laureate of state prizes of the Republic of Armenia and a candidate for the competitive committee of the Republic of Armenia.
(Supplemented by the LA-264-N, dated 11.05.2020)
3. Part 3 of Article 5 of the Constitutional Law “Rules of Procedure of the National Assembly” of December 16, 2016 LA-9-N (hereinafter-Law), after the words “on the official web site of the National Assembly (www.parliament.am)”, shall be supplemented with the words “,with the exception of those containing other secrets maintained by law or state.
(Supplemented by the LA-175-N, dated 13.09.2019)
Article 6. The Vice Chairpersons of the Chairperson of the National Assembly
1. The Chairperson of the National Assembly shall have three Vice Chairs.
2. By the assignment of the Chairperson of the National Assembly, a Vice Chairperson of the National Assembly shall:
1) preside over the sittings of the National Assembly;
2) preside over the meetings of the Council;
3) substitute for the Chairperson of the National Assembly or carry out assignments for the provision of the normal activity of the National Assembly.
3. The Vice Chairpersons of the Chairperson of the National Assembly shall participate in the sittings of the council.
4. If the office of the Chairperson of the National Assembly is vacant, as well as when the Chairperson of the National Assembly discharges the responsibilities of the President of the Republic, the powers of the Chairperson of the National Assembly are exercised by the Vice Chairperson of the National Assembly who received more votes at the time of his/her nomination to the office, and, in case the votes are equal, the eldest one.
Article 7. The Establishment of the Factions
1. The factions shall be established on the opening day of the first session of the newly elected National Assembly, corresponding to the names and number of the parties (party alliances) participating in the distribution of the mandates of the National Assembly.
2. Deputies who received mandates by the electoral list of the same party or the alliance of the party shall be included in factions.
3. By the election results of the National Assembly, the established factions of the party (alliance of the parties) or member parties (alliances of the parties) of political coalition, receiving not less than 52 percent of the mandates shall be considered the ruling one, and the other factions shall be considered opposition.
(Paragraph of the LA -207-N, 07.05.2021 , by the amendment shall enter into force on the day fixed for the next regular elections for the National Assembly).
4. The established factions of the parties (alliances of the parties), having signed a memorandum related to the formation of the Government, shall be considered ruling and the other factions shall be considered opposition.
(Amended by the LA-50-N, dated 17.01.2018)
5. The head or the secretary of the ruling faction, at the first sitting of the National Assembly, shall make a statement regarding the signing of the memorandum.
6. If the head of the ruling faction, at a sitting of the National Assembly, makes a statement of quitting the memorandum regarding to the formation of the government, from that moment the faction shall be considered opposition.
Article 8. The Powers of the Factions
1. By the prescribed procedure, a faction has the right:
1) to take the floor with a legislative initiative;
2) to submit to the National Assembly for a debate a draft resolution, statement and address of the National Assembly;
3) to consider as primary, its submitted draft law;
4) to form a political coalition with other factions, as well as leaving the coalition.
5) to nominate a candidate for the reserved office of chair or deputy chair of the standing committee;
6) to nominate a candidate for the reserved office in the committee of the National Assembly, as well as for replacing him/her;
7) to nominate a candidate for the prime minister;
8) to nominate candidates to the competent standing committee for the offices elected or appointed by the National Assembly;
9) to nominate a candidate for a member of the Higher Judicial Council;
9.1) to nominate a candidate for an appropriate office of a member of a self-government body in cases foreseen by law;
(Supplemented by the LA-175-N, dated 13.09.2019, Amended by the LA-255-N, dated 15.06.2022)
9.2) In the case envisaged by part 2.2 of Article 146 of the Rules of Procedure, to nominate a candidate for a member of a competition council being formed for the election of candidates for the office of a member of the self- government body.
(Supplemented by the LA-439-N, dated 18.09.2020)
9.3) within three days after receiving the application regarding the nomination of a member in the composition of the Competition Council (hereinafter; Competition Council) for the election of candidates for the chairman of the Anti-Corruption Committee, a candidate for a member of the Competition Council shall be nominated to the National Assembly.
(Supplemented by the LA-157-N, dated 24.03.2021)
10) to address written interpellations to the members of the Government;
11) to submit proposals for draft Constitutional amendments, laws, resolutions, statements or addresses of the National Assembly;
12) to appoint and replace its representative in the Council;
13) to nominate its member for the composition of the delegation for an international parliamentary organization, as well as for the inter-parliamentary assembly of the National Assembly or for the composition of another official delegation;
14) to nominate its member for the composition of a friendship group of the National Assembly;
15) to convene parliamentary hearings;
16) to remove its member from the faction.
2. A faction shall adopt resolutions while implementing its powers.
3. A faction's resolutions shall be adopted by the majority vote of the faction members who participated in voting, when more than half of the total number of the faction members had participated in voting.
3.1. In the cases directly envisaged by the Rules of Procedure, the decision with consensus of the factions of the National Assembly shall be considered adopted if the same decision was made by all the factions of the National Assembly.
(Supplemented by the LA-439-N, dated 18.09.2020)
4. The opposition faction shall have guaranteed functions as established by the Rules of Procedure.
Article 9. The Activity of Factions
1. The faction shall act according to the Rules of Procedure and the Charter approved by its decision.
2. By the Charter of the faction shall be defined,
1) the name of the party,
2) the rights and responsibilities of the party members,
3) the election procedure of the head and the secretary of the faction as well as their powers,
4) the procedure for convening and processing faction sittings,
5) the procedure for adopting resolutions of a faction,
6) the procedure for taking the floor with a legislative initiative by the group,
7) the presentation procedure for the decision, statement or draft address of the National Assembly by the faction,
8) the procedure for the nomination of a candidate for the prime minister by the faction,
9) the procedure for nominating candidates by a faction to the competent standing committee, for election or appointment for the offices by the National Assembly,
9.1) the procedure for nominating a candidate for an appropriate office of a member of a self-government body,
(Supplemented by the LA-175-N, dated 13.09.2019, Amended by the LA-255-N, dated 15.06.2022)
10) the procedure for addressing written interpellations to the members of the Government by the faction,
11) the procedure for applying to the Constitutional Court, by a faction, regarding the arguments for the adopted resolutions resulting from a referendum or a presidential election,
12) the presentation procedure by a faction related to the draft Constitutional amendments, laws, and draft resolutions of the National Assembly;
13) the procedure for removing a faction member,
14) the procedure for the adoption of faction decisions,
15) other provisions related to the procedure of faction activities.
3. The faction sittings, as a rule, shall be held during the week following the regular sittings of the National Assembly.
4. A Deputy may leave the faction by a written application addressed to the head of the faction or by taking the floor with a statement regarding this at the National Assembly sitting.
5. The activities of a faction are terminated, if all its members leave the faction, and the activities of the faction are resumed if at least one Deputy, competent to do so, is included in its membership.
Article 10. The Establishment of the Standing Committees of the National Assembly
1. The standing committees shall be established for the preliminary review of draft laws and other issues under the competence of the National Assembly, and presenting their conclusions thereon to the National Assembly, as well as for exercising parliamentary oversight.
2. The standing committees shall be established during the first session of the National Assembly by the decision of the National Assembly. The draft resolution shall be submitted and debated by the procedure prescribed by Article 112 of the Rules of Procedure.
3. After the establishment of the standing committees, the number of the standing committees shall not be changed.
Article 11. The Establishment of the Standing Committees
1. The composition of a standing committee and the changes in it shall be approved by the Chairperson of the National Assembly, if the principles established by this Article are maintained.
2. The seats in a standing committee shall be distributed by the proportionality of the number of the Deputies included in the composition of the factions.
3. A member of the faction shall be nominated for a committee office reserved for the faction, as well as shall leave the committee by the decision of the faction.
4. If the established proportionality is not violated by paragraph 2 of this Article, then the Deputy, who resigned or was expelled from the party, may;
1) stay in the composition of the same committee, if that faction does not nominate another faction member as his/her replacement, or there is another vacancy in the committee, or
2) by a written application addressed to the Chairperson of the National Assembly, be included in the vacancy existing in another committee.
5. The faction has the right to leave a vacant seat in the Committee, reserved for the faction, as well as to replace its member included in the composition of the committee.
6. The powers of a member of a committee shall terminate if:
1) his/her deputy mandate is terminated or discontinued;
2) he/she leaves a committee.
3) he leaves or is removed from the faction, if that faction nominates a member of a faction for his/her place.
7. The Chairperson of the National Assembly and his deputies, as well as the heads of the factions, may not be included in the composition of a committee.
Article 12. Powers of the Standing Committees
1. A Standing Committee, in the exercise of its jurisdiction;
1) shall exercise the powers of the head committee;
2) shall exercise parliamentary oversight;
3) shall nominate candidates for the election or appointment to offices to the National Assembly or other state bodies.
(Supplemented by the LA-264-N, dated 11.05.2020)
4) may apply with requests to the state and local self-government bodies and officials;
5) may convene parliamentary hearings;
6) may establish subcommittees and working groups.
7) shall consider the petitions sent by the Chairperson of the National Assembly to the committee and shall respond to them.
(Supplemented by the LA-22-N, dated 21.12.2017)
2. Within a three-week period, state and local self - government bodies and officials are obliged to debate a written request of the committee and reply to it in a written form.
3. For the purpose of preliminary debate of issues falling under its competence, and for submission of their results to the committee, by its decision and by the prescribed procedure of the Work Procedure, the standing committee may establish subcommittees or working groups. A subcommittee or a working group may be dissolved by the resolution of the committee.
4. A Standing Committee has its own Work Procedure, which, in accordance with the standard Work Procedure defined by the Council, shall be approved by the resolution of the committee.
5. The powers of the standing committee shall end in case of the termination of the terms of powers of the National Assembly.
Article 13. Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson of the Standing Committee
1. The Chairperson of the standing committee;
1) shall prepare and preside over the sittings of the committee;
2) shall convene an extraordinary sitting of the committee;
3) shall participate in the sittings of the Council;
4) shall lead the committee secretary;
5) shall coordinate the work of the subcommittees and working groups.
6) shall coordinate the activity of the committee with the bodies of the National Assembly and the Staff, as well as the activity of the secretariat of the committee.
7) shall submit the draft agenda of the committee sitting for the committee's approval.
8) shall process and respond to the letters addressed to the committee.
9) may send a draft, under the competence of the committee, to scientific and educational institutions for the purpose of receiving opinions on it, as well as invite specialists for the committee sittings.
10) shall inform the committee about the progress of implementation of its decisions.
11) by the established Work Procedure, shall calculate the absences of the committee members from the committee sittings and from the convened parliamentary hearings.
2. In case of the absence of the Chairperson of the Standing Committee or of the office being vacant, the Deputy Chairperson shall replace him, and if that is not possible, he shall be replaced by a member as decided by the committee.
Article 14. Sittings of the Standing Committees
1. Regular sittings of the Standing Committees, as a rule, shall be convened during the week preceding the regular sittings of the National Assembly, according to the list of schedules decided by the Council on the planned days.
2. Extraordinary sittings of the Standing Committees shall be convened by the Chairperson of the committee, by the initiative of the Chairperson or at least by one-fourth of the members of the committee. The extraordinary sittings shall be held according to the terms and agenda defined by the initiator.
3. Sittings of the Standing Committee shall be held in the residence of the National Assembly. The sitting of the committee may be held in another place as necessary, by the decision of the Committee, about which the Chairperson of the Committee shall inform the Chairperson of the National Assembly beforehand.
4. Sittings of the Standing Committees shall be public. Closed sittings of the Standing Committees shall be held in the cases as prescribed by part 6 of Article 88, part 2 of Article 93 and by part 6 of Article 117, as well as by the decision of the committee, in the goal of ensuring security of state, commercial or other legally protected secrets. Voting shall be prohibited in closed sittings.
(Amended by the LA-97-N, dated 01.03.2023)
5. In a public sitting of the Standing Committee, in addition to the committee members, Deputies and other persons entitled to participate in the debate may be present:
1) The President of the Republic or his representative,
2) The Prime Minister or the representative of the Government;
3) The Chief of Staff and his deputies;
4) an adviser of the Chairperson of the National Assembly;
5) the specialists of the Committee Secretariat;
6) one expert of the Budget Office;
7) heads of the Staff structural subdivisions, having implemented a professional examination of the issue in debate;
8) one assistant for each committee members.
9) the Staff employees supporting the sitting.
10. Person/s invited by the decision of the committee, as well as person/s invited by the committee chair.
6. Persons mentioned in paragraphs 1-3 and 10 of part 5 of the present Article may be present in the closed sitting of a standing committee, in addition to the members of the committee and the speaker.
7. The accredited journalists in the National Assembly may attend the sitting of a committee by the permission of the chairperson of the committee, and their professional activity during the sitting should be carried out in a place assigned for them.
8. A sitting of the committee may be held during the sitting of the National Assembly only in order to ensure the terms, as defined by the Constitution or the Rules of Procedure.
Article 15. Procedure for Convening the Standing Committees' Sittings
1. A sitting of the Standing Committee is legitimate if at least one quarter of the total number of the members of the Committee are present (registered) and the sitting is chaired by the Chairperson of the Committee and, in case of his / her absence or vacancy, the sitting is chaired by his deputy or member appointed by the committee.
2. A regular sitting of the Standing Committee shall commence with the approval of the agenda. Until the agenda is approved, other issues shall not be discussed.
3. Issues at a sitting of the Standing Committee shall be debated in accordance with the general procedure for the debate of issues at a sitting of the National Assembly as prescribed by the Rules of Procedure and the work procedure of the committee.
4. Only members of a committee shall have the right to submit proposals on the approval of the Committee agenda or the adoption of other decisions under its competence, with the exception of cases foreseen by the paragraphs 2 and 4 of part 2 of Article 78.
5. At a sitting of the Standing Committee, only the Deputies shall have the right to ask questions to those taking the floor, as well as have the right of taking the floor about the procedure of the sitting, except the cases foreseen by the paragraphs 3 and 6 of part 2 of Article 78. Other persons, having the right of being present in the sitting, shall take the floor by the permission of the officer presiding over the sitting or by the decision of the committee.
6. Voting on each issue shall be held immediately after the end of the debate of the issue. A committee member may vote personally for the issue in debate "for," "against" or "abstain" and for the candidate in office - "for" or "against." The committee member who is absent from a sitting of the committee may vote by the procedure prescribed by part 6.1 of this Article.
(Edited by the LA-50-N, dated 17.01.2018)
6.1. A member of the committee leaving for a business trip by the National Assembly may notify the chairperson of the committee in written form on his decision, relating to voting on the issue, and in a case established by part 2 of Article 13 of the Rules of Procedure, the person replacing him. An official letter signed by the committee member must be given to the chairperson of the committee or to the person replacing him in a closed envelope, in advance, before leaving for a business trip. The title of the issue shall be indicated on the envelope and in the official letter, and in the official letter - the decision of the committee member on the vote on the issue "for," "against" or "abstained," or "for" or "against" for the candidate in the office. The officer presiding over the committee sitting shall open the envelope and shall promulgate the official letter before the vote on the issue. After the vote, the letter shall be attached to the record of the sitting.
(Supplemented by the LA-50-N, dated 17.01.2018)
7. The decisions of the Committee shall be adopted by the majority of the Committee members who participated in the vote, if at least a quarter of the total number of the members of the Committee voted for the decision.
Article 16. Establishment of an Ad-hoc Committee:
1. An Ad-hoc committee may be established for the debate of separate laws, decisions of the National Assembly, statements and draft messages, as well as issues related to parliamentary ethics and the submission of their conclusions to the National Assembly.
2. An Ad-hoc committee shall be established by the resolution of the National Assembly, and the faction shall have the right to submit the draft of that resolution.
3. The number of members of an Ad-hoc committee shall be decided by the decision of the National Assembly, and the composition of the committee and the amendments thereto shall be approved by the Chairperson of the National Assembly in accordance with the principles prescribed by the Rules of Procedure, by parts 2-6 of Article 11.
4. By the resolution of the National Assembly on the establishment of an Ad-hoc committee, shall be defined the title of the committee, the term of its activity, as well as the terms for submitting conclusions on the draft, or on an issue related to parliamentary ethics, under the competence of the Ad-hoc committee.
5. After the establishment of an Ad-hoc Committee, the powers and functions of the head committee on a separate project shall be passed to an Ad-hoc committee.
6. The duration of the activity of an Ad-hoc committee for the separate draft shall be up to six months, which, by the proposal of the committee and by the resolution of the National Assembly, may be prolonged with the necessary period of time for the debate of the draft under the competence of the committee.
7. The activity term of an Ad-hoc Committee on Parliamentary Ethics is up to two months, which, in the aim of finishing the debate of the issue, may be prolonged for a period of time up to one month by the committee proposal, by the resolution of the National Assembly.
Article 17. Activities of the Ad-hoc Committee:
1. An Ad-hoc committee, within the scope of its jurisdiction, shall exercise other powers entrusted to the Head Committee, as well as to the Standing Committee.
2. An Ad-hoc Committee on Parliamentary Ethics, within its jurisdiction:
1) shall discuss and submit to the National Assembly a conclusion on an issue under its jurisdiction;
2) may apply with a request to the state and local self-government bodies and officials;
3) by a request may require, and as prescribed by a law, receive the necessary materials and documents relating to the issue debated in the committee.
4) may request examinations to study the factual circumstances of the issue debated in a Committee and receive the conclusions resulted from them.
3. The information and conclusions required by the Parliamentary Ethics Committee shall be forwarded to the Committee within a two-week period after receiving the request, unless a longer term is specified in the request or the addressee of the request does not offer a reasonable time-frame for the committee's request. Members of the Committee may also become familiar with the materials or documents relating to the requested information at the place where those materials and documents are kept.
4. State, commercial or other secret containing information protected by law shall be provided to the Committee by the request of the Ad-hoc Parliamentary Ethics Committee, and the committee members may become familiar with that information as prescribed by law.
(Amended by the LA-97-N, dated 01.03.2023)
5. The conclusion of an Ad-hoc committee on the issue of the Deputy ethics shall not be debated at the sitting of the National Assembly and shall be posted on the National Assembly's official website without debate.
6. Sittings of the Ad-hoc Committee shall be held in accordance with the procedure of Article 15 of the Rules of Procedure for the Standing Committees.
7. The sittings of the Ad-hoc Committee on Deputy Ethics are closed. The regular sittings are convened on the days determined by the Committee or its Chairperson. Only committee members, the persons invited by the decision of the Committee Chair or the Committee, as well as the certain Deputy, regarding whom the issue is debated by the committee, shall have the right to be present at the Committee sitting. The Committee sitting is legitimate if more than half of the total number of the committee members are present (registered) at the sitting and the sitting is presided over by the Committee Chairperson and, or by his/her deputy or member appointed by the Committee in case of his absence or vacancy. The resolutions of the Committee shall be adopted by a majority of the total number of Committee members.
8. An Ad-hoc Committee shall have its own work procedure, which shall be approved by the decision of the Committee in accordance with the model work procedure established by the Council.
Article 18 The Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson of an Ad-hoc Committee
1. The Chairperson and the Deputy Chairperson of an Ad-hoc Committee shall be elected by the decision of the Committee.
2. The Chairperson of an Ad-hoc Committee has the powers of the Chairperson of the Standing Committee as prescribed by paragraphs 1, 2, 6 -11 of part 1 of Article 13 of the Rules of Procedure, as well as shall govern the work of the persons performing the professional services of the activities of the committee.
3. In case of the absence of the Chairperson of the Ad-hoc Committee or his/her office is vacant, the Deputy replaces him/her, and if this is not possible, an authorized member of the committee shall replace him/her by the decision of the committee:
Article 19. Termination of the Powers of an Ad-hoc Committee
1. The powers of an Ad-hoc Committee shall cease in case the term of its activities terminates or dissolves.
2. The powers of an Ad - hoc committee on a separate draft shall also terminate in case of adoption, or in the other case of withdrawal of the circulation of the draft under its jurisdiction.
3. The powers of an Ad - hoc Committee on parliamentary ethics also terminate in the following cases;
1) from the moment of the submission to the National Assembly of the conclusion of the committee on the parliamentary ethics;
2) in case of cessation or termination of the Deputy's powers, the issue of which is being debated by the committee.
4. An Ad - hoc Committee may be dissolved by the resolution of the National Assembly, and the right of submitting the draft of it shall belong to a faction.
Article 20. Establishment of an Inquiry Committee
1. Upon the request of at least one fourth of the total number of Deputies, an inquiry committee of the National Assembly shall be established by virtue of law for the purpose of clarifying facts about issues falling under the jurisdiction of the National Assembly and those of public interest, as well as for submitting them to the National Assembly.
2. The powers of an inquiry committee in the areas of defense and security may be exercised only by the competent standing committee of the National Assembly, upon the request of at least one third of the total number of Deputies.
3. The requirement to establish an inquiry committee shall be presented to the Chairperson of the National Assembly by a written request by at least one fourth of the total number of Deputies in case/s relating to part 1 of this Article and, in case/s relating to part 2 of this Article, by at least one third of the total number of Deputies, where shall be mentioned the committee's
1) subject of the debate and the area under jurisdiction;
2) the name and surname of the chairperson, with the exception of the case mentioned in part 2 of this Article;
3) the term of powers.
4. A draft resolution of the National Assembly on establishing the number of the members of an inquiry committee shall be attached to the application, except in a case as mentioned in part 2 of this Article.
5. If the required number of Deputies have not signed the application, or it does not correspond to the requirements of parts 3 or 4 of this Article –
1) and fails to comply with them within three working days, the Chairperson of the National Assembly shall return the application indicating the reasons.
2) and if corresponds, then from the moment the request is submitted to the Chairperson of the National Assembly, the inquiry Committee shall be deemed to be established, and the Chairperson of the National Assembly shall announce it.
6. The number of the members of an inquiry committee shall be decided by the resolution of the National Assembly, except the case as mentioned in part 2 of this Article, and the composition and the changes thereof shall be approved by the Chairperson of the National Assembly in accordance with the established principles in parts 2 - 6 of Article 11 of the Rules of Procedure.
7. The term the of powers of an inquiry committee is six months, which, by the proposal of the Committee and by the decision of the National Assembly, may be prolonged twice, each up to six months.
(Amended by the LA-352-N, dated 15.09.2022)
Article 21. Activities of Inquiry Committee
1. The Inquiry Committee may:
1) At the initiative of at least one-fourth of its members, without the resolution, apply in writing to state and local self-government bodies and officials requesting the necessary information relating to the areas under its jurisdiction;
2) by its resolution, apply to state and local self-government bodies and officials for the study of the factual circumstances of the issue under debate in the Committee, requiring expert examinations and obtaining the conclusions formed as a result of those examination;
3) by its decision, invite competent officials to the committee, as well as persons who have submitted information relating to the jurisdiction of the committee.
2. The information and conclusions required by an Inquiry committee shall be sent to the committee within a two-week period after the receipt of the written application, unless a longer period is specified in the application, or the addressee of the request does not offer a reasonable time frame for fulfilling the request of the committee. The information containing state, commercial or other secret/s protected by law shall be provided in a written request of the Committee in accordance with the procedure prescribed by law. Members of the Committee may also become familiar with the materials or documents relating to the information required by the application at the place where they are kept.
(Amended by the LA-97-N, dated 01.03.2023)
3. The sittings of the Inquiry Committee shall be held in accordance with the procedure as established in Article 15 of the Rules of Procedure for the Standing Committees. The regular sittings of the Committee shall be convened on the days prescribed by the Committee or the Chairperson of the Committee. The Committee sitting is legitimate if more than half of the total number of members of the Committee are present (registered) and the Chairperson of the committee presides over the sitting, and, in case of his absence or vacancy of the office, the sitting shall be presided over by his deputy or a member appointed by the Committee. The resolutions of the Committee shall be adopted by the majority of the total number of votes of members of the Committee.
4. The Inquiry Committee has its own work procedure, which is approved by the resolution of the committee, in accordance with the established model of work procedure determined by the Council.
Article 22. Rights and Duties of the Invited Persons to the Inquiry Committee
1. Officials invited to the Inquiry Committee are obliged, and other persons who have submitted information related to the jurisdiction of the Committee shall have the right to be present and give explanations at the sitting of the Committee as well as answer the questions of the Committee members.
1.1 The duty of officials, specified in paragraph 1 of this Article, to appear in the committee and give explanations, as well as to answer questions from members of the committee, shall be maintained after they are resigned from the office if the request for information or an invitation to attend a meeting and give explanations was received before resignation.
(Supplemented by the LA-17-N, dated 02.10.2018)
2. The person/s mentioned in parts 1 and 1.1 of this Article has/have the right:
(Supplemented by the LA-17-N, dated 02.10.2018)
1) to become acquainted with the protocols of the sitting of the committee in which he/she participated, as well as to present a requirement to amending therein;
2) to clarify the report of the committee as well as to completely substantiate its position.
Article 23. Restrictions of the Activities of the Inquiry Committee
1. The activities of the Inquiry Committee shall not be out of the scope of the issues within the jurisdiction of the National Assembly.
2. Issues that are at a preliminary investigation, or at any other stage of the proceedings, as well as the issues which have been confirmed or denied by a judicial act which has come into legal force, shall not be the subject of examination of the Inquiry Committee.
3. Breach of any of the conditions determined by parts 1 or 2 of this Article is a ground for applying to the Constitutional Court in accordance with paragraph 4 of Article 168 of the Constitution.
Article 24. The Chair of the Inquiry Committee and his Deputy
1. The Deputy mentioned in paragraph 2 of part 3 of Article 20 of the Rules of Procedure shall preside over the Inquiry Committee indicated in part 1 of Article 20 of the Rules of Procedure, and the Deputy Chairperson shall be elected by the resolution of the Committee, by the nomination of a competent faction. If the office of the Chairperson of the Inquiry Committee is occupied by:
(Amended by the LA-50-N, dated 17.01.2018)
1) a representative of the ruling faction, then the right to nominate a candidate for the vacant office of the deputy chairperson of the committee belongs to the opposition faction.
2) a representative of the opposition faction, then the right to nominate a candidate for the vacant office of the deputy chairperson of the committee shall belong to the ruling faction.
(Amended by the LA-50-N dated 17.01.2018)
2. The functions of the Chairperson of the Inquiry Committee on Defense and Security shall be exercised by the Chairperson of the competent Standing Committee of the National Assembly and the functions of the Deputy Chairperson shall be exercised by the Deputy Chairperson of that Committee.
(Amended by the LA-50-N, dated 17.01.2018)
3. The Chairperson of the Inquiry Committee shall have the powers of the Chairperson of the Standing Committee, determined by paragraphs 1, 2, 6-8 and 11 of part 1 of Article 13 of the Rules of Procedure, as well as shall supervise the work of the persons exercising the professional service.
4. If the powers of the Chairperson of the Inquiry Committee, mentioned in paragraph 2 of part 3 of Article 20 of the Rules of Procedure, terminate, then the name and surname of the new Chairperson of the Committee shall be presented to the Chairperson of the National Assembly by a written application by the Deputies submitting the request for the establishment of the Inquiry Committee. If the application is signed by less than one-fourth of the total number of Deputies, then the office for the Chairperson of the Inquiry Committee remains vacant.
5. In case of the absence of the Chairperson of the Inquiry Committee or if his/her office is vacant, the deputy shall replace him/her, and if that is impossible, the member appointed by the Committee shall replace the Chairperson of the Inquiry Committee.
Article 25. The Report of the Inquiry Committee
1. Following the results of its activities, the Inquiry Committee shall submit a report to the Chairperson of the National Assembly containing the clarified facts related to the issue, which was the cause for the ground for the establishment of the Inquiry Committee, as well as the conclusions of the Committee relating to measures to be therefore taken.
2. If at least a quarter of the members of the Inquiry Committee have a special opinion related to the report, then, at the National Assembly sitting during the debate, their representative may take the floor with a co-report, submitting the special opinion.
3. Documents or other materials substantiating the facts and conclusions contained therein shall be attached to the report.
4. Thereafter, the report is submitted to the Chairperson of the National Assembly; within a month it shall be debated at a regular sitting of the National Assembly. The issue shall be debated in the following way:
1) the Chairperson of the Inquiry Committee shall take the floor with the main report, presenting the report of the Committee, after which he/she may be asked questions:
2) in the case mentioned in part 2 of this Article, the representative of the members of the Inquiry Committee may take the floor with a co-report, after which he may be asked questions;
3) exchange of opinions;
4) the Chairperson of the Inquiry Committee shall take the floor with a concluding speech:
5) The duration of the debate of the issue may be determined from 90 minutes to 3 hours.
5. After the debate of the issue, the report of the Inquiry Committee as well as the special opinion submitted in accordance with the procedure by part 2 of this Article, by the procedure of Work Procedure, shall be sent to the state and local self-government bodies and officials mentioned in the report, who, within a month, may submit their written responses relating to the report to the Chairperson of the National Assembly. The responses shall be put on the official website of the National Assembly.
Article 26. Termination of the Powers of the Inquiry Committee
1. The powers of the Inquiry Committee shall be terminated:
1) from the moment the debate of the report at the National Assembly sitting is terminated;
2) in case of termination of the term of the powers of the Committee, if before that, the report was not submitted to the National Assembly for a debate.
Article 27. Composition and Activities of the Council
1. The Council shall consist of the Chairperson of the National Assembly, his/her three deputies, one representative of the factions and the Chairpersons of the Standing Committees.
2. The Council shall act in accordance with the Rules of Procedure and the Work Procedure approved by its resolution.
Article 28. Powers of the Council
1. The Council,
1) shall approve draft agendas of the regular sessions and sittings of the National Assembly;
2) shall establish the sequence of debate of the agenda issues of the regular sittings of the National Assembly;
3) shall establish the schedule of the days for convening regular sittings of the standing and ad-hoc committees;
4) may adopt a resolution determining the duration of the debate of an issue from one to six hours at a regular sitting of the National Assembly;
5) may submit a draft resolution to the National Assembly for a debate on holding an extra sitting during the regular sittings of the National Assembly;
6) shall apply to the Constitutional Court for the discontinuation of the Deputy's powers in a case as prescribed in paragraph 6 of Article 168 of the Constitution;
7) shall establish exemplary work procedures of the committees of the National Assembly;
8) shall ratify the structure and statute of the Staff;
9) shall approve the work procedure of the Budget Office by the proposal of a competent standing committee, the procedures for the conditions of the term of appointment of the experts, the procedures of elections (appointments), as well as the procedures for calling to disciplinary account of the experts of the Budget Office;
10) shall ratify the procedures for accrediting journalists in the National Assembly as well as procedures for holding press conferences and briefings at the National Assembly;
11) shall ratify the description and the awarding procedure of the Medal of Honor of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia, the Certificate of Honor of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia, the Letter of Thanks of the Chairperson of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia, the Commemorative Medal of the Chairperson of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia, and the Souvenir of the Chairperson of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia;
12) shall ratify the description of the "Deputy of the National Assembly" Badge;
13) shall approve the schedule for the preliminary debate of the draft state budget, submitting proposals in the Standing Committees and in their joint sittings, and making amendments to them by the Government;
14) shall approve the schedule of preliminary debates of the annual budget report in the standing committees;
15) shall give its agreement for signing an inter-parliamentary agreement;
16) shall approve the composition of the delegations of the National Assembly in international parliamentary organizations, inter-parliamentary committees, and the procedures for their formation and activity;
17) shall establish and dissolve friendship groups of the National Assembly, as well as approve their composition and procedure of activities;
18) shall establish the terms of the sittings envisaged in paragraphs 3 and 5 of part 3 of Article 40 of the Rules of Procedure, as well as for the competition conditions for the "Parliamentary Week" TV broadcast.
19) In the case envisaged by part 2.2 of Article 146 of the Rules of Procedure, shall nominate a member of a competition council, being formed for the election of candidates for the office of a member of a self - government body.
(Supplemented by the LA-439-N, dated 18.09.2020)
20) In the case envisaged by paragraph 9.3 of Part 1 of Article 8 of the Rules of Procedure, within seven days after the nomination of a candidate for a membership of the Competition Council by the factions of the National Assembly, a candidate shall be appointed to be a member of the Competition Council from among the candidates nominated by the factions of the National Assembly.
(Supplemented by the LA-157-N, dated 24.03.2021)
Article 29. Procedure for Convocation of Council Sittings
1. Regular sittings of the Council, as a rule, shall be convened on Friday of the week preceding the first regular sittings as well as on Monday of the week of other regular sittings of the regular session of the National Assembly, at the time appointed by the Chairperson of the National Assembly.
(Supplemented by the LA-50-N dated 17.01.2018)
2. Extraordinary sittings of the Council shall be convened by the Chairperson of the National Assembly upon his/her initiative or upon of the initiative of at least one-fourth of the total number of the council members. An extraordinary sitting shall be held with the agenda and within the time-frame established by the initiator.
3. The draft agenda of the regular sitting of the Council, as well as the extraordinary sitting convened by the Chairperson of the National Assembly, shall be formed and submitted to the National Assembly by the Staff.
Article 30. Publicity of Council Sittings:
1. Council sittings shall be public.
2. A closed sitting of the Council may be held by its decision. Voting in a closed sitting is forbidden.
3. At a Council public sitting, in addition to the members of the council, there may be present:
1) the Chief of the Staff and one of his deputies;
2) heads of structural subdivisions of the Staff who have submitted a conclusion on the agenda issues;
3) invited persons by the resolution of the Council, as well as invited persons by the Chairperson of the National Assembly;
4) the staff providing service or elucidation for the sitting; by a list set by the Chief of the Staff;
5) a Government representative during the debate of the issues relating to the agendas of the sessions and the sittings.
4. In a closed sitting of the Council, in addition to the members of the Council, there may be present the Chief of the Staff, one of his deputies, and by a list approved by him, the service staff providing service to the sitting may be present, and during the debate of the issues relating to the agendas of the sessions and sittings also the Government representative may be present.
Article 31. Procedure for Holding Council Sittings:
1. A Council sitting is legitimate if more than half of the total number of the Council members are present (registered) and it is presided over by the Chairperson of the National Assembly or his substitute deputy.
2. A regular sitting of the Council shall begin with the approval of the agenda. Until the agenda is approved, other issues shall not be debated.
3. Issues at a Council sitting shall be debated in accordance with the general procedure for the debate of issues at a sitting of the National Assembly, as prescribed by the work procedure of the Council.
4. Only the members of the Council shall have the right to submit a proposal for the approval of the agenda of the Council or other resolutions reserved for its jurisdiction, as well as asking questions to the speaker, or taking the floor on the procedure of the sitting. Other persons entitled to be present at the Council sitting may take the floor with the permission of the Chairperson of the sitting or by the resolution of the Council.
5. Resolutions of the Council shall be adopted by a majority of the total number of the Council members. The voting on each issue shall be made immediately after the debate of the issue. The Council member may vote for, against or abstain, and a member of the Council absent at a sitting of the Council may vote as prescribed in part 6 of this Article.
(Supplemented by the LA-50-N dated, 17.01.2018)
6. A member of the Council who is leaving for a business trip from the National Assembly may notify in a written form to the Chairperson of the National Assembly or a deputy replacing him/her about his decision regarding the voting on an issue. In advance, before leaving for a business trip, the official letter in a closed envelope and signed by the member of the Council shall be handed over to the Chairperson of the National Assembly or the deputy replacing him/her. The name of the issue shall be indicated on the envelope and the decision of the Council member on voting for the issue “for”, “against” or abstained” shall be indicated in the official letter. The officer presiding over the sitting of the Council shall open the envelope and shall promulgate the official letter before the voting. After the voting, the letter shall be attached to the record of the meeting.
(Supplemented by the LA-50-N, dated 17.01.2018)
Article 32. Convocation of the First Session
1. In case of regular elections, the first session of the newly elected National Assembly shall be convened at 10:00 am on the day of the expiration of the term of office of the previous convocation of the National Assembly, and the Chairperson of the Central Electoral Commission shall announce it.
2. On the expiration day of the term of powers of the acting National Assembly, in case the newly elected National Assembly is not formed due to martial law or state of emergency, the election of the National Assembly is to be held in the period defined by part 2 of Article 91 of the Constitution; in the case of extraordinary elections of the National Assembly, the first session shall be convened after the formation of the newly elected National Assembly on the second Monday at 10:00am, and the Chairperson of the Central Electoral Commission shall announce it.
Article 33. Procedure for Holding the First Session
1. The sittings of the first session shall be opened by the eldest Deputy, prior to the election of the Chairperson of the National Assembly.
2. The President of the Republic and the Catholicos of All Armenians have a right to present a welcome speech on the occasion of the opening of the first session of the National Assembly.
3. After the welcome speeches, the Deputies take an oath worded as follows:
"To achieve the national goals and to strengthen and develop our homeland, I swear to fulfill in good faith the obligations I have before the nation, to adhere to the Constitution and the laws of the Republic of Armenia, to contribute to the sovereignty and protection of the interests of the Republic of Armenia, to do everything to maintain civil solidarity and protect the national and universal values."
“4.1. After taking the oath, at the sitting of the National Assembly, the MPs shall sign under the text of the oath.”
(Supplemented by the LA-512-N dated 08.12.2022)
5. After the oath of the Deputies, the officer presiding over the sitting, according to the record of the Central Electoral Commission, shall officially announce the total number of the National Assembly Deputies, the names of parties (parties alliances) that comprise the political coalition, and shall introduce the Deputies by reading out the full name of each Deputy, and the name of the party or bloc of parties, following which the Deputies shall be registered.
6. The officer presiding over the sitting shall announce the agenda of the first session:
1) establishment of the Counting Commission;
2) election of the Chairperson of the National Assembly;
3) elections of three Vice Chairpersons of the National Assembly;
4) establishment of Standing Committees;
5) elections of the Chairpersons of Standing Committees;
5.1) According to the proposal of the Government debate of a draft law relating to the amendment of the structure of the Government;
(Supplemented by the LA-50-N dated 17.01.2018)
6) approval of the Government program.
7. The sittings of the first session shall be held in accordance with the procedure as prescribed in Article 37 of the Rules of Procedure for regular sittings. Everyday sittings shall be held until the end of the debate of the election of chairpersons of standing committees.
8. Within 24 hours after the submission of the Government program to the National Assembly, the Chairperson of the National Assembly shall announce the day and time of the sitting related to the issue for a debate.
9. The Chairperson of the National Assembly shall, at the sitting of the first session of the National Assembly, make a statement related to the formation of the factions and standing committees as well as the Council.
10. The first session is closed by the concluding speech of the Chairperson of the National Assembly and by an announcement on the date of convocation of the next session.
Article 34. Establishment of a Counting Commission and its Powers
1. The Counting Commission shall be established by the proposal of the officer presiding over the sitting upon the resolution of the National Assembly. The proposal shall be submitted during the sitting of the National Assembly and shall be put to a vote without debate. The resolution shall come into force from the moment of its adoption.
(Supplemented by the LA-50-N, dated 17.01.2018)
2. The powers of the Counting Commission shall be maintained until the end of the powers of the National Assembly.
3. The first composition of the Counting Commission, in accordance with the principles as prescribed in 2-6 parts of Article 11 of the Rules of Procedure, shall be approved by the presiding officer over the sitting of the National Assembly, and the amendments to the composition of the commission shall be approved by the Chairperson of the National Assembly.
(Edited by the LA-50 dated 17.01.2018)
4. The Counting Commission shall elect its Chairperson and Secretary from among its composition of members.
5. The candidate who is elected or nominated for an office, as well as the author of the issue put to a vote, shall not participate in the work of the Counting Commission until the results of the relevant voting are submitted to the National Assembly.
6. The Counting Commission:
1) shall organize a secret ballot and submit the results to the National Assembly;
2) shall register the Deputies in case the electronic system of sittings of the National Assembly does not work, count the voices of the Deputies participating in the open voting, as well as organize the roll-call voting and submit their results to the National Assembly.
7. Sittings of the Counting Commission shall be convened by the Chairperson of the Commission. A sitting of the Commission is legitimate if more than half of the members of the Commission are present at the sitting, and the Chairperson presides over the Commission and, in case of his/her absence or a vacancy of the office, the commission Secretary or the member appointed by the Commission shall preside over the sitting.
(Amended by the LA-50, dated 17.01.2018)
8. The resolutions of the Counting Commission relating to organizing secret or roll-call voting, as well as recognizing invalid secret ballot papers, shall be adopted by the majority of the total number of the Commission members.
9. The record of secret or roll-call voting shall be signed by the Chairperson and other members of the Counting Commission.
Article 35. Procedure for Convening Regular Sessions
1. Regular sessions of the National Assembly shall be convened twice a year: from the third Monday of January to the third Thursday of June and from the second Monday of September to the second Thursday of December.
2. Regular sittings of the National Assembly shall be convened during the regular sessions, and extraordinary sittings may be convened.
Article 36. Procedure for Convening Regular Sittings
1. The first regular sittings of the regular session, as a rule, shall be convened from Monday to Thursday, and other regular sittings once within three weeks from Tuesday to Friday but not later than the end of the terms specified in part 1 of Article 35 of the Rules of Procedure.
(Amended by the LA-50-N, dated 17.01.2018)
2. (Expired by the LA-50-N dated 17.01.2018)
3. In case the debate of the agenda issues is not finished in the period of time mentioned in paragraph 1 of this Article, the regular sittings shall continue until the debate is completed, but no more than three days and not later than the end of the terms specified in part 1 of Article 35 of the Rules of Procedure.
(Supplemented by the LA-50-N, dated 17.01.2018)
4. Upon the recommendation of the Chairperson of the National Assembly, by the resolution of the National Assembly, the regular sittings may be moved to a week free from any sittings of the National Assembly. The proposal shall be put to a vote without debate and the resolution may be adopted at regular sittings preceding the sittings to be moved.
5. Regular sittings may be moved no more than once during the regular session of the same convocation. Regular sittings of the first regular session, as well as sittings on the agenda, which are subject to compulsory debate, with the exception of the issues specified in paragraph 18.1 of part 3 of Article 38 of the Rules of Procedure, cannot be moved. Regular sittings of the last week of the regular session can be moved only by the provision of the terms specified in part 1 of Article 35 of the Rules of Procedure.
(Edited by the LA-50-N, dated 17.01.2018)
Article 37. Procedure for Holding Regular Sittings
1. Four main sittings shall take place each day of regular sittings, from 10:00 am to 18:00 pm. The last main sitting of Tuesday of the first week of regular sittings shall end after the statement of the last registered Deputy, and the last main sitting of Wednesday shall end after answering the registered last Deputy's question.
2. One additional sitting, by the resolution of the National Assembly, may be held every day of the regular sittings from 18:30 pm to 20:00 pm. An additional sitting shall not be held during the time of convening an extraordinary sitting.
3. A resolution of the National Assembly on holding an additional sitting may be adopted by the recommendation of the Council, the officer presiding over the sitting, Head of the faction or the Secretary until the end of the main sitting of the certain day. The proposal shall be put to a vote without a debate.
4. The duration of each of the main and additional sittings shall be 90 minutes, which, without voting, may be extended by the proposal of the officer presiding over the sitting, providing necessary time to answer the question, complete the speech or holding an open ballot on the debated issue.
5. After the second sitting of each day of regular sittings a break of one hour shall be announced, and after other sittings - 30 minutes. In a case of an extension of the sitting, the break is reduced by an appropriate time.
6. Regular sittings on non-working days shall be convened or held only in case of necessity to ensure the deadlines prescribed by the Constitution.
Article 38. Agenda of the Regular Session
1. Only issues put into circulation in the National Assembly, and issues included in the agenda of the previous regular session, may be included in the agenda of the regular session.
2. In the draft agenda of the regular session, or making amendments to it, shall be included the following issues, which, in the situation of the first day of the regular sittings, are subject to be included in the agenda of the session.
1) issues subject to mandatory debate;
2) issues on which the conclusion of the head committee has been received or the period of time for submitting the conclusion has expired.
3. Issues subject to mandatory consideration are as follows:
1) the issue of election or appointment for a vacant office;
2) the issue of approving the Government's program;
3) the issue of confidence in the Government.
4) a draft law considered urgent by the resolution of the Government;
5) the issue of expressing non-confidence in the Prime Minister;
6) the issue of applying to the Constitutional Court for the termination of the powers of a judge of the Constitutional Court;
7) the issues on termination of the powers of an official elected by the National Assembly on the basis of the conclusion of the Commission for the Prevention of Corruption;
(Amended by the LA-175-N, dated 13.09.2019)
7.1) on the basis of the conclusion of the self-government body - the issue on termination of powers of a member of that self-government body;
(Supplemented by the LA-175-N, dated 13.09.2019)
8) the issue of consent of bringing criminal prosecution or deprivation of liberty towards a Deputy;
9) the issue of consent of bringing criminal prosecution or deprivation of liberty towards the Human Rights Defender;
10) the issue of debating the response to a faction's interpellation;
11) an issue considered extraordinary by an opposition faction.
12) a draft law, which is considered to be a priority by a faction;
13) the issue of determining the number of members of the Inquiry Committee of the National Assembly;
14) the report of the Inquiry Committee of the National Assembly;
15) the issue of extending the term of the activity of the Inquiry Committee of the National Assembly;
16) the issue of prolonging the term of the activity of the Ad-hoc Committee of the National Assembly;
17) a draft statement or address submitted on the initiative of the Chairperson of the National Assembly;
18) the reports, official information and statements of state bodies, officials;
18. 1) the issue on debating an amendment to the Constitution or the draft law for the second reading;
(Supplemented by the LA-50-N, dated 17.01.2018)
18.2) the issue of invalidating the decision of the National Assembly on putting to a referendum of the draft amendments to the Constitution, on the basis of which, the holding of the appointed referendum was suspended by the procedure prescribed by the Constitutional law “On Referendum.”.
(Supplemented by the LA-304-N, dated 03.06.2020)
19) the issues, having their period of time for debate, as envisaged by law or the resolution of the National Assembly.
4. Issues subject to compulsory consideration shall be included in the draft agendas of regular sessions and sittings simultaneously, with the exception of:
1) the issues specified in part 18 of part 3 of this Article, which shall be included in the draft agenda of regular sittings within two months after they are submitted to the National Assembly for a debate:
2) the issues specified in paragraph 18.1 of part 3 of this Article which are included in the agenda of the regular session from the moment of inclusion of the issue on the debate of the relevant draft in the first reading on the agenda of the regular session, and in the draft agenda of regular sittings, are included by the procedure established by paragraph 1 of part 2 of Article 39 of the Rules of Procedure.
(Edited by the LA-50-N, dated 17.01.2018)
5. The draft agenda of the regular session, or making additions thereto, shall consist of the following sections:
1) section one, issues included in the agenda of the previous regular session, as well as issues that are subject to mandatory debate;
2) section two, included are those issues related to which the head committee has submitted a positive conclusion, with the exception of the issues specified in paragraph 18.1 of part 3 of Article 38 of the Rules of Procedure, as well as drafts, with the prescribed procedure of paragraph 1 of part 6 of Article 78 of the Rules of Procedure deemed alternative;
(Supplemented by the LA-50-N, dated 17.01.2018)
3) section three, included are those issues related to which the head committee has submitted a negative conclusion, or the conclusion was not submitted in the period of time prescribed by the Rules of Procedure, with the exception for the issues specified in paragraph 18.1 of part 3 of Article 38 of the Rules of Procedure.
(Supplemented by the LA-50-N, dated 17.01.2018)
6. The drafts of the agenda of the regular session, and supplements made to them, shall be developed and submitted to the Chairperson of the National Assembly by the Staff, after which the Chairperson of the National Assembly shall submit the draft to the Council for a debate.
7. The drafts of the agenda of the regular session, and supplements made to them, shall be submitted to the National Assembly after being approved by the Council.
8. The draft of the agenda of the regular session, or supplements made to it, shall be debated in the sitting of the National Assembly in the following procedure:
1) the Chairperson of the National Assembly shall take the floor with a main report, after which he/she may be asked questions;
2) there shall be no co-report;
3) at a request of the authors, a brief debate of those issues included in the third section of the draft shall be held, whereof the head committee has submitted a negative conclusion. In that case, the author, and the representative of the head committee, have the right to take the floor up to three minutes immediately after which the issue on including the draft on the agenda shall be put to a vote;
4) the authors of those issues included in the third section of the draft have the right to take the floor up to three minutes, about which the head committee has not submitted a conclusion within the deadline as prescribed by the Rules of Procedure. Immediately after the speech of the author the issue on including the draft on the agenda shall be put to a vote;
5) exchange of opinions;
6) after the concluding speech of the Chairperson of the National Assembly, with the exceptions of the issues specified in paragraphs 3 and 4 of this part of the third section of the draft, the issues on being included on the agenda shall be put to a vote separately:
7) the total duration of the debate of the issue shall be increased by the time required for the speeches envisaged by paragraphs 3 and 4 of this part.
(Supplemented by the LA-50-N, dated 17.01.2018)
9. The issues included in the first and second sections of the draft of the agenda of the regular session, or supplements made to it, shall be included on the agenda of the regular session without a vote.
10. An issue that is not included on the agenda of the regular session on the basis of voting results shall be withdrawn from circulation.
Article 39. The Agenda of Regular Sittings
1. Only issues included in the agenda of the regular session may be included in the agenda of regular sittings, including issues, subject to mandatory debate, as well as issues left unfinished at previous regular sittings.
2. The draft agenda of regular sittings shall consist of the following sections;
1) first section, where issues subject to mandatory debate, including the issues on debating the amendments to the Constitution or the draft laws for the second reading, on which the conclusion of the head committee has been received, or the deadline for submitting the conclusion has expired, as well as issues left unfinished at previous regular sittings;
(Supplemented by the LA-50-N, dated 17.01.2018)
2) second section, where the issues shall be included according to the sequence of the days of their inclusion in the agenda of the regular session. When determining the number of issues in the second section, the written proposals of the Government, Standing Committees and factions, the volume of issues subject for a debate at the forthcoming regular sittings, as well as the possibility of determining the duration for debate of issues and of holding additional sittings or continuing regular sittings, shall be taken into account.
3. The Staff shall develop and submit for a debate, to the Chairperson of the National Assembly, the draft agenda of regular sittings, and, in case of necessity to ensure the issues included in the draft, also:
1) draft resolutions of the Council on determining the duration of a debate of those issues, the duration of the debate of which is not prescribed by the Rules of Procedure or the resolution of the National Assembly;
2) a draft resolution of the National Assembly on holding an additional sitting of the National Assembly.
4. The draft agenda of regular sittings, as well as other drafts to be adopted related to it, by the submission of the Chairperson of the National Assembly, shall be debated at the Council sitting no later than on Friday of the week preceding the first regular sittings of the regular session as well as on Monday of the week of the other regular sittings.
(Amended by the LA-50-N, dated 17.01.2018)
5. At the Council sitting, during the debate of the draft agenda of the regular sittings of the National Assembly, the Council members have the right to propose:
1) to increase or decrease the number of issues in the second section of the draft agenda;
2) to determine or change the duration of the debate of the issues included in the draft agenda;
3) to determine or change the sequence of the debate of issues included in the draft agenda;
4) to submit a draft resolution of the National Assembly on holding an additional sitting for the debate of the National Assembly.
6. The draft agenda of regular sittings, as well as other drafts related thereof, shall be put to a vote after voting all the proposals of the Council members, as well as after including the adopted proposals in the drafts.
7. The draft agenda of the regular sittings shall be submitted for the debate of the National Assembly after its approval by the Council.
8. The draft agenda of the regular sittings shall be debated at the sitting of the National Assembly in the following procedure:
1) the Chairperson of the National Assembly shall take the floor with a main speech, after which he may be asked questions;
2) a co-report shall not take place;
3) exchange of opinions;
4) after the concluding speech of the Chairperson of the National Assembly, the question on the issues of the second section of the draft on being included in the agenda of the regular sittings shall be put to a vote; in case non-adoption thereof, all the issues of that section shall be voted separately;
5) the submitted proposal, prescribed by the procedure of part 2 of Article 62 of the Rules of Procedure for determining or changing the duration of the debate of any issue included in the draft agenda, shall be put to a vote;
6) the draft resolution of the National Assembly submitted by the Council on holding an additional sitting during the regular sittings shall be put to a vote.
9. If more than one proposal are submitted related to the same issue in the case as specified in paragraph 5 of part 8 of this Article, then they shall be voted on in accordance with the length of the time duration proposed for the debate of the issue: from the longest duration to the shortest duration. In case any proposal is adopted, other proposals shall not be put to a vote.
(Amended by the LA-50-N, dated 17.01.2018)
10. The issues of the first section of the draft agenda of the regular sittings shall be included in the agenda of the regular sittings without a vote.
11. By a result of voting, the issue that is not included in the agenda of the regular sittings, shall remain on the agenda of the regular session.
Article 40. Procedure for Regular Sittings
1. Regular sittings shall begin with the debate of the draft agendas of the regular session and sittings, after approval of which the agenda issues shall be debated by the established sequence.
2. The sequence of debate of the agenda issues may be changed by the statement of the Chairperson of the National Assembly: if there are objections by a faction or secretary, the objection shall be put to a vote without a debate. In the case of the adoption of the resolution, the sequence of debate of the agenda issues shall not be changed.
3. The debate of the agenda issues shall be suspended, within the time limits specified in part 1 of Article 37 of the Rules of Procedure, at each convened:
1) second main sitting of Tuesday of the second regular sittings, during which one issue may be debated, considered as an extraordinary issue by the opposition faction;
2) third main sitting of Tuesday of regular sittings, during which one debate may be held on an urgent topic of public interest;
3) last main sitting of Tuesday of regular sittings, during which Deputies can make announcements;
4) third main sitting of Wednesday of the regular sittings, during which the answers to the interpellations of the factions shall be submitted and can be debated;
5) last main sitting of Wednesday of the regular sittings, during which the Prime Minister and members of the Government shall answer to the Deputies' questions.
4. The debate of the agenda issues shall also be suspended in the cases foreseen by the Rules of Procedure for the necessary time period to debate or vote for the proposals of draft resolutions on the organization of activities of the National Assembly, as well as on proposals for the adoption of such resolutions.
5. The debate of the agenda issues shall continue after the debate on an urgent topic of public interest, answer/s to interpellation, or the lack of issue/s considered extraordinary, as well as after finishing the debate thereof. After the questions of Deputies to the Prime Minister and to the members of the Government, as well as after concluding the statements of the Deputies, the sitting shall be concluded.
(Edited by the LA-50-N, dated 17.01.2018)
6. Regular sittings shall be concluded after the debate of the agenda issues, but not later than the expiration of the time period specified in part 3 of Article 36 of the Rules of Procedure.
Article 41. Procedure for Convening Extraordinary Sittings
1. An extraordinary sitting shall be convened by the Chairperson of the National Assembly on the initiative of at least one fourth of the total number of Deputies or on the initiative of the Government. The Government's initiative shall be implemented by the resolution of the Government.
2. On non-working days, an extraordinary sitting may be convened or held only on necessity for ensuring the time periods established by the Constitution.
3. The initiative to convene an extraordinary sitting shall be presented to the Chairperson of the National Assembly by an official letter of at least one fourth of the total number of Deputies or the Prime Minister. In the official letter of the Deputies, as well as in the Government's resolution, attached to the official letter of the Prime Minister shall be indicated:
1) the agenda of the extraordinary sitting, including the titles and sequence of the debate of the agenda issues;
2) the day and hour of the beginning of the extraordinary sitting, as well as the procedure for holding an extraordinary sitting, the days of sittings and the number of sittings to be held during each day;
(Supplemented by the LA-50-N, dated 17.01.2018)
3) the first name and surname of the representative of the initiator of the extraordinary sitting;
4) the list of submitted documents, attached to the official letter.
4. The draft resolution of the National Assembly, on determination of the duration or special procedure for the debate of agenda issues, as well as other documents foreseen by the Rules of Procedure and the Work Procedure, may be submitted attached to the official letter.
5. The issues on the debate of the same draft law in the first and second readings can be included on the agenda of the extraordinary sitting only by the procedure foreseen by paragraph 1 or 2 of part 7 of this Article.
(Amended by the LA-50-N, dated 17.01.2018)
6. If the agenda of the extraordinary sitting includes issues on debating the same draft law in the first and second readings, then the initiator shall submit a draft resolution of the National Assembly on the special procedure for the debate of issues, which foresees at least 3 hours for submitting written recommendations and the conclusion of the head committee, related to the draft.
(Amended by the LA-50-N, dated 17.01.2018)
7. An extraordinary sitting, as a rule, shall be convened no earlier than on the fifth working day after the submission of an official letter to the Chairperson of the National Assembly. An extraordinary sitting may be convened prior the expiry of the specified period, if the conclusions of the head committee on the drafts included in the agenda have been received or the deadlines for their submission have expired, and without a conclusion, in exceptional cases, in the following procedure:
1) in the case of the initiative of the Government: the Prime Minister has received verbal consent from the Chairperson of the National Assembly to convene an extraordinary sitting before the deadline;
2) in the case of an initiative of Deputies or factions: by a resolution of the Council on a substantiated petition of the faction.
8. If an official letter or any issue on the agenda:
1) does not comply with the requirements of this Article and is not brought into conformity with them within three working days, then the Chairperson of the National Assembly shall return the official letter or documents related to that agenda issue, specifying the reasons;
2) meets the requirements of this Article, then the Chairperson of the National Assembly, by the initiator's established agenda and time-frame, shall convene an extraordinary sitting of the National Assembly, and the agenda of the extraordinary sitting, as well as drafts of agenda issues, shall be put on the official website of the National Assembly within 24 hours.
(Supplemented by the LA-50-N, dated 17.01.2018)
9. If the Government does not submit a conclusion on a substantial reduction in revenues or increase of expenditures of the state budget revenues within the time limits specified in part 7 of this Article, then it is considered that the draft included in that form in the agenda of an extraordinary sitting does not substantially reduce or increase the revenues or the state budget expenditures.
Article 42. Procedure for Holding an Extraordinary Sitting
1. Extraordinary sittings may be held on days free from regular sittings from 11:00 - 23:00.
2. Up to three extraordinary sittings may be held on a day of regular sittings from 18:30 - 24:00.
3. The duration of each extraordinary sitting shall be 90 minutes, which may be extended at the suggestion of the representative of the initiator and by a resolution of the National Assembly, for the time necessary to answer a question, complete a speech or hold an open ballot on a debated issue. The proposal shall be put to a vote without debate. In case of an extension of a sitting, the break is shortened for an appropriate period.
4. After each sitting of an extraordinary sitting, a 30-minute break shall be foreseen. In case of being convened on a day free from regular sittings, after the first sitting of each day of an extraordinary sitting, a break of one hour may be foreseen.
Article 43. Procedure of Extraordinary Sittings
1. An extraordinary sitting shall begin with a debate of draft resolutions of the National Assembly on special procedures for holding the debate of the agenda issues submitted by the initiator, as well as the head committee, and in case of completion of their debate, or the absence thereof, the agenda issues shall be debated in the sequence established by the initiator.
2. The sequence of debate of the agenda issues can be changed, as well as the issue can be removed from the agenda without a vote on the proposal of the representative of the initiator.
3. An extraordinary session is concluded after the debate of the agenda issues.
Article 44. Procedure for Convening an Extraordinary Session
1. An extraordinary session shall be convened by the Chairperson of the National Assembly on the initiative of not less than one fourth of the total number of Deputies, or on the initiative of the Government. The Government's initiative shall be implemented by the Government's resolution.
2. An extraordinary session shall not be held during a regular session.
3. On non-working days, an extraordinary session may be convened or held only if it is necessary to ensure the terms established by the Constitution.
4. The initiative to convene an extraordinary session shall be submitted to the Chairperson of the National Assembly by an official letter of at least one fourth of the total number of Deputies or the Prime Minister. In the official letter of Deputies, as well as in the Government's resolution, attached to the official letter of the Prime Minister there shall be indicated:
1) the agenda of an extraordinary session, with the titles and sequence of debate of the agenda issues;
2) the day and hour of the beginning of the extraordinary session;
3) name and the last name of the representative of the initiator of the extraordinary session;
4) the list of documents, submitted as attached to the official letter.
5. Draft resolutions of the National Assembly, on the determination of the duration or special procedure for the debate of agenda issues, as well as other documents foreseen by the Rules of Procedure and the Work Procedure, may be submitted as attached to the official letter.
6. The issues on the debate of the same draft law in the first and second readings can be included in the agenda of the extraordinary session only by the procedure as foreseen by paragraph 1 or 2 of part 8 of this Article.
(Supplemented by the LA-50-N dated 17.01.2018)
7. If the agenda of the extraordinary session includes issues on discussing the same draft law by several readings, then the initiator shall submit a draft resolution of the National Assembly on the special procedure for the debate of those issues, which foresees at least 3 hours for submitting written proposals and the conclusion of the head committee, related to the draft.
8. An extraordinary session, shall normally be convened no earlier than on the fifth working day after the submission of an official letter to the Chairperson of the National Assembly. An extraordinary session may be convened prior the expiry of the specified period, if the conclusions of the head committee on the drafts included in the agenda have been received or the deadlines for their submission have expired, and without the conclusion, in exceptional cases, in the following procedure:
1) in the case of the initiative of the Government: the Prime Minister has received verbal consent from the Chairperson of the National Assembly to convene an extraordinary session before the deadline;
2) in case of an initiative of Deputies: by the resolution of the Council on a substantiated petition of the faction.
9. If the official letter or any issue on the agenda:
1) does not comply with the requirements of this Article and is not brought into compliance with them within three working days, the Chairperson of the National Assembly shall return the official letter or documents related to that agenda issue, specifying the reasons;
2) meets the requirements of this Article, then the Chairperson of the National Assembly, by the initiator's established agenda and time-frame, shall convene an extraordinary session of the National Assembly, and the agenda of the extraordinary session, as well as the drafts of agenda issues, shall be put on the official web site of the National Assembly within 24 hours.
(Supplemented by the LA-50-N, dated 17.01.2018)
10. If the Government does not submit a conclusion on the substantial reduction of revenues or increase of expenditures of the state budget within the time limits specified in part 8 of this Article, then it is considered that the draft included in the agenda of an extraordinary sitting in that form does not substantially reduce the revenues or increase the state budget expenditures.
Article 45. Procedure for Holding an Extraordinary Session
1. An extraordinary session shall be held in the following procedure:
1) four sittings of 90 minutes each shall be held on each day of the session;
2) after each sitting a 30-minute break shall be foreseen;
3) the duration of the second break may be foreseen for an hour.
2. By a resolution of the National Assembly at the suggestion of the representative of the initiator, the duration of each sitting of extraordinary session may be extended with a necessary time for answering the question, concluding the speech or holding an open voting. The proposal shall be put to a vote without a debate. In case of an extension of the sitting, the break shall be shortened for an appropriate period.
(Amended by the LA-50-N, dated 17.01.2018)
Article 46. The Procedure of an Extraordinary Session
1. An extraordinary session shall begin with the debate of draft resolutions of the National Assembly on special procedures for the debate of the agenda issues submitted by the initiator, as well as the head committee, and in case of completion or absence of their debate, the agenda issues shall be debated in the established sequence by the initiator.
2. On the proposal of the representative of the initiator, and without a vote, the sequence of debate of agenda issues can be changed, as well as the issue may be removed from the agenda.
3. An extraordinary session shall be concluded in cases when the debate of the agenda issues are completed, or in case when the regular session shall begin.
Article 47. The Procedure for Convening and Holding a Special Sitting in the Case of Declaring Martial Law
1. In case of declaration of martial law, a special sitting of the National Assembly shall be immediately convened by virtue of law.
2. If, within four hours following the promulgation of the resolution of the Government on a declaration of martial law, the number of registered Deputies is not sufficient for the legitimacy of the sitting, then the sitting starts irrespective of whether there is or there is no eligibility.
3. During the debate of the Issue:
1) the Prime Minister or a representative of the Government shall take the floor with a main report and concluding speech, whom, after the speech, may be given questions;
2) there shall be no co-report;
3) in the course of the debate, only two representatives from the factions may take the floor.
4. If, at the completion of the debate of the issue, the legal quorum of the sitting:
1) is provided, the head or secretary of the faction may submit a draft resolution of the National Assembly on the lifting of martial law or cancellation of the implementation of measures provided for under the legal regime of martial law. The decision of the faction related to it shall be submitted with the draft. The draft shall be put to a vote without discussion, immediately after the concluding speech. The resolution shall be adopted and promulgated by the procedure established by parts 4 and 5 of Article 106 of the Rules of Procedure. If the resolution is not adopted, then such a draft can be submitted no earlier than after a month. After the voting, the officer presiding over the sitting shall declare the special sitting concluded;
2) is not provided, then the presiding officer shall declare the special sitting concluded.
Article 48. Procedure for Convening and Holding a Special Sitting in case of a Declaration of a State of Emergency
1. In case of a declaration of a state of emergency, a special sitting of the National Assembly shall be immediately convened by virtue of law.
2. If, within four hours of the promulgation of the Government's resolution on declaring a state of emergency, the number of registered Deputies is not sufficient for the quorum of the sitting, then the sitting starts irrespective of whether there is or isn't eligibility.
3. During the debate of the issue:
1) the Prime Minister or a representative of the Government shall take the floor with the main report, whom, after a speech, may be asked questions;
2) there shall be no co-report;
3) in the course of a debate, only one representative from the standing committees and factions may take the floor.
4. If, before the completion of the debate of the issue, the legality of the sitting:
1) is provided, the head or secretary of the faction may submit a draft resolution of the National Assembly on the abolition of a state emergency or any of the events foreseen by a legal regime of the state of emergency. The decision of the faction is submitted with the draft. The draft shall be put to a vote without discussion immediately after the concluding speech. The resolution shall be adopted and announced as the prescribed procedure by parts 4 and 5 of Article 107 of the Rules of Procedure. If the resolution is not adopted, then such a draft can be submitted no earlier than a month. After the voting, the officer presiding the sitting shall declare the special sitting concluded;
2) is not provided, the presiding officer shall declare the special sitting concluded.
Article 49. The Procedure for Convening and Holding a Special Sitting Dedicated to the Assumption of Office of the President of the Republic
1. The President of the Republic shall assume office at a special sitting of the National Assembly, which in the case of regular elections shall be convened on the day of expiry of powers of the previous President of the Republic, and in the case of extraordinary elections, on the tenth day after the election of the President of the Republic.
2. The Chairperson of the National Assembly shall announce the day and hour of convocation of the sitting.
3. The procedure for holding a sitting shall be established by a resolution of the Council on the proposal of the Chairperson of the National Assembly.
Article 50. Special Sittings Convened to Ensure the Terms Established by the Constitution or Rules of Procedure
(Supplemented by the LA-50-N, dated 17.01.2018)
1. In case regular sittings of the National Assembly are not held within the time limit specified in part 2 of Article 115 of the Constitution, the issue of expressing no confidence in the Prime Minister shall be debated at the special sitting of the National Assembly immediately convened by virtue of law.
(Supplemented by the LA-50-N, dated 17.01.2018)
2. In case regular sittings of the National Assembly are not held within the time limits specified in part 2 of Article 125 and Article 126 of the Constitution, the issue of the election of the President of the Republic shall be debated at a special sitting of the National Assembly immediately convened by virtue of law.
(Supplemented by the LA-50-N dated 17.01.2018)
2.1. In a case established by part 3 of Article 140 of the Rules of Procedure, the issue of the election of the Prime Minister shall be debated at the special sitting of the National Assembly convened by virtue of law - at 12pm of the day following the expiration of the term for the nomination of candidates for the Prime Minister.
(Supplemented by the LA-50-N, dated 17.01.2018)
3. In case regular sittings of the National Assembly are not held within the time period established by part 1 of Article 157 of the Constitution, the issue of confidence in the Government shall be put to a vote at a special sitting of the National Assembly immediately convened by virtue of law.
(Supplemented by the LA-50-N, dated 17.01.2018)
4. The Chairperson of the National Assembly shall announce the day and hour of the convocation of special sittings specified in this Article.
5. If the terms established by the Constitution or the Rules of Procedure are not violated, then a break can be declared at a special sitting only by a resolution of the National Assembly on the proposal of the Chairperson of the National Assembly. The proposal is put to a vote without a debate.
(Amended by the LA-50-N, dated 17.01.2018)
6. If the power of the sitting by the prescribed procedure by Article 51 of the Rules of Procedure:
1) is provided, then, after the debate of the issue is completed, the presiding officer shall declare the special sitting closed;
2) is not ensured for the debate of the issue, foreseen by part 2.1 of this Article, as a result of emergencies, as well as when the participation of the MPs in the sitting of the National Assembly is hindered: including through threats, then the sitting of the National Assembly shall be considered as interrupted, about which the President of the National Assembly shall take the floor with a statement. In that case, the sitting shall be convened the next day at 10:00. The rules, foreseen this way for adjourning a sitting, shall be also applied towards a resumed sitting;
3) is not ensured, and there is not the case foreseen by paragraph 2 of part 6 of this Article, then the special sitting shall be considered not taken place.”
(Supplemented by the LA-17-N dated 02.10.2018)
7. If the normal course of the sitting is hindered during the consideration of the issue foreseen by part 2.1 of this Article, and its restoration, during the activities undertaken by the officer presiding over the sitting, is not possible, as well as when the participation of the MPs in the sitting of the National Assembly is hindered: including through threats, then the sitting of the National Assembly shall be considered as interrupted, about which the President of the National Assembly shall take the floor with a statement. In that case, the sitting shall be continued the next day at 10:00. The rules, foreseen this way for adjourning a sitting shall also be applied towards a resumed sitting.
(Supplemented by the LA-17-N, dated 02.10.2018)
CHAPTER 13
GENERAL PROCEDURE FOR HOLDING SITTINGS OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
Article 51. Eligibility of a Sitting of the National Assembly
1. A sitting of the National Assembly is eligible if at the beginning of the sitting, in accordance with the established procedure, more than half of the total number of Deputies are registered.
2. Registration of Deputies shall be implemented by the procedure established by the Work Procedure through the electronic system at the beginning of the first sitting of each day of regular sittings, extraordinary sittings or extraordinary session, as well as a special sitting of the National Assembly. Upon a request of a Deputy who was late for registration, by a prescribed procedure, he/she shall be registered by an employee of the Staff.
3. A Deputy shall be registered personally. The registration is equivalent to voting and participation of a Deputy in registration shall be counted in the number of votes.
4. If the number of registered Deputies is not sufficient for a quorum, then the registration shall be continued, until there is a quorum, but not more than 4 hours. In case that a quorum of a sitting within an indicated timeframe:
1) is provided, the presiding officer shall notify the Deputies about the beginning of the sitting;
1.1) in case it is not ensured, due to emergencies, as well as when the participation of the MPs in the sitting of the National Assembly is hindered: including through threats, then the sitting of the National Assembly shall be considered as interrupted, about which the President of the National Assembly shall take the floor with a statement, except for the cases of the debate of the issues, foreseen by parts 1-3 of Article 50 of this Law. In this case, the sitting shall be convened the next day at 10:00. The rules, foreseen this way for adjourning a sitting shall be also applied towards a resumed sitting.
(Supplemented by the LA-17-N, dated 02.10.18)
2) in case it is not ensured, then the sittings of the present day of regular sittings, extraordinary sittings or an extraordinary session, as well as the special sitting, shall be considered invalid.
Article 52. Powers of the Presiding Officer of a Sitting of the National Assembly
1. The Presiding officer of a sitting:
1) shall declare the sitting or session open, as well as concluded;
2) shall declare the breaks of the sitting;
3) shall secure the sequence of debate of the agenda issues, and prior to the debate of each issue, shall notify about the next 3 issues;
4) prior the beginning of the debate of the issue informs of the procedure and duration of the debate of the issue;
5) shall give the floor to the speakers, as well as to those responding to questions;
6) shall announce the registration of Deputies, the queuing for speeches and questions, the holding of voting, as well as the results of voting;
7) shall coordinate the work of the staff members servicing the sitting;
8) may interrupt the speeches for restoring the regular progress of the sitting;
2. In case of not executing the legal requirement of the presiding officer at the sitting, digression from the debated issue during the speech, the use of offensive expression, registration or voting in the place of an absent Deputy, obstructing the voting of a Deputy, breaching the normal procedure of the National Assembly sitting or committing another action breaching the procedure, the presiding officer shall have the right to take disciplinary measures against a Deputy: and in relation to another person present at a sitting a - warning or removal from the sitting hall.
3. The following disciplinary measures may be applied to a Deputy:
1) warning by announcing his/her name and surname;
2) switching off the microphone;
3) depriving him/her of the right to speak over the microphone during one sitting;
4) prohibiting from being present in the hall at all sittings until the end of that day;
5) depriving him/her of the right to be present in the sitting hall for up to 7 days;
4. The disciplinary measures, as a rule, shall be applied from the less strict to the stricter, be appropriate to the seriousness of the behavior, and aim to ensure a normal course of the sitting. The disciplinary measure prescribed in paragraph 5 of part 3 of this Article may be applied if, against that Deputy, earlier was applied the disciplinary measure prescribed by paragraph 4 of part 3 of this Article, and that was not voluntarily fulfilled by the Deputy.
5. In the case of removal of the main speaker from the sitting hall, the debate of the issue shall be postponed for the period of application of the disciplinary measure. If the speaker who is removed from the sitting is a Deputy, the debate of the issue shall continue; in the case of a premature restoration, the participation of the Deputy in the sitting of the National Assembly is permitted.
6. Upon a substantiated petition of a faction, the Council has the right to reinstate participation in a sitting of the National Assembly of a removed Deputy before the expiration of the period of application of the disciplinary measure.
7. In case of refusing to obey the request of being removed from the sitting, the presiding officer shall instruct the service ensuring the security of the National Assembly to implement the request.
8. If there is a disturbance at the sitting, and the presiding officer is not able to restore the normal progress of the sitting, s/he may interrupt the sitting for up to half an hour.
9. If after resuming the sitting the disturbance continues, the presiding officer shall declare the sitting concluded.
Article 53. Publicity of National Assembly Sittings
1. The sittings of the National Assembly are public.
2. A closed sitting of the National Assembly may be held at the proposal of not less than one-fifth of the total number of Deputies, or of the Government by a resolution adopted by a majority of the total number of Deputies. Voting shall be prohibited at a closed sitting.
3. The proposal to hold a closed sitting shall be submitted to the Chairperson of the National Assembly by an official letter from not less than one-fifth of the total number of Deputies or the Prime Minister. In the letter of the Deputies, as well as in the Government's resolution presented as attached to the letter of the Prime Minister, the day and hour of the closed sitting and the title of the issue to be debated shall be specified.
4. If the letter:
1) does not meet the requirements of part 3 of this Article and within three working days is not brought into compliance with them, then the Chairperson of the National Assembly shall return the letter specifying the reasons;
2) meets the requirements of part 3 of this Article and was submitted during the sitting of the National Assembly, then the proposal of holding a closed sitting shall be put to a vote without debate at that sitting, and in case of submitting a letter in a day without sittings of the National Assembly, the proposal shall be put to a vote without debate in the beginning of the debate of the issue at a sitting of the National Assembly.
Article 54. Persons Having the Right to Attend the Sitting of the National Assembly
1. A public sitting of the National Assembly, in addition to the Deputies and persons entitled to participate in the discussion of the issue, may also permit attendance of:
1) the President of the Republic of Armenia or his/her representative;
2) the Prime Minister or the representative of the Government;
3) members of the Government;
4) the Chairpersons of the Central Bank and the Audit Chamber;
5) the Prosecutor General;
6) Defender for Human Rights;
7) Chief of Staff, one of his deputies and employees of the Staff providing service or coverage of the sitting, according to the list established by the Chief of the Staff;
8) persons invited by the Chairperson of the National Assembly or presiding officer of the sitting;
9) persons permitted by the Chief of Staff.
2. A closed sitting, besides the Deputies and the speaker on the issue, may also be attended by persons indicated in paragraphs 1-3 and 7 of part 1 of this Article.
3. The heads of structural subdivisions of the Staff, the advisers and assistants of the Chairperson and Vice Chairpersons of the National Assembly, experts (specialists) of Standing Committees and factions may attend the sitting of the National Assembly by the permission of the Chief of the Staff.
4. Journalists accredited in the National Assembly shall carry out their professional activities in designated special places in the National Assembly, and they may attend the sitting hall with the permission of the Chief of the Staff.
5. Separate sectors in the sitting hall of the National Assembly shall be assigned for the factions and special seats shall be designated in the sitting hall of the National Assembly for the President of the Republic, Members of the Government, the Staff and the invited persons.
CHAPTER 14
GENERAL PROCEDURE FOR THE DEBATE OF ISSUES AT A SITTING OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
Article 55. General Procedure for the Debate of Issues at a Sitting of the National Assembly
1. If no other procedure is foreseen by the Rules of Procedure, then the issues of the National Assembly shall be debated in the following procedure:
1) main report;
2) questions to the speaker, his/her answers, replies of the person who asked the question, and of the speaker;
3) co- reports;
4) questions to each co-speaker, their answers, replies of the person who asked the question, and of the speaker;
5) exchange of opinions;
6) voting.
2. During the debate of the issue, by the procedure established by Article 59 of the Rules of Procedure, a Deputy has the right to take the floor regarding the procedure - once before, and once after the voting.
3. Voting on issues shall be held open, by name. Secret ballots shall be held in the cases foreseen by the Rules of Procedure.
Article 56. The Main Report and the Co-report
1. The right to take the floor with a main report or a co-report belongs to a person, having the power of it in accordance with the Rules of Procedure.
1.1. If the total duration of the debate of the issue is not established or no other time limit for the report is established by the Rules of Procedure, then twenty minutes shall be allotted for the main report and the co-report.
(Supplemented by the LA-50-N, dated 17.01.2018)
2. The procedure for taking the floor with a main report or a co-report shall be established by the Work Procedure.
Article 57. The Procedure for Questions
1. Deputies have the right to address one question to the main speaker and each of the co-speakers.
2. After the answer, the person who asked questions and the speaker are entitled to a reply.
3. If the total duration of the questions is not established, then:
1) two minutes are allotted for the questions;
2) three minutes shall be allotted for answers to questions;
3) a minute shall be allotted for a reply.
4. The Chairperson of the National Assembly or the presiding officer of the sitting shall have the right to address questions to the main speaker and each co-speaker out of turn.
5. Registered, but absent from the sitting hall, as well as after the expiration of the established time for asking questions, a Deputy is deprived of the right to address a question during the debate of the certain issue.
6. The procedure for registration for questions, as well as giving questions, answering to them, and the procedure for the responses to those answers shall be established by the Work of Procedure.
Article 58. Exchange of Opinions
1. An exchange of opinions shall be held according to the following procedure:
1) speeches of Deputies and invited persons;
2) speeches of representatives of factions;
3) concluding speeches.
2. If the duration of the exchange of opinions is not established or no other period of time is established for the speeches by the Rules of Procedure, then 10 minutes shall be given to the speeches.
3. If the duration of the exchange of opinions is established, then included in the composition of the opposition and ruling factions, registered Deputies shall take the floor alternately.
4. Prior to the concluding speeches, the Chairperson of the National Assembly or the presiding officer shall have the right to an extraordinary speech, and before the voting only the Prime Minister or one of the deputy Prime Ministers, on his recommendation.
5. The right to take the floor for persons invited for the debate of the issue, may be granted by a resolution of the National Assembly - at the proposal of the head committee or the presiding officer of the sitting, as well as by the resolution of the
Council - on the proposal of the Chairperson of the National Assembly or the head committee.
6. A written application on behalf of a faction for a speech, including the name and the second name of its representative, may be submitted by the head or secretary of the faction to the Chairperson of the National Assembly or presiding officer of the sitting:
1) in advance - before the approval of the draft agenda of the regular sittings of the National Assembly, or
2) during the debate of the issue in the National Assembly - before the end of the speeches of Deputies and invited persons.
7. The main speaker and co-speaker, as well as other persons having the power by the Rules of Procedure, have the right to take the floor with a concluding speech.
8. The right to take the floor during the debate of the issues shall not belong to:
1) the registered: Deputies, representatives of factions and invited persons, absent from the sitting hall;
2) the registered Deputies: - after the termination of the time established for the speech.
9. Deputies registered for a speech, but not taking the floor due to the expiration of the time established for a speech, or for any other reason, within 24 hours after the end of the debate of the issue, may send to the Staff the written text of their speech, which, by the Staff, shall be included in the shorthand record of the sitting of the National Assembly.
10. The procedure for registration for the speeches, as well as for taking the floor, shall be established by the Work of Procedure.
Article 59. Speeches on Procedure for Holding Sittings
1. A Deputy, immediately before a vote, can once:
1) refute the expression made, related to his personality;
2) make a statement about the conflict of interests;
3) take a floor with a statement regarding a refusal to participate in voting on the issue;
4) in the cases foreseen by the Rules of Procedure, take the floor with a proposal about a break;
5) in the cases foreseen by the Rules of Procedure, propose to adopt a resolution about organizing activities of the National Assembly.
2. After voting and before the beginning of the debate of the next question, a Deputy may once:
1) speak relating to the procedure of holding a sitting;
2) propose to restore the results of an open vote on the light board and express an opinion on infringements during the voting;
3) propose to adopt a resolution on organizing activities of the National Assembly in the cases and procedure foreseen by the Rules of Procedure.
2.1. A Deputy, immediately after a vote and before the statement of the presiding officer at the sitting, by the procedure prescribed by part 7 of Article 60 of the Rules of Procedure, may once take the floor with a statement about the failure of his electronic system of roll call and his decision on voting "for," "against" or "abstained" the issue on a vote, as well as about his decision on voting "for" or "against" a candidate for an elected office.
(Supplemented by the LA-50-N, dated 17.01.2018)
3. A Deputy, also in his speech, shall be entitled to speak about the issues specified in paragraphs 1 and 3 of part 1 or part 2 of this Article.
4. If the duration of the debate of the issue is not established, then one minute shall be allotted for the speeches about the procedure of holding a sitting.
5. The procedure for registration for the speeches about the procedure of holding a sitting, as well as the procedure for taking the floor, shall be established by the Work of Procedure.
Article 60. Open voting
1. An open vote shall take place by an electronic system, in accordance with the procedure established by the Work of Procedure. It is prohibited to speak to the officer presiding over the sitting prior to the end of voting.
2. An open vote is a roll call. If there is a failure of the system, the roll call voting, foreseen by the Constitution and the Rules of Procedure, shall be hold in accordance by the established procedure of Article 61 of the Rules of Procedure.
3. The officer presiding over the sitting shall announce the approximate time of holding the voting, and before the vote shall announce all the questions or proposals to be put to a vote, clarify their wording, and, in the cases foreseen by the Constitution, also shall remind the number of votes necessary for adopting a resolution.
4. A Deputy present at a sitting of the National Assembly shall personally vote "for," "against," "abstained" for an issue put to a vote, and for a candidate for an elected office "for" or "against" or may refuse to participate in voting. A Deputy who is absent at a sitting of the National Assembly may vote in accordance with the established procedure of part 5 of this Article.
(Edited by the LA-50-N, dated 17.01.2018)
5. A Deputy leaving for a business trip, sent by the National Assembly, may, in written form, inform the Chairperson of the National Assembly about his decision on the vote of the question. The official letter signed by a Deputy in a closed envelope shall be transmitted to the Staff in advance before he leaves for a business trip. On the envelope, as well as in the official letter there shall be indicated the title of the question, and in the official letter also the Deputy's decision on voting "for," "against" or "abstained" for a candidate for office. An employee of the Staff shall open the envelope and, before the vote of the issue, present the official letter to the Chairperson of the National Assembly, and in case there is a failure of the electronic system, to the Chair of the counting commission before the vote for the issue. After the voting, the official letter shall be attached to the shorthand record of the sitting.
(Edited by the LA-50-N, dated 17.01.2018)
6. The voting results shall be restored on the light board, if it is proposed by one of the Deputies in a speech on the procedure of holding a sitting. If a Deputy reveals violations that could affect the results of voting, then, at the proposal of the officer presiding over the sitting, the vote for the issue shall be repeated without discussion.
7. After the voting, the officer presiding over the sitting shall declare the adoption or non-adoption of the decision on the basis of the results of the voting held through the electronic system, decisions announced by the procedure established by part 2.1 of Article 59 of the Rules of Procedure, as well as official letters submitted in accordance with the procedure established by part 5 of this Article, after which the Deputy's vote "for," "against," "abstained" or his non-participation in the vote, cannot be disputed or changed.
(Supplemented by the LA-50-N, dated 17.01.2018)
Article 61. Procedure for Holding a Secret Ballot, as well as a Roll-call Vote in Case There is a Failure of the Electronic System
1. A secret ballot, as well as a roll-call vote in the case of a failure of the electronic system, on recommendation of the presiding officer over the sitting of the National Assembly, shall be organized by the Counting Commission, informing the Deputies about the time, place and procedure of thereof at the sitting of the National Assembly.
(Amended by the LA-50-N, dated 17.01.2018)
2. The Counting Commission shall present the results of voting at a sitting of the National Assembly on the basis of which the officer presiding over the sitting shall announce the adoption or non-adoption of a decision, and in the case of elections: election or non-election of a candidate.
3. The procedure for organizing, holding and summing up the results of a secret ballot, as well as a roll-call vote in the case of a failure of the electronic system, shall be established by the Work of Procedure.
Article 62. Duration of Debate of Issues at a Sitting of the National Assembly
1. The duration of debate of draft amendments to the Constitution, laws, resolutions, statements and addresses of the National Assembly, as a rule shall not exceed an hour, except for cases directly foreseen by the Rules of Procedure, as well as cases prescribed by parts 2 and 3 of this Article.
2. If the duration of the debate of the issue is not directly foreseen by the Rules of Procedure, or not prescribed by a resolution of the National Assembly, then by the proposal of a Deputy, faction, head committee, and in case of a draft submitted by the Government or civil initiative, also by the proposal of the main presenter by the resolution of the National Assembly, the duration of the debate of the issues specified in part 1 of this Article may be established for more than one hour. The main presenter may submit to the officer presiding over the sitting a proposal on determining the duration of the debate of the issue at the beginning of the debate of that issue at a sitting of the National Assembly, and others also during the debate of the draft agenda of the regular sittings of the National Assembly. The proposal shall be put to a vote without a debate.
(Supplemented and Amended by the LA-50-N, dated 17.01.2018)
3. If the duration of the debate of the issue is not directly foreseen by the Rules of Procedure or not established by a resolution of the National Assembly, then the duration of the debate of the issues specified in part 1 of this Article may be determined by a resolution of the Council - from one to six hours. The resolution can be adopted before the ratification of the agenda of regular sittings of the National Assembly.
4. In the case of a duration of a debate of an issue of one hour or 90 minutes, the total duration of the questions and exchange of opinions, as well as the allocation of the time allotted for reports, questions, answers and speeches, shall be established by the Work of Procedure, and, in case of other duration of a debate: by a resolution of the National Assembly or the Council - in proportion (ratio) to the time of one hour.
5. The necessary time for the organization and holding a voting shall not be counted in the duration of the debate of the issue.
Article 63. Postponement and Breaks of the Issue
1. The debate of the issue shall not begin and shall be postponed without a vote on the proposal of the main presenter, as well as at the beginning of the debate in case he/she is absent. If within two months, after the postponement of the debate, the main presenter does not appear for the debate of the issue with a written application addressed to the Chairperson of the National Assembly, then the issue shall be withdrawn from circulation.
The debate of the issue by the procedure prescribed by this part may be postponed once.
(Edited by the LA-50-N, dated 17.01.2018)
2. By the resolution of the National Assembly, the debate of the issue may be interrupted for up to an hour, by the proposal of the main speaker in his concluding speech. The proposal shall be put to a vote without discussion.
3. At a request of the head or secretary of the faction, one break of 20 minutes shall be announced before a vote on the issue.
4. If the debate of the issue has been interrupted, then after the end of the break the debate shall resume from the stage at which it was interrupted.
5. If the duration of the debate is directly foreseen by the Rules of Procedure, then no break shall be announced during the debate of that issue.
Article 64. Special Procedure for a Debate of an Issue
1. For a debate of a separate issue, the National Assembly may establish a special procedure with which the number of speakers, of those addressing questions, of those taking the floor who cannot be limited, as well as reducing the time directly established by the Rules of Procedure for taking the floor or addressing question.
2. The right to submit a draft resolution of the National Assembly on a special procedure shall belong to:
1) the initiator of an extraordinary session or sitting: about the debate of the issue, included in the agenda;
2) the standing or Ad-hoc committee: on the debate of the issue under its jurisdiction;
(Amended by the LA-175-N, dated 13.09.2019)
3) the main speaker about the debate of his/her submitted issue;
4) the Inquiry Committee: on the debate of its report.
5) (Expired by the LA-309-N, dated 22.06.2020)
3. The draft resolution of the National Assembly on a special procedure for the debate of an issue may be submitted before the debate of an issue at the National Assembly's sitting and put to a vote without discussion.
Article 65. The Right of Legislative Initiative
1. The right of legislative initiative belongs to the Deputies, factions and the Government.
2. The legislative initiative shall be exercised through the submission of a draft law or package of drafts to the National Assembly for debate. The provisions established by the Rules of Procedure for the draft law shall also apply to a package of drafts.
3. The Government and the faction shall exercise the legislative initiative by their own resolution.
4. At least fifty thousand citizens who have the right to vote shall have the right to submit a draft law to the National Assembly by the procedure of a civil initiative. The civil initiative shall be exercised in accordance with the procedure established by the constitutional Law of the Republic of Armenia "On Referendum" in accordance with the established requirements for the legislative initiative by the Rules of Procedure.
(Supplemented by the LA-50-N, dated 17.01.2018)
5. By an initiative of a faction or a Deputy, as well as by the procedure of a civil initiative, the draft laws reserved to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Government by part 1 of Article 110, part 2 of Article 116, Article 117, Article 121, part 2 of Article 147 and part 1 of Article 189 of the Constitution cannot be presented.
6. Initiatives to adopt or amend the Constitution shall be implemented by the prescribed procedure by Chapter 19 of the Rules of Procedure.
Article 66. The Author of a Legislative Initiative
1. During the debate of the draft law, the right to take the floor as the author of a legislative initiative or a main speaker shall belong to:
1) a Deputy - in case of his own initiative;
2) a Deputy indicated in the official letter regarding to the legislative initiative - in case of the initiative of two or more deputies;
3) a representative of the faction - in case of initiative of the faction;
4) a representative of the Government - in case of the initiative of the Government;
5) a plenipotentiary representative of civil initiative - in case of a civil initiative.
2. A representative of the Government or head of another state body, and their deputies, as well as the secretary of the Security Council, the Representative to the International Legal affairs , High Commissioner for Diaspora Affairs, heads of Offices for coordination of work of the Civil Service, and of Inspection bodies of the Staff of the Prime Minister may be appointed a member of the Government in the case foreseen by paragraph 4 of part 1 of this Article. In this, as well as in other cases foreseen by the Rules of Procedure, a representative of the Government shall be nominated, as well as he/she may be replaced, by the Prime Minister's resolution.
(Amended by the LA-46-N, dated 21.01.2020 , Amended by the LA-4 18 -N, dated 16.12.2021)
3. A representative of the faction shall be nominated, as well as may be replaced, by the resolution of the faction.
4. By the established procedure by the Rules of Procedure the author is competent:
1) to take the floor with the main report during the debate of the draft law, to take the floor and to answer the questions;
2) to adopt or reject the proposals regarding the draft law;
3) to elaborate the draft law;
4) to recall the draft law at any time;
5) to come out of the composition of the authors of the initiative.
5. The procedure for the withdrawal of the draft, as well as coming out from the composition of the authors of the initiative, shall be established by the Work of Procedure.
Article 67. Submission of a Draft Law to the National Assembly for Debate and Putting it into Circulation
1. The draft law shall be submitted to the National Assembly by an official letter addressed to the Chairperson of the National Assembly through the Staff. The form of the official letter, as well as presented documents attached to it shall be established by the Work of Procedure.
2. If the official letter on the legislative initiative:
1) does not comply with the requirements established by the Rules of Procedure and the Work of Procedure and is not brought into comply with them within three working days, then the Chairperson of the National Assembly shall return the official letter and the documents presented attached to it, to the author of the initiative indicating the reasons;
2) is in compliance with the requirements established by the Rules of Procedure and the Work of Procedure, then the Chairperson of the National Assembly within three working days after receiving the official letter shall nominate a head committee and shall put the draft law into circulation by the procedure established by the Work of Procedure.
Article 68. Withdrawal of the Draft Law from Circulation
1. The draft law, and in case of a package of drafts, also other drafts shall be withdrawn from circulation if:
1) the main speaker, by the established procedure, shall not be present at the debate of the issue after postponing the debate of the issue upon his proposal, or in case of his absence at the beginning of the debate of the issue, at a sitting of the National Assembly or the head committee;
(Edited by the LA-50-N, dated 17.01.2018)
2) the author does not submit an elaborated draft by the established procedure after the adjournment of the debate of the issue at a sitting of the National Assembly or the head committee;
3) a draft shall not be included in the agenda of the regular session by the result of voting;
4) the draft is not adopted by the result of voting at a sitting of the National Assembly, unless otherwise is foreseen by the Rules of Procedure;
5) a Deputy, faction or the Government, within two months after the termination or discontinuation of the deputy powers of the authors of the draft, do not inform about joining the legislative initiative by the written application addressed to the Chairperson of the National Assembly, indicating the name and the second name of the main speaker;
6) the new Prime Minister, within two months after the adoption of the resignation of the Government, by the official letter to the Chairperson of the National Assembly, does not inform on the entry into force of the resolution of the Government regarding the legislative initiative, indicating the first name, the second name and the office of the person entitled to act as an author;
7) the author shall recall the draft.
2. If a draft is withdrawn from circulation, it is simultaneously withdrawn from the agendas of regular sessions or sittings, as well as from those drafts.
Article 69. General Procedure for a Debate of a Draft Law
1. A draft law shall be debated in two readings in the National Assembly.
2. A draft law on the ratification, suspension or renunciation of an international treaty shall be debated in one reading.
3. A draft law, as a rule, shall be debated according to the following procedure;
1) submission of written proposals regarding the draft put into circulation;
2) preliminary debate of a draft in the head committee before the first reading;
3) a debate of a draft in the first reading at a sitting of the National Assembly;
4) submission of written proposals regarding the draft adopted in the first reading;
5) preliminary debate of a draft in the head committee before the second reading;
6) debate of a draft at a sitting of the National Assembly in the second reading.
4. The draft law on the state budget shall be debated in the procedure established by Chapter 20 of the Rules of Procedure.
Article 70. General Procedure for Submitting Written Proposals Regarding the Draft Law
1. Written proposals regarding the draft law put into circulation, as well as adopted in the first reading, shall be submitted to the Staff through an official letter by a person having the jurisdiction of it. The form of the official letter, the list of documents submitted attached to it, as well as the procedure for developing the official letter shall be established by the Work of Procedure.
2. The Government, along with its proposals, shall present an opinion on a significant reduction in revenues or increase in expenditures of state budget, as well as other documents foreseen by law.
3. If the Government does not submit an opinion on a significant reduction in revenues or an increase in expenditures of the state budget, then it is considered that the draft in that form does not reduce revenues or increase expenditures of the state budget.
3. If the official letter or documents attached to it:
1) does not comply with the established requirements of the Rules of Procedure or Work of Procedure, and are not brought into compliance with them within three working days, then the proposals shall not be developed;
2) comply with the established requirements of the Rules of Procedure or Work of Procedure, then the proposals shall be developed.
Article 71. General Procedure for Preliminary Debate of a Draft Law
1. Preliminary debate of the draft law, in accordance with the procedure established by the Rules of Procedure, shall be held by the head committee, as well as be held by other standing committees, at the initiative of the standing committee or the proposal of the Council.
2. The head committee, by the procedure established by the Rules of Procedure:
1) shall submit to the National Assembly a conclusion before the first and second readings of the draft;
(Amended by the LA-50-N, dated 17.01.2018)
2) may submit a draft resolution of the National Assembly on a special procedure for a debate of an issue to the National Assembly.
3. By the proposal of the main presenter, as well as in case of his absence at the beginning of the debate, the debate of the issue shall not begin and shall be postponed without a vote. If the main presenter, within two months after the postponement of the debate, shall not be present for the debate of the issue by the written application addressed to the chairperson of the committee, then the issue shall be removed from circulation. The debate of the issue by the procedure prescribed, by this part, may be postponed once.
(Edited by the LA-50-N, dated 17.01.2018)
4. If at least one quarter of the members of the head committee have a special opinion regarding the conclusion of the committee, then their representative, during the debate of the issue in the National Assembly, may take the floor with a co-report, presenting a special opinion.
5. Besides the head committee, other standing committees may submit their written conclusions to the National Assembly before the start of the debate of the issue. In that case, the representative of the standing committee shall have the right to take the floor with a co-report during the debate of a draft in the head committee, as well as in the National Assembly.
6. Except the cases specified in paragraphs 1 and 2 of part 6 of Article 78 of the Rules of Procedure, the conclusion of the head committee regarding the draft law by the procedure established by the Rules of Procedure and the Work Procedure shall be submitted to the National Assembly within three working days after the adoption of the resolution of the committee related to the conclusion, but not later than Friday of the week preceding the first regular sittings of the regular session of the National Assembly, as well as on Monday of the week of other regular sittings at 12 pm. The procedure for presenting the conclusions of other standing committees of the National Assembly shall be established by the Work Procedure.
(Amended by the LA-50-N, dated 17.01.2018)
7. After receiving the conclusion of the head committee, the Chairperson of the National Assembly, by the procedure established by Article 38 of the Rules of Procedure, shall include the issue on debating the draft in the first reading in the relevant section of the draft of the agenda, or the additions made to it, of the regular session and the issue on debating the draft in the second reading: in the section of issues, subject to compulsory debate.
(Edited by the LA-50-N, dated 17.01.2018)
Article 72. The General Procedure for submitting an Elaborated Draft Law for Debate by the National Assembly or the Head Committee
1. In the cases established by the Rules of Procedure, the elaborated draft law shall be submitted to the National Assembly or the head committee for a debate with a summery list of proposals related to the draft, as well as the certificate related to the amendments made to the draft by the procedure established by the Rules of Procedure. The elaborated draft shall be submitted to the Staff by an official letter from a person entitled to do it. The form of the official letter, with other documents attached to it, as well as the procedure for putting the official letter into process, shall be established by the Work of Procedure.
(Amended by the LA-50-N, dated 17.01.2018)
2. If the official letter or documents attached to it:
1) do not comply with the requirements established by the Rules of Procedure or the Work of Procedure, and are not brought into comply with them within three working days, then in case of submitting the draft to the National Assembly for a debate, the Chairperson of the National Assembly, and in case of submission to the head committee for a debate, the Chairperson of that Committee shall return them to the presenting person, indicating the reasons;
2) meet the requirements established by the Rules of Procedure or the Work Procedure, then they are given a course by the established procedure.
Article 73. Terms for Debate of a Draft Law Considered Urgent by a Decision of the Government
1. A draft law, considered urgent by the resolution of the Government, shall be adopted or rejected within two months.
2. A draft law, considered urgent by the resolution of the Government, shall be debated in the first reading at regular sittings of the National Assembly and put to a vote within a month after being put into circulation, and in the second reading: within a month after being adopted for the first reading.
3. A period between the regular sessions of the National Assembly shall not be counted in the terms established by parts 1 and 2 of this Article.
4. A draft ceases to be considered urgent if, upon the proposal of the representative of the Government, the debate of the issue is postponed or extended for a period exceeding the period specified in part 1 of this Article in accordance with the procedure established by the Rules of Procedure.
5. The term specified in part 1 of this Article shall not be considered expired if the National Assembly makes a decision regarding the draft: refuses to adopt it in the first reading, as well as in the second reading and fully or adopts it as a law.
Article 74. Question of Confidence in the Government in Connection with the Adoption of a Draft Law
1. The Government, in connection with the adoption of its submitted draft law, may raise the question of its confidence.
2. The Government, in connection with a draft law, may raise the issue of its confidence no more than twice during the same session.
3. The government may not raise the issue of its confidence during a military or emergency situation, as well as in connection with the adoption of a constitutional draft law.
4. The Prime Minister or a representative of the Government, before a voting of a draft law in the first or second reading, may require that the debate of a draft shall be terminated before the next sitting, for orientation of putting forward the issue of confidence in the Government in connection with the adoption of that draft.
5. The government shall raise the issue of its confidence by submitting to the Chairperson of the National Assembly or to the officer presiding over the sitting an official letter signed by the Prime Minister, wherein shall be indicated the title of the draft law, in the connection of which the Government shall raise the issue of its confidence. The draft resolution of the National Assembly on expressing confidence in the Government shall be attached to the official letter.
6. The draft resolution of the National Assembly on expressing confidence in the Government shall be put to a vote without debate, no later than within 72 hours after its submission. In case no regular sittings of the National Assembly are held in that period, the draft shall be put to a vote at a special sitting of the National Assembly, immediately convened by virtue of law.
(Supplemented by the LA-50-N, dated 17.01.2018)
7. The resolution on expressing confidence in the Government shall be adopted by a roll-call vote - by a majority of votes of the total number of Deputies.
8. If the decision of the National Assembly on expressing confidence in the Government is adopted within the time period established by part 1 of Article 157 of the Constitution, then the draft law submitted by the Government is considered to be adopted as a law.
Article 75. Submission and Debate of a Draft Law, Considered to be of Primary Importance According to a Decision of a Faction
1. A draft law proposed by a faction may be considered as priority by its resolution, if a conclusion of the head committee related to it is received or the deadline for submitting the conclusion has expired.
2. During each regular session of the National Assembly, by a resolution of a faction, one draft can be considered as priority.
3. The resolution of a faction on considering a draft as a priority shall be submitted to the Chairperson of the National Assembly no later than 18:00 on Thursday of the week preceding the first regular sittings, as well as Friday of the week preceding the other regular sittings of the National Assembly.
(Amended by the LA-50-N, dated 17.01.2018)
4. If two or more priority drafts are included in the agenda of regular sittings of the National Assembly, they shall be debated according to the sequence of days of being put into circulation. If the drafts are put into circulation on the same day, then the sequence of the debate of the drafts shall be determined according to the number of the members of a faction - in ascending order.
Article 76. Adoption of Laws
1. Constitutional laws shall be adopted by at least three fifths of votes of the total number of Deputies. Laws foreseen by part 3 of Article 109, part 2 of Article 116, Article 117, part 4 of Article 119, part 4 of Article 120 and part 1 of Article 122 of the Constitution shall be adopted by a majority of votes of the total number of Deputies, and other laws by a majority of the votes of Deputies participating in the voting, if more than half of the total number of Deputies participated in the voting.
2.If the National Assembly rejects the adoption of a draft law submitted in accordance with the procedure established by part 6 of Article 109 of the Constitution, then the draft can be put to a referendum in accordance with the procedure established by the Constitution and the Constitutional Law of the Republic of Armenia "On Referendum."
(Supplemented by the LA-50-N, dated 17.01.2018)
CHAPTER 17
PROCEDURE FOR THE DEBATE OF A DRAFT LAW IN THE FIRST READING
Article 77. Submission of Written Proposals on a Draft Law Put into Circulation
1. The right to submit written proposals on a draft law put into circulation shall belong to the author, Deputy, a faction and the Government.
(Supplemented by the LA-50-N, dated 17.01.2018)
2. Written proposals shall be submitted within a month after a draft is put into circulation.
(Amended by the LA-50-N, dated 17.01.2018)
3. Written proposals regarding a draft, considered urgent by the decision of the Government, as well as draft laws on ratification, suspension or renunciation of international treaties, shall be submitted within two weeks after the draft is put into circulation.
(Amended by the LA-50-N, dated 17.01.2018)
4. If the issue for debate in the first reading has been included on the agenda of the extraordinary session or sitting of the National Assembly and the deadline prescribed by part 2 or 3 has not expired, then the written proposals may be submitted within two working days after the publication of the agenda of the session or sitting, as well as draft agenda issues on the official website of the National Assembly.
(Supplemented LA-50-N, dated 17.01.2018)
Article 78. Preliminary Debate in the Head Committee of a Draft Law Before the First Reading
1. A draft law put into circulation shall be debated in the head committee without changes - within two weeks after the deadline for the submission of written proposals, and in case envisaged by part 4 of Article 77: within two working days after the deadline for the submission of written proposals.
(Amended by the LA-50-N, dated 17.01.2018)
2. During a debate of the issue:
1) the author of the draft shall take the floor with a main speech;
2) the author, in the course of his report or concluding speech, may submit proposals regarding the draft as well as express his position on other proposals submitted in accordance with the established procedure;
(Amended by the LA-50-N, dated 17.01.2018)
3) the representative of the Government has the right to ask questions to the speaker;
4) the members of the committee, and in case of a Deputy or civil initiative - also a representative of the Government may submit proposals related to the draft in their speeches;
5) the authors of written proposals, submitted in accordance with the established procedure, have the right to speak and answer the questions;
6) the members of the committee, as well as the main speaker, have the right to ask questions to the authors of the proposals after the speech.
3. After the concluding speech of the main speaker:
1) the draft shall be put to a vote without changes, if no proposal related to it has been submitted by the established procedure;
2) all proposals submitted in accordance with the procedure established by Article 77 of the Rules of Procedure, as well as by part 2 of this Article, shall be put to a vote in accordance with the procedure established by the Work of Procedure.
4. After the voting on proposals, the main speaker may:
1) put the draft to a vote without change, if the draft is reserved to the exclusive competence of the Government;
2) put the draft to a vote with corrections agreeable, if the draft is reserved to the exclusive competence of the Government;
3) put the draft to a vote with all the corrections made on the basis of all the proposals adopted by the committee;
4) put the draft to a vote with corrections made on the basis of part of the proposals adopted by a committee;
5) postpone a vote for the issue in order to elaborate the draft, which shall be considered adopted without a vote. In case the elaborated draft is submitted by the main presenter at least three working days before the forthcoming sitting of the committee, it, without a debate, shall be put to a vote at that sitting by the prescribed procedure by paragraphs 2-4 of this part. If no elaborated draft is submitted within two months after the postponement of voting for the issue or by the author's written application, and the committee decides that period is not extended, then the draft shall be withdrawn from circulation.
(Amended by the LA-50-N, dated 17.01.2018)
5. If the draft put to a vote is adopted in the cases established by paragraph 1 of part 3, part 4 or paragraph 1 of part 6 of this Article, then it shall be deemed to have received a positive conclusion of the committee and, in case of its non-adoption, a negative conclusion of the committee.
6. In a case as indicated in paragraph 4 of part 4 of this Article, for the submission of an elaborated draft on the basis of all adopted proposals of the committee, by the consent of the author of the draft that received a negative conclusion, five to ten working days are allocated. If during an established term:
1) one of the factions or one of the Deputies submits an elaborated draft, on the basis of all the proposals adopted by a committee, then within three working days, but no later than Friday of the week preceding the forthcoming regular sittings, it shall be put to a vote at the sitting of the committee without a debate. In case of receiving a positive conclusion, this draft, as well as another draft that received a negative conclusion, shall be considered alternative and shall be debated at a sitting of the National Assembly by a procedure established by Article 80 of the Rules of Procedure. If the elaborated draft receives a negative conclusion, then, it, as well as negative conclusions regarding the other draft, shall be submitted to the National Assembly within one working day;
(Supplemented LA-50-N, dated 17.01.18)
2) no elaborated draft, on the basis of all the proposals adopted by the committee is submitted, then a negative conclusion regarding the draft, indicated in paragraph 4 of part 4 of this Article, shall be submitted to the National Assembly within one working day.
7. The procedure established by part 6 of this Article shall not extend to drafts reserved to exclusive competence of the Government.
8. The elaborated drafts, in the cases foreseen by paragraph 5 of part 4, as well as paragraph 1 of part 6 of this Article, shall be submitted to the head committee, and in cases foreseen by paragraphs 2-4 of part 4 of this Article, to the National Assembly.
Article 79. Debate of a Draft Law in the First Reading at the Sitting of the National Assembly
1. During the debate of a draft law in the first reading at a sitting of the National Assembly, the author of the draft shall take the floor with the main report, and with the co-report may take the floor:
(Supplemented by the LA-17-N, dated 02.10.2018)
1) the representative of the head committee;
2) the representative of the members of the committee who submitted a special opinion regarding the conclusion of the head committee;
3) the representative of the Government, if the draft has been submitted on the initiative of a faction, a Deputy or by a procedure of a civil initiative;
4) one representative from the standing committees who submitted a written conclusion on the draft.
2. If a draft is submitted on the initiative of a faction, a Deputy, or by a procedure of a civil initiative, then during the exchange of opinions, prior to the speeches of the representatives of the factions, the right of an extraordinary speech belongs to a member of the Government, authorized by the Prime Minister, and in cases foreseen by a resolution of the Council or of the National Assembly regarding the establishment of the duration of the debate of the issue, up to three members of the Government.
3. Prior to the concluding speech of the co-speaker, the right to take the floor with the concluding speech belongs to the representative of the Government who took the floor with a co-report.
4. In the cases specified in paragraph 1 of part 3, paragraphs 3 and 4 of part 4 of Article 78 of the Rules of Procedure, the draft, which has received a positive conclusion of the head committee, shall be put to a vote without an amendment, and the draft reserved to the exclusive competence of the Government may be put to a vote with corrections acceptable for the Government.
5. If the draft is reserved to the exclusive competence of the Government, or the draft has received a negative conclusion of the head committee, or the head committee did not submit a conclusion on the draft in the terms established by the Rules of Procedure, then the author of the draft, in order to elaborate the draft, may propose to postpone the debate of the issue at a sitting of the National Assembly, which shall be adopted without a vote.
6. In case the elaborated draft is submitted within two months after the postponement of the debate of the issue, but no later than Friday of the week preceding the regular sittings, the debate of the issue shall be resumed at those regular sittings, and in case the elaborated issue is not submitted within the established period, the draft shall be removed from circulation. In case of resuming the debate of the issue:
(Amended by the LA-50-N, dated 17.01.2018)
1) the main speaker may take the floor with a speech up to five minutes, and without changes, may put the elaborated draft to a vote;
2) the representative of the head committee may take the floor with a speech up to three minutes;
3) the representatives of the factions may take the floor with speeches up to two minutes;
7. If, by the result of a vote, the resolution of the National Assembly is adopted, then the draft shall be considered adopted in the first reading, and in case the resolution is not adopted, the draft shall be withdrawn from circulation.
Article 80. Debate in the First Reading of Draft Laws Deemed Alternative
1. In accordance with paragraph 1 of part 6 of Article 78 of the Rules of Procedure, the drafts considered alternative shall be debated and voted by the procedure established by Article 79 of the Rules of Procedure, with the following difference:
1) the authors of the draft laws, considered alternative, shall have the right to a main speech. The first to take the floor shall be the author of a draft, whose draft was the first to be debated in the head committee;
2) the debate of the issue may be postponed with the agreement of the main speakers;
3) the drafts shall be put to a vote according to the sequence of debate.
2. If both drafts receive the number of votes necessary for adoption, then the draft that received the largest number of votes "for" shall be considered adopted.
3. If both drafts receive the number of votes necessary for adoption, and the votes are equal, then the draft that received the smallest number of votes "against" is considered adopted.
CHAPTER 18
PROCEDURE FOR DEBATE OF A DRAFT LAW IN THE SECOND READING
Article 81. Submission of Written Proposals Related to the Draft Law Adopted in the First Reading
1. The author, the faction and the Government have the right to submit written proposals regarding the draft law, adopted in the first reading, as well as other Deputies, in addition to the author, but regarding only the amended provisions of the draft put into circulation.
(Edited by the LA-50-N, dated 17.01.2018)
2. Written proposals may be submitted within two weeks after the adoption of the draft in the first reading.
(Amended the LA-50-N dated 17.01.2018)
2.1. If issues on the debate of the draft of the same law are included in the first and second readings on the agenda of the extraordinary session or the sitting of the National Assembly, written proposals may be submitted within the time period prescribed by the resolution of the National Assembly, foreseen in accordance by part 6 of Article 41 or part 7 of Article 44 of the Rules of Procedure.
(Supplemented by the LA-50-N, dated 17.01.2018)
2.2. If the issue on debating the draft law in the second reading, which was adopted in the first reading, is included in the agenda of the extraordinary session or the sitting of the National Assembly and the deadline established by part 2 of this Article has not expired, then the written proposals may be submitted within two working days after the publication of the draft agendas of an extraordinary session or sitting, as well as agenda draft issues on the official website of the National Assembly.
(Supplemented by the LA-50-N dated 17.01.2018)
3. The terms established by parts 2 and 2.2 of this Article may be amended by a resolution of the National Assembly, by the proposal of the author or the head committee. The proposal on amending the deadline shall be put to a vote without discussion - immediately after the adoption of the draft in the first reading.
(Amended the LA-50-N dated 17.01.2018)
Article 82. Preliminary Debate of a Draft Law in the Head Committee Before the Second Reading
1. A draft law adopted in the first reading shall be debated without change in the head committee within two weeks after the expiration of the deadline for the submission of written proposals. In a case foreseen by part 2.2 of Article 81 of the Rules of Procedure it shall be debated within two working days after the deadline is expired for the submission of written proposals, and if issues on debating the same draft law in the first and second readings are included in the agenda of the extraordinary session or sitting of the National Assembly, in the established term, in accordance with the resolution of the National Assembly, foreseen by part 6 of Article 41 or part 7 of Article 44 of the Rules of Procedure.
(Supplemented by the LA-50-N, dated 17.01.2018)
2. An issue in the committee shall be debated in the procedure established by parts 2-5 and 8 of Article 78 of the Rules of Procedure.
Article 83. Debate of a Draft Law in the Second Reading at the Sitting of the National Assembly
1. A draft law shall be debated in the second reading at the sitting of the National Assembly by the procedure prescribed by Article 79 of the Rules of Procedure.
2. Only the authors of the proposals, regarding the drafts submitted in accordance with the procedure established by the Rules of Procedure, have the right to give questions to the speakers.
3. If the draft is not adopted, then the main speaker, by a resolution of the National Assembly, may immediately after the voting propose to return the debate of the draft to the stage for submission of written proposals foreseen by Article 81 of the Rules of Procedure, which shall be put to a vote without discussion. In case the resolution is not adopted or the proposal is not submitted, the draft is withdrawn from circulation.
4. The Chairperson of the National Assembly shall, within a week, send the adopted law to the President of the Republic, who shall sign and promulgate it within twenty-one days after the receipt, or at the same term shall apply to the Constitutional Court for determining the correspondence of the law with the Constitution.
Article 84. Initiative for Adopting the Constitution or Making an Amendment to the Constitution
1. The right to adopt or the initiative of amending the Articles of the Constitution specified in part 1 of Article 202 of the Constitution belongs to not less than one third of the total number of Deputies, the Government or two hundred thousand citizens who have the right to vote.
2. The right of the initiative of amending the other Articles of the Constitution, with the exception of Articles specified in part 1 of Article 202 of the Constitution, shall belong to not less than one quarter of the total number of Deputies, the Government or one hundred and fifty thousand citizens who have the right to vote.
3. The initiative for adopting the Constitution or amending the Articles specified in part 1 of Article 202 of the Constitution shall be implemented by submitting for the debate of the National Assembly the draft amendments to the Constitution, as well as the draft resolution of the National Assembly relating to putting that draft for a referendum.
4. The initiative for amending other Articles of the Constitution, with the exception of Articles specified in part 1 of Article 202 of the Constitution, shall be implemented by submitting the draft amendment to the Constitution for a debate of the National Assembly.
5. The Government's initiative for amending the Constitution shall be implemented by a resolution of the Government, and the civil initiative shall be in accordance with the procedure of civil initiative for presenting a draft law to the National Assembly in conformity with the established procedure by the Constitutional Law of the Republic of Armenia "On Referendum."
(Supplemented by the LA-50-N, dated 17.01.2018)
6. The author of the initiative of the Constitutional amendments is the appropriate person, foreseen by Article 66 of the Rules of Procedure, who has the powers of the author of legislative initiative.
Article 85. Procedure for Submitting an Initiative for Constitutional Amendments for Debate by the National Assembly and Putting the Draft into Circulation
1. The draft amendments to the Constitution shall be submitted to the National Assembly for a debate by an official letter sent to the Chairperson of the National Assembly through the Staff. The form of the official letter, as well as the documents presented attached to it, shall be established by the Work Procedure.
2. If the official letter related to the initiative:
1) does not meet the requirements established by the Rules of Procedure and the Work Procedure and is not brought into conformity with them within three working days, then the Chairperson of the National Assembly shall return the official letter and the documents attached to it to the author of the initiative, indicating the reasons;
2) meets the requirements established by the Rules of Procedure and the Work Procedure, then the Chairperson of the National Assembly within three working days after receiving the official letter shall appoint the head committee and, shall put into circulation the draft amendments to the Constitution in accordance with the procedure established by the Work Procedure.
3. The draft amendments to the Constitution shall be withdrawn from circulation by the procedure as prescribed by Article 68 of the Rules of Procedure for draft laws, as well as in cases prescribed by Article 86 of the Rules of Procedure.
Article 86. Procedure for Debating and Adopting Draft Amendments to the Constitution
1. Draft amendments to the Constitution shall be debated in the National Assembly in two readings: with the procedure established by Chapters 16-18 of the Rules of Procedure for draft laws.
2. Prior to the second reading and completely adopting the draft amendments to the Constitution, the draft resolution of the National Assembly on applying to the Constitutional Court related to the issue of amendment to the Constitution shall be put to a vote. If the resolution is adopted, the Chairperson of the National Assembly shall sign this resolution within two working days and, together with the draft amendment to the Constitution debated in the second reading, shall send them to the Constitutional Court, to make an assessment from the point of view of the constitutionality of the draft amendments to the Constitution as regards the unchanging articles of the Constitution, and the debate of the issue shall be interrupted until the resolution of the Constitutional Court is received.
(Supplemented by the LA-304-N dated 03.06.2020)
3. If the Constitutional Court, when making an assessment from the point of view of the constitutionality of the draft amendments to the Constitution as regards the unchanging articles of the Constitution, recognizes the draft amendment to the Constitution contrary to the Constitution, then the draft shall be withdrawn from circulation.
(Supplemented by the LA-304-N dated 03.06.2020)
4. If the Constitutional Court, when making an assessment from the point of view of the constitutionality of the draft amendments to the Constitution as regards the unchanging articles of the Constitution, recognizes the draft amendment to the Constitution in accordance with the Constitution, after the entry of its decision into force, the voting on the issue at the forthcoming regular sittings of the National Assembly shall be carried out in the following procedure:
(Supplemented and Amended by the LA-304-N dated 03.06.2020)
1) in the case specified in part 3 of Article 84 of the Rules of Procedure, the draft resolution of the National Assembly on putting to a referendum of a draft amendment to the Constitution shall be put to a vote, which shall be adopted by at least two thirds of the total number of Deputies;
2) in the case specified in part 4 of Article 84 of the Rules of Procedure, the draft amendment to the Constitution shall be put to a vote, which shall be adopted by at least two thirds of the total number of Deputies.
5. If the draft amendment to the Constitution specified in paragraph 2 of part 4 of this Article is not adopted, then the main speaker may take the floor with a speech up to 20 minutes presenting a draft resolution of the National Assembly on putting forward the draft for referendum. After the speech of the main speaker, the representatives of factions may take the floors with the speeches up to 10 minutes, after which the draft resolution shall be put to a vote. The resolution shall be adopted by at least three fifths of the total number of Deputies. If the resolution is not adopted, the draft shall be withdrawn from circulation.
6. The Chairperson of the National Assembly, within one week, shall send the resolution of the National Assembly on putting to a referendum of draft amendments to the Constitution together with the relevant draft, to the President of the Republic, who shall appoint a referendum within three days after receiving them.
7. The Chairperson of the National Assembly, within one week, shall promulgate the amendments to the Constitution adopted by the National Assembly.
(Amended by the LA-309-N, dated 22.06.2020)
Article 87. Terms of the Submission, Debate and Adoption of the Draft Law on the State Budget
1. The National Assembly shall adopt the state budget upon submission of the Government. The state budget shall include budget revenues and expenditures, as prescribed by law.
2. The Government, by the procedure established by the Rules of Procedure and the Law of the Republic of Armenia "On the Budget System of the Republic of Armenia," shall submit the draft state budget to the National Assembly for a debate at least ninety days prior to the beginning of the fiscal year.
3. The form of the official letter on the submission of the draft, as well as the list of the documents submitted attached to it, shall be established by the Work Procedure.
4. The debate of the draft at a sitting of the National Assembly shall begin no later than the first regular sittings of November preceding the budget year.
Article 88. Preliminary Debate of the Draft Law on the State Budget in the Standing Committees
1. The Chairperson of the National Assembly within two working days after receiving the draft law on the state budget, consulting with the Prime Minister, shall draw up a schedule for holding preliminary debates of a draft and for presentation of proposals at sittings of the head and other standing committees, and their joint sittings and shall submit it for the approval of the Council.
2. The head committee for the preliminary debate of the draft is the competent standing committee.
3. Preliminary debates of the draft shall take place at sittings and joint sittings of the standing committees, by the established procedure of which, members of the Government and persons authorized by the Prime Minister as well as other persons indicated in the schedule also shall participate in it.
4. The results of the preliminary debate of the draft in the head committee, during the debate of an issue at a sitting of the National Assembly, through a co-report, shall be presented by the representative of the committee.
5. The right to take the floor with a co-report during the debate of the draft in the National Assembly, except for the head committee, belongs to the representatives of other standing committees if the draft was previously debated in those committees and there is the conclusion of the committee about it.
6. Items related to expenditure articles of the draft containing state secrets shall be debated at a closed joint sitting of the competent standing committees of the National Assembly. Deputies, the Chairman of the Audit Chamber and persons authorized by the Government may participate in it.
(Amended by the LA-97-N, dated 24.03.2023)
Article 89. Written Proposals on the Draft Law on the State Budget and the Submission of the Draft to the National Assembly for Debate
1. The right to submit written proposals by a result of preliminary debates of the draft state budget shall belong to the Deputies and factions.
2. The government, after the expiry of the deadline for the submission of written proposals, may submit the draft for a debate to the National Assembly without change, either by elaborating it on its own initiative, or on the basis of written proposals.
3. The Government shall submit to the National Assembly for a debate the elaborated draft, attached to it a summary, formed in accordance with the procedure established by the Work Procedure.
4. Proposals, regarding which the Government has expressed a positive conclusion in the summary, shall be obligatorily included in the draft budget.
Article 90. Procedure for a Debate of a Draft Law on the State Budget at a Sitting of the National Assembly
1. A draft law on the state budget shall be debated at a sitting of the National Assembly in a general procedure, without establishment of duration in accordance with the procedure established by this Article.
(Supplemented by the LA-50-N, dated 17.01.2018)
2. No more than three representatives of the Government may take the floor, with duration up to thirty minutes.
3. With a co-report up to 30 minutes, shall take the floor:
1) the Chairman of the Central Bank: presenting a conclusion on the draft of the Central Bank;
2) the representative of the head committee: submitting the draft, as well as the conclusion of the committee related to its adoption or rejection;
3) the representative of the competent standing committee: presenting the conclusion of the committee on the legality and validity of expenses of a draft containing state secrets;
(Amended by the LA-97-N, dated 01.03.2023)
4) one representative from the other standing committees, which have submitted a conclusion related to the draft: submitting the relevant conclusion.
4. Prior to the speeches of the factions, by the proposal of the Prime Minister, the members of the Government and the Governors are entitled to take the floor with seven extraordinary speeches.
5. The exchange of opinions shall finish with the concluding speech up to 30 minutes of the Prime Minister or the head of the public administration body in the area of public financial management, authorized by the Government.
6. After the end of the exchange of opinions, the officer presiding over the sitting shall declare a recess for the debate of the draft for at least four days.
7. After the recess for the debate of the draft, Deputies and factions shall submit their proposals in accordance with the procedure established by the Work Procedure.
(Supplemented by the LA-50-N, dated 17.01.18)
Article 91. Resumption of the Debate of a Draft Law on the State Budget at a Sitting of the National Assembly
1. After the resumption of the debate of the draft law on the state budget, the issue shall be debated in accordance with the general procedure: in accordance with the procedure established by this Article.
2. The Prime Minister or the head of the state government body in the area of public finance management, authorized by the Government, in his speech up to one hour, shall represent the final version of the draft and the proposals included in the summary list, after which he may be asked questions.
3. In case of presenting an application, the right to one speech with duration of ten minutes belongs to:
1) Deputies who submitted a proposal regarding the draft;
2) one representative from the factions;
3) one representative from the standing committees;
4) the Chairperson of the National Assembly, his deputies.
4. After the speeches, the Prime Minister or the head of the state government body, authorized by the Government in the area of public financial management, shall deliver a 30-minute concluding speech, and may propose to adopt the final version of the draft law on the state budget as a law.
5. In case that the draft law on the state budget is not adopted, the Government shall, within two weeks after a voting, submit to the National Assembly a draft state budget, which, shall be debated and put to a vote within a month as prescribed by this Chapter of the Rules of Procedure.
6. In a case specified in part 4 or 5 of present Article, related to the adoption of the draft law on the state budget, the Government may raise the issue of its confidence with the procedure prescribed by Article 74 of the Rules of Procedure. If the decision about expressing confidence in the Government:
1) is adopted, then the draft law on the state budget is considered to be adopted as a law;
2) it is not adopted, then the draft state budget shall be submitted to the National Assembly within two weeks after approval of the new Government's program in accordance with the procedure established by this Chapter, and it shall be put to a vote within one month after the submission.
7. The draft law on making additions or amendments to the law on the state budget shall be debated in the National Assembly by a special procedure.
Article 92. Procedure for Submitting and Debating a Draft Law on the Ratification, Suspension or Revocation of International Treaties
1. The right of the initiative of a draft law on the ratification, suspension or revocation of an international treaty belongs to the Government.
2. An international treaty shall be submitted for the ratification of the National Assembly, if it, or the obligations enshrined therein, by a decision of the Constitutional Court do not contradict the Constitution.
3. The draft law on ratification, suspension or revocation of an international treaty shall be debated at a sitting of the National Assembly in one reading.
4 The draft law on ratification, suspension or revocation of an international treaty can be put to a vote in the head committee and the National Assembly only with corrections acceptable for the Government.
5. The law on ratification, suspension or revocation of an international treaty shall be adopted by majority of votes of the total number of Deputies.
6. If a decision on ratification of an international treaty is adopted and, in accordance with the Government's certificate, from the relevant treaty follows that a new law shall be adopted or amendments shall be made to the law in function then the Government within the time period established by the Law of the Republic of Armenia "On International Treaties of the Republic of Armenia" shall submit to the National Assembly draft laws on making amendments to the relevant law or adopting a new law.
7. The procedure established by this Article shall also apply to the adoption of draft laws on the joining of the Republic of Armenia to international treaties.
8. The procedure established by this Article does not apply to issues related to the membership of the Republic of Armenia to supranational international organizations, as well as issues related to a change of the territory of the Republic of Armenia, which shall be solved by the procedure established by Article 205 of the Constitution and Article 104 of the Rules of Procedure.
Article 93. The Procedure for Submitting and Debating a Draft Law on Amnesty
1. The right of initiative on a draft law on amnesty shall belong to the Government.
2. The draft law on amnesty shall be debated at a closed sitting of the competent standing committee.
3. The draft law on amnesty shall be debated at forthcoming regular sittings of the National Assembly after the expiration of the time period for submitting the conclusion of the competent standing committee.
4. The draft law on amnesty may be put to a vote in the head committee or the National Assembly only with corrections acceptable for the Government.
5. The draft law on amnesty shall be adopted by a majority vote of the total number of Deputies.
Article 94. Procedure for Submitting and Debating a Draft Law on the Administrative - Territorial Division of the Republic of Armenia
1. The right of the initiative of the draft law on the administrative-territorial division of the Republic of Armenia shall belong to the Government.
2. Heads of municipalities, in cases of unification or separation of municipalities, shall have the right to submit to the National Assembly their written opinions on unification or separation, and in the course of the debate of the issue in the National Assembly or the head committee: to take the floor with a co-report.
3. The heads of municipalities shall send their written applications related to participation in the debate of the issue to the Chairperson of the National Assembly within five working days after putting the relevant draft law in circulation in the National Assembly.
4. The draft law on administrative-territorial division may be put to a vote in the head committee or the National Assembly only with the corrections acceptable for the Government.
Article 95. Procedure for Presenting and Debating a Draft Law on the Establishment of an Inter-municipal Association
1. The right of the initiative of a draft law on the establishment of an inter-municipal union shall belong to the Government.
2. The heads of municipalities of the inter-municipal union established by a draft law have the right to submit to the National Assembly their written opinion related to the union, and in the course of the debate of the issue in the National Assembly or the head committee: to take the floor with a co-report.
3. The heads of municipalities shall send to the Chairperson of the National Assembly their written applications related to the participation in the debate of the issue within five working days after putting the relevant draft law into circulation.
4. The draft law on the establishment of an inter-municipal union can be put to a vote in the head committee or the National Assembly only with the corrections acceptable for the Government.
Article 96. Procedure for a Debate of an Issue Considered Extraordinary by an Opposition Faction
1. A draft law or resolution of the National Assembly, with the consent of the author and by the resolution of the opposition faction, may be considered extraordinary if the conclusion of the head committee regarding it has been received or the deadline for submitting the conclusion has expired.
2. The following issues cannot be considered extraordinary:
1) draft amendments to the Constitution;
2) debate of a draft law in the second reading;
3) a draft law, considered extraordinary by the resolution of the faction;
4) draft resolutions of the National Assembly on election, appointment to office, as well as on termination of powers, dismissal from office and on recall.
3. At the second main sitting of the Tuesday of every second regular sitting, convened within the time-frames specified in part 1 of Article 36 of the Rules of Procedure, one issue, considered extraordinary by an opposition faction shall be debated.
(Amended by the LA-50-N dated 17.01.2018)
4. The resolution of the opposition faction on considering an issue extraordinary may be submitted to the Chairperson of the National Assembly no later than at 18:00 of Friday of the week preceding the regular sittings of the National Assembly. If two or more resolutions are submitted during this period, then at the forthcoming regular sittings there will be debated the issue, according to which the resolution was presented earlier than the others. If the resolutions were submitted on the same day, then the sequence of the debate of the issues considered extraordinary shall be determined according to the number of the members of the opposition factions - in ascending order.
5. The duration of the debate of the issue shall be 90 minutes.
SECTION 4
PROCEDURE FOR ADOPTION OF RESOLUTIONS, STATEMENTS AND ADDRESSES OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
CHAPTER 22
PROCEDURE FOR SUBMISSION AND DEBATE OF DRAFT RESOLUTIONS, STATEMENTS AND ADDRESSES OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
Article 97. Resolutions of the National Assembly
1. The National Assembly shall adopt resolutions in the cases established by the Constitution, as well as on the organizational issues of its activities.
2. The Work Procedure, as well as other resolutions on the organizational issues of the activities of the National Assembly, shall be adopted by the cases and procedure foreseen by the Rules of Procedure.
3. The right to submit a draft resolution of the National Assembly or proposals to adopt a resolution of the National Assembly shall belong to the persons foreseen by the Constitution or by the Rules of Procedure.
4. A draft resolution of the National Assembly may be put into circulation or presented during the sitting of the National Assembly in the procedure established by the Rules of Procedure.
5. A proposal related to the adoption of a resolution of the National Assembly, in cases directly foreseen by the Rules of Procedure, shall be submitted during a sitting of the National Assembly.
6. A draft resolution of the National Assembly shall be debated in the National Assembly in one reading.
Article 98. Statements and Addresses of the National Assembly
1. A statement or the address of the National Assembly is an expression of a political position of the National Assembly on certain issues, events and facts.
2. The right to submit a draft statement or address of the National Assembly belongs to a Deputy and a faction.
3. A draft statement or the address of the National Assembly shall be submitted and put into circulation in accordance with the procedure established by the Rules of Procedure for draft resolutions of the National Assembly.
4. A draft statement or an address proposed by the Chairperson of the National Assembly may be submitted also during a sitting of the National Assembly and debated in an extraordinary procedure.
5. Statements and addresses of the National Assembly shall be adopted by a majority of the votes of the Deputies participating in a voting, if more than half of the total number of Deputies participated in the voting.
Article 99. Submission and Putting into Circulation a Draft Resolution of the National Assembly
1. A draft resolution of the National Assembly shall be submitted to the National Assembly for debate by an official letter addressed to the Chairperson of the National Assembly through the Staff. The form of the official letter, as well as the list of documents submitted attached to it, shall be established by the Work Procedure.
2. If the official letter:
1) does not meet the requirements established by the Rules of Procedure and the Work Procedure and is not brought into conformity with them within three working days, the Chairperson of the National Assembly shall return the official letter and the documents attached to it to the author, specifying the reasons;
2) meets the requirements established by the Rules of Procedure and the Work Procedure, the Chairperson of the National Assembly shall appoint the head committee within three working days after receiving the official letter and, in accordance with the procedure established by the Work Procedure, shall put the draft resolution of the National Assembly into circulation.
Article 100. Preliminary Debate of a Draft Resolution of the National Assembly
1. A Preliminary debate of a draft resolution of the National Assembly shall be implemented in accordance with the general procedure established by Article 71 of the Rules of Procedure.
2. A draft resolution of the National Assembly shall be debated in the head committee within two weeks after it was put into circulation, and in case the draft is included on the agenda of an extraordinary session or a sitting of the National Assembly, within two working days.
3. Prior to the completion of the debate of the issue, the author has the right to submit an elaborated draft or suggest in his final speech to postpone the debate of the issue at a sitting of the committee with the purpose of elaborating the draft, which shall be considered to be adopted without a vote. In case the debate of the issue is not postponed, the draft shall be put to a vote.
4. If the debate of the issue at a sitting of the committee is postponed for the purpose of elaborating the draft, and after it, within two months the author does not submit an elaborated draft, or according to his written application, by the resolution of the committee that term is not prolonged, the draft shall be withdrawn from circulation.
5. If the elaborated draft is submitted not less than three working days before the forthcoming sitting of the committee, it shall be put to a vote at that sitting.
6. If the draft is adopted, it is considered that the committee submitted a positive conclusion regarding it to the National Assembly, and in case it was not adopted, it is considered that a negative conclusion was submitted.
Article 101. Debate and Adoption of a Draft Resolution of the National Assembly at a sitting of the National Assembly
1. During a debate of a draft resolution of the National Assembly at a sitting of the National Assembly, the author of the draft may take the floor with a main report, and with a co-report:
1) a representative of the head committee;
2) representatives of the standing committees of the National Assembly, who have submitted a conclusion regarding the draft;
3) a representative of the members of the committee who has submitted a special opinion regarding the conclusion of the head committee.
2. Prior to the author's concluding speech, all proposals submitted by factions related to the draft shall be put to a vote. The adopted proposals shall be included in the draft, which shall be put to a vote in a final form.
3. In his/her concluding speech, the main speaker may:
1) put the draft to a vote with the corrections specified in part 2 of this Article;
2) propose to postpone the debate of the issue at a sitting of the National Assembly with a purpose to elaborate the draft, which shall be adopted without a vote.
4. If an elaborated draft is submitted within two months after the postponement of the debate of the issue at the National Assembly sitting, but no later than Friday of the week preceding the regular sittings, the debate of the issue shall be resumed at those regular sittings. In case an elaborated draft is not submitted within the prescribed period, the draft shall be withdrawn from circulation.
(Amended by the LA-50-N, dated 17.01.2018)
5. In case the issue is resumed:
1) with a speech up to five minutes shall take the floor the main speaker, who may put the draft to a vote;
2) with a speech up to three minutes may take the floor the co- speaker;
3) with a speech up to two minutes may take the floor the representatives of the factions.
6. Resolutions of the National Assembly, with the exception of cases foreseen by the Constitution, shall be adopted by a majority of votes of the Deputies participating in a voting, if more than half of the total number of Deputies participated in the voting.
7. Decisions of the National Assembly in the cases specified by the Rules of procedure shall be adopted by a secret ballot or by a roll-call.
8. Resolutions, statements and addresses of the National Assembly shall be signed and promulgated by the Chairperson of the National Assembly by the procedure established by the Rules of Procedure.
9. Resolutions on the organizational issues of activities of the National Assembly, as well as statements and addresses, shall come into force from the moment of their adoption, and other resolutions of the National Assembly, from the moment of their promulgation, unless there is not established a later date by those resolutions.
10. Resolutions, as well as statements and addresses of the National Assembly, shall be officially published by established procedure by the Law of the Republic of Armenia "On Legal Acts."
Article 102. Withdrawal of a Draft Resolution of the National Assembly from Circulation
1. A draft resolution of the National Assembly shall be withdrawn from circulation in the following cases:
1) the main speaker, in accordance with the established procedure, shall not be present for the debate of the issue after the postponement of the debate of the issue on his proposal, or in case he is absent at the beginning of the debate of the issue at a sitting of the National Assembly or the head committee.
(Edited by the LA-50-N, dated 17.01.2018)
2) the author, by an established procedure, does not submit an elaborated draft after the postponement of the debate of the issue at a sitting of the National Assembly or the head committee;
3) a draft is not included in the agenda of the regular session by the results of voting;
4) after the discontinuation or termination of the Deputy powers of the authors of the draft, a Deputy or a faction, within two months, by a written application to the Chairperson of the National Assembly, does not inform about joining to the initiative, indicating the name and the second name of the main speaker;
4.1) In case a martial law or a state of emergency ends: - a draft resolution of the National Assembly on the validation of the resolution of the National Assembly on draft amendments to the Constitution for Referendum;
(Supplemented by the LA-304-N dated 03.06.2020)
5) the author recalls the draft.
2. In case of withdrawal from circulation, a draft is simultaneously withdrawn from the agendas of the regular sessions or sittings or their drafts.
CHAPTER 23
SPECIAL PROCEDURES OF THE DEBATE OF ISSUES REGARDING A RESOLUTION OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
Article 103. Approval of the Government Program
1. The Prime Minister shall, within twenty days after the formation of the Government, submit a program of the Government to the National Assembly.
2. During the debate of an issue at a sitting of the National Assembly:
1) the Prime Minister shall be given up to three hours to present the Government program, after which he may be asked questions;
2) one representative from each standing committee may take the floor with a co-report;
3) an exchange of opinions shall be implemented in a general procedure;
4) the Prime Minister is given up to one hour for the concluding speech.
3. The National Assembly shall approve the program of the Government within a seven-day period by a majority of votes of the total number of Deputies.
4. The resolution of the National Assembly on the approval of the Government's program shall be signed and promulgated by the Chairperson of the National Assembly without delay.
5. If the National Assembly does not approve the program of the Government, then within seven days after the adoption of the resignation of the Government, the factions have the right to nominate candidates for the Prime Minister in the procedure as prescribed in Article 140 of the Rules of Procedure and an election for a Prime Minister shall be held.
6. Part 5 of this Article does not extend to the program of the Government, formed in accordance with Article 115 of the Constitution.
Article 104. Procedure for Presenting and Debating a Draft Resolution of the National Assembly on Holding a Referendum Related to the Issues of Membership of the Republic of Armenia to Supranational International Organizations or regarding Changes in the Territory of the Republic of Armenia
1. The issues of membership of the Republic of Armenia to supranational international organizations, as well as changes in the territory of the Republic of Armenia, shall be solved through referendums.
2. The right to submit a draft resolution of the National Assembly on holding referendum regarding the membership of the Republic of Armenia to a supranational international organization or regarding the changes in the territory of the Republic of Armenia shall belong to the Government.
3. Immediately after the concluding speech of the main speaker, during a debate of a draft at a sitting of the National Assembly, a draft resolution of the National Assembly on applying to the Constitutional Court relating to the issue to be put to a referendum shall be put to a vote. If the resolution is not adopted, the draft resolution of the National Assembly on holding a referendum shall be withdrawn from circulation.
4. If the Constitutional Court recognizes the issue, submitted for referendum or drafts of legal acts relating to it, as contradicting the Constitution, then the draft resolution of the National Assembly on holding a referendum shall be withdrawn from circulation.
5. If the Constitutional Court recognizes the issue submitted for referendum and drafts of legal acts relating to it correspondent with the Constitution, then after receiving the resolution of the Constitutional Court - at forthcoming regular sittings of the National Assembly the draft resolution of the National Assembly on holding a referendum on the issue of membership of the Republic of Armenia to an international supranational organization or the change of the territory of the Republic of Armenia shall be put to a vote without a debate. The resolution shall be adopted by a majority of votes of the total number of Deputies.
6. The resolution of the National Assembly on holding a referendum relating the issue of membership of the Republic of Armenia to a supranational international organization or a change of the territory of the Republic of Armenia shall be signed and promulgated by the Chairperson of the National Assembly within 24 hours.
7. The President of the Republic shall appoint a referendum within three days after the adoption by the National Assembly of a resolution on holding a referendum.
Article 105. Procedure for Submission and Debate of a Proposal on Declaring war or Establishing Peace
1. The right to submit a proposal on declaring war or establishing peace shall belong to the Government.
2. The right to present a proposal on declaring war or establishing peace to the Chairperson of the National Assembly shall belong to the Prime Minister.
3. In case it is impossible to convene a sitting of the National Assembly, the issue on declaring war shall be solved the Government.
4. In case of convening a sitting of the National Assembly regarding the issue of declaring war, during the debate of the proposal of the Government at the sitting of the National Assembly, on declaring war, as well as establishing peace:
1) the representative of the Government shall take the floor with a main report, who may be asked questions;
2) there shall be no co-report;
3) only two representatives from each faction may take the floor during the exchange of opinions.
5. The decision of the National Assembly on declaring war or establishing peace shall be adopted by majority of votes of the total number of Deputies.
6. The Chairperson of the National Assembly shall sign and promulgate the decision of the National Assembly on declaring war or establishing peace without delay.
7. After the debate of the issue, the presiding officer shall declare the special sitting concluded.
Article 106. Procedure for Submission and Debate of a Draft Resolution of the National Assembly on Abolition of Martial Law or Cancellation of the Implementation of Measures Foreseen by the Legal Regime of Martial Law
1. The right for submitting a draft resolution of the National Assembly on abolition of martial law or cancellation of the implementation of the measures foreseen by the legal regime of martial law shall belong to a faction.
2. The draft shall be submitted for the debate by the National Assembly and put into circulation in accordance with the general procedure, and, in a case specified in paragraph 1 of part 4 of Article 47 of the Rules of Procedure, may be submitted at the sitting of the National Assembly.
3. The right of taking the floor with a co-report during the debate of the issue at a sitting of the National Assembly, after the representative of the head committee, shall belong to the representative of the Government.
4. The resolution of the National Assembly on abolition of martial law or cancellation of the implementation of the measures foreseen by the legal regime of martial law shall be adopted by a majority of votes of the total number of Deputies.
5. The resolution of the National Assembly on abolition of martial law or cancellation of the implementation of the measures foreseen by the legal regime of martial law shall be signed and promulgated by the Chairperson of the National Assembly without delay.
Article 107. Procedure for Submission and Debate of a Draft Resolution of the National Assembly on Abolition of State of Emergency or Cancellation of the Implementation of Measures Foreseen by the Legal Regime of State of Emergency
1. A faction has the right to introduce a draft resolution of the National Assembly on the abolition of state of emergency or cancellation of the implementation of the measures foreseen by the legal regime of state of emergency.
2. The draft shall be submitted to the National Assembly for a debate and put into circulation in a general procedure, and, in a case specified in paragraph I of part 4 of Article 48 of the Rules of Procedure, it may be submitted during a sitting of the National Assembly.
3. The right to take the floor with a co-report, after the representative of the head committee, during the debate of the issue at a sitting of the National Assembly, shall belong to a representative of the Government.
4. The decision of the National Assembly on the abolition of state of emergency or cancel the implementation of the measures foreseen by the legal regime of state of emergency shall be adopted by majority of votes of the total number of Deputies.
5. The decision of the National Assembly on the abolition of state of emergency or cancellation of the implementation of the measures foreseen by the legal regime of state of emergency shall be signed and promulgated without delay by the Chairperson of the National Assembly.
Article 107.1. The procedure for the submission and debate of the draft decision of the National Assembly on the invalidation of the decision of the National Assembly on the draft amendments to the Constitution for referendum
1. The right to submit the draft decision of the National Assembly on the invalidation of the decision of the National Assembly on draft amendments to the Constitution to be put on referendum, on the basis of which, the holding of the appointed referendum was suspended by the procedure prescribed by the Constitutional law “On Referendum,” shall have at least a quarter of the total number of Deputies or the Government.
2. The draft shall be submitted to the National Assembly for a debate and put into circulation in a general procedure, until the end of a martial law or a state of emergency. In case of state of emergency or martial law ends, the draft shall be removed from the circulation.
3. The decision of the National Assembly on putting the draft amendments to the Constitution to referendum, adopted by the prescribed procedure of Part 1 of Article 202 of the Constitution, shall be invalidated by at least two thirds of the total number of votes of the Deputies.
4. The decision of the National Assembly on putting the draft amendments to the Constitution to referendum, adopted by the prescribed procedure of Part 3 of Article 202 of the Constitution, shall be invalidated by at least three fifth of the total number of votes of the Deputies.
5. The Chairperson of the National Assembly shall immediately sign and promulgate the decision of the National Assembly on the invalidation of the decision of the National Assembly on submitting draft amendments to the Constitution for referendum.
(Supplemented by the LA-304-N dated 03.06.2020)
Article 108. Procedure for Giving Consent to Initiate Criminal Prosecution against a Deputy or Depriving Him of Liberty
1. The Prosecutor General shall submit a petition on giving consent to initiate criminal prosecution against a Deputy or deprivation of his liberty to the Chairperson of the National Assembly. The Chairperson of the National Assembly shall immediately notify the Deputy, indicated in the petition, and if that is not possible, he shall take the floor with a statement. The draft resolution of the National Assembly on giving consent to initiate criminal prosecution against a Deputy or depriving him of his liberty shall be attached to the petition.
2. The petition shall be debated at forthcoming regular sittings or may be discussed in an extraordinary session or in a sitting of the National Assembly in the following procedure:
(Supplemented by the LA-313-N dated 25.10.2023)
1) with speeches lasting up to twenty minutes, the Prosecutor General and the Deputy indicated in the petition, shall take the floor, who may be asked questions;
2) exchange of opinions;
3) the Deputy and the Prosecutor General specified in the petition shall be given up to 20 minutes each for concluding speeches.
3. If at the beginning of the debate of the issue the Deputy indicated in the petition is absent from a sitting of the National Assembly for an unjustified cause, then the issue shall be debated without his participation.
4. The resolution of the National Assembly on giving consent to initiate criminal prosecution against a Deputy or depriving him of his liberty shall be adopted by a secret ballot.
5. The Chairperson of the National Assembly shall sign and promulgate the decision of the National Assembly on giving consent to initiate criminal prosecution against a Deputy or depriving him of his liberty without delay.
Article 109. Procedure for Applying to the Constitutional Court for Termination of Powers of a Judge of the Constitutional Court
1. The powers of a judge of the Constitutional Court shall be terminated by a resolution of the Constitutional Court in cases of violation of the requirements regarding incompatibility, engagement in political activities, inability to stay in office for health reasons, or for committing a significant disciplinary violation.
2. The National Assembly may apply to the Constitutional Court on the issue for termination of powers of a judge of the Constitutional Court by a resolution adopted by at least three-fifths of the total number of Deputies by a secret ballot.
3. (Expired by the LA-50-N dated 17.01.2018)
4. The right to submit a draft resolution of the National Assembly on the appeal to the Constitutional Court on the issue of termination of powers of a judge of the Constitutional Court shall belong to a faction. If a judge of the Constitutional Court has committed a significant disciplinary violation or acquired such a physical defect or disease as determined by a Government decision, due to which he is unable to further exercise the powers of a judge of the Constitutional Court, the draft resolution of the National Assembly may be submitted within two weeks after the relevant grounds become known.
(Edited by the LA-50-N, dated 17.01.2018)
4.1. An application to terminate of the powers of a judge of the Constitutional Court on the grounds of a substantial disciplinary offense may be based on materials provided by the Commission on the Prevention of Corruption.
(Supplemented by the LA-201-N, dated 25.03.2020)
5. The draft shall be debated at forthcoming regular sittings of the National Assembly after a conclusion of the head committee is received or after the expiry of the deadline for presenting the conclusion.
6. During the debate of the issue at a sitting of the National Assembly, the judge of the Constitutional Court has the right to take the floor after the representative of the head committee to answer the questions, as well as to take the floor with a concluding speech.
7. If at the beginning of the debate of an issue the judge of the Constitutional Court is absent from a sitting of the National Assembly, then, the issue shall be debated without his participation.
8. The Chairperson of the National Assembly shall sign and promulgate the decision of the National Assembly on applying to the Constitutional Court regarding the issue of termination of the powers of a judge of the Constitutional Court, without delay.
9.An appeal on the issue of termination of powers of a judge of the Constitutional Court, submitted to the Constitutional Court, may be removed by a resolution of the National Assembly. The right to introduce such a draft shall belong to a faction. The draft shall be submitted to the National Assembly for a debate and put into circulation in a common procedure.
(Supplemented by the LA-50-N, dated 17.01.2018)
Article 110. Procedure for Giving Consent to Initiate Criminal Prosecution against the Human Rights Defender or Depriving Him of Liberty
1. The Prosecutor General shall submit to the Chairperson of the National Assembly a petition for giving consent to initiate criminal prosecution against the Human Rights Defender or deprivation of his liberty. The Chairperson of the National Assembly shall immediately notify the Human Rights Defender about this, and if this is impossible, he shall make a statement. The draft resolution of the National Assembly on giving consent to initiate criminal prosecution against the Human Rights Defender or deprivation of his liberty shall be attached to the petition.
2. The petition shall be debated at forthcoming regular sittings or may be discussed in an extraordinary session or in a sitting of the National Assembly. During the debate of the issue:
(Supplemented by the LA-313-N dated 25.10.2023)
1) The Prosecutor General and the Human Rights Defender shall take the floor with speeches lasting up to twenty minutes, and they may be asked questions;
2) only Deputies may take the floor during the exchange of opinions;
3) The Human Rights Defender and the Prosecutor General shall be given up to 20 minutes for the concluding speech.
3. If, at the beginning of the debate of the issue, the Human Rights Defender is absent at the sitting of the National Assembly for an unjustified cause, then the issue shall be debated without his participation.
4. The decision of the National Assembly on giving consent to initiate criminal prosecution against the Human Rights Defender or depriving him of liberty shall be adopted by a secret ballot, by at least no less than three-fifths votes of the total number of Deputies.
5. The Chairperson of the National Assembly shall sign and promulgate the decision of the National Assembly on giving consent to initiate criminal prosecution against the Human Rights Defender or deprivation of his liberty without delay.
Article 111. Procedure for Applying to the Constitutional Court on Suspension or Prohibition of Party Activities
1. The right to present a draft resolution of the National Assembly on applying to the Constitutional Court regarding the suspension or prohibition of the activities of the party shall belong to a faction.
2. A decision of the National Assembly on applying to the Constitutional Court on the suspension or prohibition of the activities of the party shall be signed and promulgated by the Chairperson of the National Assembly without delay.
3. An appeal on the issue of suspension or prohibition of the activities of the party submitted to the Constitutional Court may be removed by a resolution of the National Assembly. The right to submit such a draft shall belong to a faction. The draft shall be submitted to the National Assembly for a debate and put into circulation in a common procedure.
(Supplemented by the LA-50-N, dated 17.01.2018)
Article 112. Procedure for Submission and Debate of a Draft Resolution of the National Assembly on the Establishment of Standing Committees
1. At the first session of the National Assembly, the right to submit a draft resolution of the National Assembly on the establishment of the standing committees shall belong to fractions. By the draft there shall be established:
1) the names and the areas of activities of the committees;
2) the total number of members of each committee;
3) the names of separate laws reserved for preliminary debate in committees;
4) committees having the power to present candidates to the National Assembly for election or nomination to an office;
5) scope of parliamentary control of committees;
6) a committee, having the competence of general coordination and continuous monitoring of the activities of the Budget Office.
2. If more than one draft is submitted at the first session of the National Assembly, then in the course of their debate:
1) the authors of the drafts have the right to take the floor with a main report. The sequence of reports shall be determined according to the number of the members of the factions - from the large to small;
2) the debate of the issue may be postponed with the agreement of the main speakers;
3) the drafts shall be put to a vote according to the sequence of their submission;
4) if two drafts have been put to a vote and none of them has received the necessary number of votes for adoption, then the draft, having received the largest number of votes shall be put to a vote again;
5) if two or more drafts have been put to a vote and none of them has received the necessary number of votes for adoption, then a second stage of voting shall be held, during which the two drafts with the largest number of votes shall be put to a vote;
6) if two or more drafts have received the number of votes necessary for the adoption, the draft that received the largest number of votes "for" shall be considered adopted;
7) if two or more drafts have received the necessary number and equal quantity of votes for the adoption, then the draft that received the smallest number of votes "against" shall be considered adopted.
3. After the adoption of the resolution of the National Assembly on the establishment of standing committees, the right to submit a draft on making amendments to it shall belong to a faction.
4. The Chairperson of the National Assembly shall sign and promulgate the decision of the National Assembly on the establishment of standing committees, without delay.
5. The decision of the National Assembly on the establishment of standing committees shall be recognized as invalid on the opening day of the first session of the National Assembly of the next convocation.
Article 113. Adoption and Amendment of the Work Procedure
1. The right to submit a draft resolution of the National Assembly regarding the adoption or amendment of the Work Procedure shall belong to a Deputy and a faction.
Article 114. Information on the course of the State Budget Performance
1. The Government, within 40 days after the end of each quarter, shall present a certificate to the National Assembly regarding the progress of the performance of the state budget, including targeted credit and grant programs.
2. The National Assembly shall exercise oversight over the state budget performance, as well as over the use of loans and credits received from foreign states and international organizations.
3. The competent standing committee at its sitting shall debate the information submitted by the Government on the performance of the state budget.
Article 115. Presentation and Discussion of the Current Conclusions of the Audit Chamber
1. Current conclusions of the Audit Chamber shall be submitted to the National Assembly in cases and terms established by law.
2. The competent standing committee of the National Assembly shall examine the current conclusions of the Audit Chamber, and, if available, also information provided by the head of the audit object regarding the current conclusion. The Committee, by the results of the study, may decide to convene a committee sitting or a joint sitting of the area committees to discuss them.
Article 116. Terms for Submission and Debate of the Annual Report on the Performance of the State Budget
1. The Government officially and electronically shall submit the annual state budget performance report, as well as the official conclusion regarding it submitted to the Government by the Central Bank, to the National Assembly by May 1 of the following year.
2. The annual report on the performance of the state budget with the conclusion of the Audit Chamber shall be debated and put to a vote in the National Assembly before the end of the regular session.
3. The Audit Chamber shall submit the conclusion on the performance of the state budget to the National Assembly within a month after the submission of the report on the execution of the state budget to the National Assembly.
Article 117. Preliminary Debates of the Annual Report on the Performance of the State Budget in the Standing Committees
1. The Chairperson of the National Assembly within two working days after receiving the annual report on the execution of the state budget shall, by consulting with the Prime Minister, schedule a preliminary discussion for the annual report of the state budget at the head committee and other standing committees, as well as at their joint sittings and shall submit it for the approval of the Council.
2. The competent standing committee shall be the head committee for the preliminary discussion of the report.
3. The preliminary debates of the report shall take place at the sittings and joint sittings of the standing committees. Also the members of the Government and the persons authorized by the Prime Minister, as well as other persons indicated in the schedule, shall participate in it by the established procedure.
4. The representative of a committee, by a co-report, during the debate of the issue at a sitting of the National Assembly shall submit the results of the preliminary discussion of the report in the head committee.
5. Besides the head committee, the representatives of other standing committees shall have the right to take the floor with a co-report during the debate of the report in the National Assembly, if the report was previously discussed in those committees and there is a committee decision about it.
6. Materials regarding the expenditure articles of the annual report on the performance of the state budget containing state and official secrets shall be discussed at a joint closed sitting of the competent standing committees. Deputies, the Chairman of the Audit Chamber and persons authorized by the Government may participate in it.
(Amended by the LA-97-N, dated 01.03.2023)
Article 118. Discussion of the Annual Report on the Performance of the State Budget at a Sitting of the National Assembly
1. At a sitting of the National Assembly, during the debate of the annual report on the performance of the state budget, with a main report with the duration up to thirty minutes, up to three representatives of the Government may take the floor, and with co-reports with the same duration may take the floor:
1) the Chairman of the Central Bank, presenting the conclusion of the Central Bank on the report;
2) the Chairman of the Audit Chamber, presenting the conclusion of the Audit Chamber on the performance of the state budget;
3) the representative of the head committee, presenting the report and the conclusion of the committee regarding its adoption or rejection;
4) the representative of the competent standing committee, presenting the conclusion of the committee on the legality and reasons of those expenditures included in the annual budget performance report that contain state secrets;
(Amended by the LA-97-N, dated 01.03.2023)
5) one representative from each of the rest of the standing committees having submitted a conclusion on the report, presenting the conclusion of the relevant committee.
2. Prior to the speeches of factions, by the presentation of the Prime Minister, the members of the Government and the Regional Governors shall be entitled to seven extraordinary speeches.
3. After the exchange of opinions is over, the Prime Minister or the Government's authorized head of the public administration body in public financial management area shall take the floor with a 30-minute concluding speech, after which the draft resolution of the National Assembly on approving the annual budget performance report shall be put to a vote;
4. If the resolution is adopted, the report shall be considered approved, and in case of non-adoption it shall be considered rejected.
CHAPTER 25
PROCEDURES OF DEBATE OF OTHER ISSUES REGARDING THE PARLIAMENTARY OVERSIGHT
Article 119. Addressing Questions in Written Form to the Members of the Government
1. Deputies have the right to address questions in written form to the members of the Government.
2. Within three weeks from the moment of receiving the question, the Prime Minister or, on his/her assignment, the relevant member of the Government shall answer the question in written form.
3. Procedures for sending written questions, as well as providing answers to a Deputy, shall be established by the Work Procedure. Answers to written questions shall be posted on the official website of the National Assembly.
Article 120. Addressing the Members of the Government with Oral Questions
1. The members of the Government shall answer the oral questions of the Deputies at the last main sitting of the Wednesday of each regular sitting convened within the time limits specified in part 1 of Article 36 of the Rules of procedure.
2. Each of the questions shall relate to an area reserved to the jurisdiction of one member of the Government.
3. Questions shall be given by the procedure established by parts 2, 3, 5 and 6 of Article 57 of the Rules of Procedure: according to the sequence of registration.
4. The National Assembly shall not adopt resolutions regarding the questions of Deputies.
5. The sitting shall be concluded after the answer to the question of the last registered Deputy.
Article 121. Written Interpellations of the Factions
1. Factions have the right to apply to the members of the Government with written interpellations.
2. Within the one and the same regular session, a faction may address an interpellation to the Government members no more than once.
3. A faction shall implement the right to apply to the Government with a written interpellation by its decision.
4. No later than within 30 days after receiving the interpellation, by the recommendation of the Prime Minister, the corresponding member of the Government shall send to the Chairperson of the National Assembly the written answer to the interpellation.
5. The written interpellation shall be sent to the Government, as well as the reply to the interpellation shall be conveyed to the faction by the procedure established by the Work Procedure. The answer to the interpellation shall be posted on the official website of the National Assembly.
6. Responses to interpellations shall be submitted, and, by the proposal of a faction, shall be debated at the third main sitting of Wednesday of each regular sitting convened within the time limits specified in part 1 of Article 36 of the Rules of Procedure. At regular sittings of each week may be submitted and debated a response to one interpellation.
7. The response to the interpellation received not less than one week before the convocation of regular sittings shall be submitted, as well as upon the proposal of a faction, may be debated during those sittings, and those that were received later than the deadline shall be debated during the next regular sittings. The proposal of the faction may be submitted to the Chairperson of the National Assembly before the submission of the interpellation at a sitting of the National Assembly.
8. If the deadline for submitting responses to more than one interpellation expires at regular sittings of the same week, then shall be submitted the reply to the interpellation that was sent to the Government earlier than the others. If interpellations were sent on the same day, then the sequence of submitting answers to them shall be determined according to the number of the members of the factions from the smallest to largest.
9. An answer to an interpellation shall be submitted by a member of the Government at the beginning of the debate of the issue at a sitting of the National Assembly: with a 5-minute speech. If the faction has not proposed to debate the interpellation, then after the speech of the member of the Government the debate of the issue shall be considered concluded.
10. An answer to an interpellation on the proposal of a faction at a sitting of the National Assembly shall be debated in the following procedure:
1) a member of the Government presenting the response to an interpellation may be asked questions;
2) a representative of a faction, submitting an interpellation, shall take the floor, who may be asked questions;
3) exchange of opinions;
4) a member of the Government presents the response to the interpellation, after which a representative of a faction shall take the floor with a concluding speech.
11. A representative of a faction, in his concluding speech, by the results of the debate of the interpellation may:
1) propose to adopt a resolution of the National Assembly on submitting to the Prime Minister to debate an issue on the further tenure of office of an individual member of the Government, which shall be put to a vote without discussion, or
2) declare that a faction foresees to submit a proposal on expressing no-confidence in the Prime Minister in accordance with part 2 of Article 113 of the Constitution. If, within 24 hours after the end of the debate of the issue, in accordance with parts 1 - 4 of Article 152 of the Rules of Procedure, a draft resolution of the National Assembly on expressing no-confidence in the Prime Minister is submitted to the Chairperson of the National Assembly, then it shall be debated by the procedure established by parts 5 -10 of Article 152 of the Rules of Procedure.
12. The duration of the debate of the interpolation shall be 90 minutes.
13. The resolution of the National Assembly on proposing a debate of an issue of further tenure of office of an individual member of the Government to the Prime Minister shall be signed by the Chairperson of the National Assembly and sent to the Prime Minister within 24 hours.
14. Within six months after the end of the debate of the issue, no faction may apply to the Government with the same interpellation again or, by the results of the debated interpellation, submit a draft resolution of the National Assembly on expressing no-confidence in the Prime Minister.
Article 122. Parliamentary Oversight Over the Standing Committees
1. Standing committees, within the scope of their jurisdiction established by paragraph 5 of part 1 of Article 112 of the Rules of Procedure:
1) shall implement parliamentary oversight over the process of implementation of laws;
2) may request information on the progress of the implementation of a Government program.
2. Within the scope of jurisdiction of the competent standing committee, the topic of parliamentary oversight, as well as the measures implemented related to it, shall be established by the decision of the committee.
3. The Chairperson of the National Assembly, the standing committees and the factions, in addition to the members of the competent standing committee, shall have the right to submit proposals on the topic of parliamentary oversight, as well as those related to the measures to be implemented.
4. The Committee, regarding to the clarification of the issues on the topic relating to the parliamentary oversight, by its decision, may invite competent officials to the committee who shall attend the sitting of the committee and answer the questions.
5. Information containing state, commercial or other secret protected by law, shall be provided to the committee at its request, and the members of the committee may become familiar with that information by the procedure established by law. The members of the committee may also become familiar with the materials or documents regarding the information requested, at a request of the committee at the place where they are.
(Amended by the LA-97-N, dated 01.03.2023)
6. A competent standing committee, by the result of the parliamentary oversight, may adopt a written conclusion and forward it to other bodies of the National Assembly, as well as to competent bodies and officials in accordance with the Work Procedure.
7. Oversight over the execution of the state budget shall be exercised in accordance with the procedure established by Chapter 24 of the Rules of Procedure.
Article 123. Procedure for Holding Discussions on an Urgent Topic of Public interest
1. Debates on an urgent topic of public interest, may be held at one of the sittings convened during the week of the sittings of a regular session, at a request of at least one quarter of the total number of Deputies.
2. The request of Deputies to hold discussions on an urgent topic of public interest shall be submitted by a written application, where shall be indicated:
1) the topic of the debate;
(Amended by the LA-50-N, dated 17.01.2018)
2) the name and the second name of the representative of the Deputies who submitted the request.
3. If the application:
1) does not comply with the requirements of this Article, and within three working days is not brought into compliance with them, then the Chairperson of the National Assembly shall return the application specifying the reasons;
2) meets the requirements of this Article, then the issue shall be debated at a sitting of the National Assembly by the procedure established by part 4 of this Article.
4. A debate may be held at the third main sitting of Tuesday of each regular sitting convened within the time limits specified in part 1 of Article 36 of the Rules of Procedure. The debate may be held at the forthcoming regular sittings, if the application has been submitted to the Chairperson of the National Assembly at least one week before those sittings. If more than one application has been submitted within that period, then the earlier submitted application shall be debated during the forthcoming regular sittings.
5. A representative of the Deputies who put forward the request shall take the floor with a main report.
6. The main speaker in his/her concluding speech may propose to adopt an address or a statement of the National Assembly which shall be put to a vote without debate. If an address or a statement is not adopted or no such a proposal is made, then the debate of the issue shall be considered concluded.
7. The duration of the debate of the issue shall be 90 minutes.
Article 123.1. Procedure for Debating and Responding to Petitions Submitted to the National Assembly
1. Petitions may be submitted to the National Assembly only on issues within the competence of the National Assembly.
2. A petition shall be submitted by an official letter, addressed to the Chairperson of the National Assembly. If the official letter:
1) does not correspond with the prescribed requirements of part 1 of this Article or the Law of the Republic of Armenia "On Petitions" or within five working days is not brought into correspondence with them then the Staff shall return the official letter indicating the reasons, and in case of existence of grounds for refusal established by the Law of the Republic of Armenia "On Petitions," the Staff shall reject the debate of the petition;
2) corresponds with the prescribed requirements of part 1 of this Article or the Law of the Republic of Armenia "On Petitions" then the Chairperson of the National Assembly shall send the petition to the competent Standing Committee or committees if the petition relates to areas under the jurisdiction of more than one Standing Committee.
3. The Staff shall register the petition which was sent to the Standing Committee and shall post it to the official website of the National Assembly.
4. Within three working days after receipt of the petition, the Chair of the Standing Committee shall send the petition to the members of the committee, who may submit a draft response to the petition within a two-week period after the receipt of the petition. If a draft response to the petition is not submitted within an established timeframe, then the draft response to the petition shall be elaborated within a week and shall be submitted to the debate of the committee by the chair of the committee. The Committee Chair may also elaborate a draft response to a petition if another member of the committee has submitted a draft response to a petition.
5. At a sitting of the committee, the draft response to the petition shall be debated in a general procedure. If more than one draft has been submitted, then they shall be debated in accordance with part 2 of Article 112 of the Rules of Procedure. If the Committee does not make a decision regarding the response to the petition, then the debate of the issue shall be considered concluded.
6. The Chair of the Committee, the response to the petition approved by the decision of the Committee, and in case of failure of a decision regarding the response, the corresponding official letter shall be sent to the Staff within two working days. After receiving it, the Staff, within three working days, shall send it to the person who presented the individual petition or the responsible person mentioned in the collective petition. The response to the petition shall be posted on the official website of the National Assembly.
7. The decisions or other activities (or inaction) of the Chairperson of the National Assembly, the Standing Committees regarding the petitions, as well as decisions or other activities (or inaction) of the Staff regarding the return or the refusal of the debate of the petition shall not be subject to appeal.
(Supplemented by the LA - 22-N dated 21.12.17)
Article 124. Statements of Deputies
1. Deputies may take the floor with a statement up to 3 minutes at the last main sitting of Tuesday of each regular sitting convened in conformity with the time limits specified in part 1 of Article 36 of the Rules of Procedure.
2. A registered Deputy who is absent from the sitting hall shall be deprived of the right to make a statement at the certain sitting.
3. The sitting shall be concluded after the statement of the last enrolled Deputy.
4. The recording for the statements shall be made in accordance with the established procedure for questions.
5. Procedure for taking the floor with a statement shall be established by the Work Procedure.
Article 125. Parliamentary Hearings
1. Parliamentary hearings may be convened by:
1) the Chairperson of the National Assembly;
2) standing committees, ad-hoc committees on a separate draft law: on issues within their jurisdiction;
3) a faction: on the issue regarding the draft proposed by him/her or a Deputy included in the composition of the faction.
2. Hearings shall be convened by a decision of the Chairperson of the National Assembly, standing or ad-hoc committee as well as by a faction.
(Amended by the LA-50-N, dated 17.01.2018)
3. A faction may convene one hearing during each regular session.
4. The day of the hearings shall not coincide with the day of the sitting of the National Assembly.
5. The protocol made as a result of the hearings shall be approved by the decision of the body convening the hearings and posted on the official website of the National Assembly.
(Amended by the LA-50-N, dated 17.01.2018)
6. The procedures for convening, as well as summarizing the hearings shall be established by the Work Procedure.
CHAPTER 26
REPORTS, COMMUNUCATIONS AND STATEMENTS OF STATE BODIES
Article 126. General Procedure for the Submission, Putting into Circulation and Debate of Reports, Communications and Statements of State Bodies
1. Reports, communications and statements of state bodies foreseen by the Constitution shall be submitted to the National Assembly for a debate and shall be put into circulation in accordance with the procedure established by the Rules of Procedure and the Work Procedure.
2. After submission to the Chairperson of the National Assembly, the issue:
1) shall be debated in the competent standing committee within a month without the adoption of any document;
2) shall be debated at regular sittings of the National Assembly in a two-month period on the day established by the Council.
3. The issues specified in part 1 of this Article shall be debated at a sitting of the National Assembly in the following general procedure:
1) a main report up to 30 minutes shall be delivered by an official having the jurisdiction of submitting the issue to the National Assembly, after which he/she may be asked questions;
2) no co-report shall be delivered unless other things are foreseen by the Rules of Procedure or the resolution of the National Assembly;
3) exchange of opinions;
4) the co-reporters and the main reporters shall take the floor with concluding speeches up to fifteen minutes in the same sequence.
Article 127. Presentation and Debate of the Annual Report on the Progress and Results of the Government Program Implementation
1. Each year, by March 1 the Government shall submit to the National Assembly a report on the progress and results of its program implementation for the previous year.
2. The report shall be debated at a sitting of the National Assembly by the procedure established by part 3 of Article 126 of the Rules of Procedure with the following difference:
1) The Prime Minister shall be given up to one hour for the presentation of the report;
2) one representative from all standing committees, as well as up to three members of the Government, by the presentation of the Prime Minister, may take the floor with co-reports, after which they may be asked questions;
3) The Prime Minister shall be given up to 30 minutes for the concluding speech.
Article 128. Submission and Debate of the Report of the Prosecutor General
1. The Prosecutor General, each year before April 1, shall submit a report to the National Assembly on the activities of the Prosecutor's Office of the Republic of Armenia for the previous year.
2. The report shall be debated at a sitting of the National Assembly in the procedure prescribed by part 3 of Article 126 of the Rules of Procedure, by the presentation of the Prosecutor General.
Article 129. Submission and Debate of Annual Communication on the Activities of the Human Rights Defender, and State of Protection of Human Rights and Freedoms
1. Each year before April 1, the Human Rights Defender shall submit to the National Assembly an annual communication on his/her activities, and state of protection of human rights and freedoms.
2. The communication shall be debated at a sitting of the National Assembly in the procedure prescribed by part 3 of Article 126 of the Rules of Procedure, by the presentation of the Human Rights Defender.
(Amended by the LA-50-N, dated 17.01.2018)
Article 130. Submission and Debate of the Annual Communication Related to the Activities of the Audit Chamber
1. The Audit Chamber each year, before June 1, shall submit to the National Assembly an annual communication on its activities.
2. By the presentation of the Chairman of the Audit Chamber, the communication shall be debated at a sitting of the National Assembly in accordance with the procedure established by part 3 of Article 126 of the Rules of Procedure.
(Amended by the LA-50-N, dated 17.01.2018)
Article 131. Submission and Debate of the Annual Report on the Activities of the Central Bank
1. The requirements for the annual report on the activity of the Central Bank shall be established by the "Law of the Republic of Armenia on the Central Bank of the Republic of Armenia."
2. By the presentation of the Chairman of the Central Bank, the report shall be debated at a sitting of the National Assembly by the procedure prescribed by part
3 of Article 126 of the Rules of Procedure. The representative of the Government has the right to take the floor with a co-report.
Article 132. Submission and Debate of the Annual Communication on the Activities of the Central Electoral Commission
1. The Central Electoral Commission shall submit to the National Assembly a communication on its activities before April 1 of every second year, as well as within a month after the elections of the National Assembly.
2. The communication, after its submission to the Chairperson of the National Assembly, shall be debated at forthcoming regular sittings of the National Assembly in the procedure established by part 3 of Article 126 of the Rules of procedure, by the presentation of the Chairman of the Central Electoral Commission.
Article 133. Submission and Debate of the Annual Communication of the Television and Radio Commission on the State of freedom of information
1. The Television and Radio Commission, each year before April 1, shall submit to the National Assembly an annual communication of its activities on the state of freedom of information in television and radio.
2. The communication shall be debated at a sitting of the National Assembly by the procedure prescribed by part 3 of Article 126 of the Rules of Procedure, by the presentation of the Chairman of the Television and Radio Commission.
SECTION 6
ISSUES OF ELECTION, APPOINTMENT TO AN OFFICE, DISCONTINUATION, TERMINATION, CALLING BACK, EXPRESSING OF NO-CONFIDENCE AND DISSMISAL FROM POSTS OF OFFICIALS
Article 134. Nomination of a Candidate for an Office
1.Candidates for offices elected or appointed by the National Assembly shall be nominated in accordance with the procedure established by the Constitution, the Rules of Procedure and other laws. Documents regarding the nomination of candidates shall be submitted to the Chairperson of the National Assembly, and in cases envisaged by the Rules of Procedure, shall be submitted to the Chair of the competent standing committee through the Staff.
(Supplemented by the LA-309-N, dated 22.06.2020)
2. When nominating a candidate for an office, the circumstance of possessing of the Armenian language shall be verified in accordance with part 3 of Article 80 of the Constitutional Law "Electoral Code.".
(Amended by the LA-50-N, dated 17.01.2018, Amended by the LA-309-N, dated 22.06.2020)
3. The candidate is not considered permanently residing in the Republic of Armenia for the last four years if, during the 1461 days preceding the day of submitting an application to the Government authorized state management body of the Republic of Armenia, conducting the state register of the population, in order to obtain a certificate of a permanent residence for registration as a candidate, he was absent from the Republic of Armenia for at least 731 days, except for cases when the absence of the person in the public service of the Republic of Armenia was due to the circumstances of staying in a foreign country for official purposes or for the purpose of training courses at higher educational institutions in a foreign country.
(Supplemented and Amended by the LA-50-N dated 17.01.2018)
4. The candidate is not considered permanently residing in the Republic of Armenia for the last six years if, during the 2190 days preceding the day of submitting an application to the Government authorized state management body of the Republic of Armenia, conducting the state register of the population, in order to obtain a certificate of a permanent residence for registration as a candidate, he was absent from the Republic of Armenia for at least 1095 days, except for cases when the absence of the person in the public service of the Republic of Armenia was due to the circumstances of staying in a foreign country for official purposes or for the purpose of training courses at higher educational institutions in a foreign country.
(Supplemented and Amended by the LA-50-N, dated 17.01.2018)
5. If a candidate occupies an office, corresponding to the requirements established by the Constitution or the law for an elected or appointed office, then the documents regarding those requirements may not be presented.
6. The list of documents for nominating candidates for an office by the National Assembly shall be established by the Work Procedure. At a request of an authorized person, the Staff shall provide him/her with a list of documents necessary for the nomination of a candidate.
(Supplemented by the LA-309-N, dated 22.06.2020)
7. If the documents for the nomination of a candidate to the requirements of the Constitution or Law:
1) correspond, then the Staff, within 24 hours after receiving them, but no later than the deadline for nominating a candidate, shall register those and shall provide the personal file of the candidate to the Chairperson of the National Assembly, and in the cases envisaged by the Article 145 of the Rules of Procedure, to the chair of the competent standing committee of the National Assembly;
2) do not correspond, then the Staff, within 24 hours after receiving them, but no later than the deadline for nomination of the candidate, shall notify the competent person offering to correct the formal mistakes existing in the documents, and if the list of documents is incomplete, to complete that list. If the documents for the nomination of a candidate, within the established time period shall not be brought into conformity with the requirements of the Constitution or the law, then the Staff shall immediately inform the Chairperson of the National Assembly, and in the cases envisaged by the Article 145 of the Rules of Procedure, to the chair of the competent standing committee of the National Assembly about it;
(Edited by the LA-309-N, dated 22.06.2020)
8. Within 24 hours after receiving the personal files of the candidates, in the cases envisaged by Articles 136-138 and 141-144 of the Rules of Procedure, the Chairperson of the National Assembly, and in the cases envisaged by Article 145 of the Rules of Procedure, the chair of the competent standing committee of the National Assembly, shall take the floor with a statement regarding the nomination of the candidates.
(Supplemented by the LA-309-N, dated 22.06.2020)
9. The candidate may withdraw his/her name before the completion of speeches during the debate for the election for a certain office at the siting of the National Assembly.
(Supplemented by the LA-309-N, dated 22.06.2020)
Article 135. General Procedure for a Debate of the issue of Election or Appointment to an Office
1. Issues on election or appointment to an office shall be debated at a sitting of the National Assembly in a following general procedure:
1) up to ten-minute speeches shall be delivered by persons who have the power to present the candidates - in accordance with the alphabetical sequence of the names of candidates;
2) up to twenty-minute speeches shall be delivered by candidates;
3) the person presenting the candidate and the candidate shall take the floor in sequence;
4) after the speech, the person presenting the candidate and the candidate may be asked questions;
5) exchange of opinions;
6) with concluding speeches up to ten minutes, the candidates shall take the floor in the same sequence.
2. (Expired by the LA-309-N, dated 22.06.2020)
3. Unless otherwise envisaged by the Rules of Procedure, the issues of election or appointment shall be subject to mandatory debate at the forthcoming regular sittings of the National Assembly or may be debated at extraordinary sessions or sittings of the National Assembly in the following cases:
1) after the expiration of the deadline for the nomination of candidates, if two or more bodies have the eligibility to nominate a candidate for an appropriate office and at least one candidate has been nominated;
(Amended by the LA-255-N, dated 15.06.2022)
2) after the nomination of a candidate, if one body has the eligibility to nominate a candidate for an appropriate position.
(Edited by the LA-309-N, dated 22.06.2020, Amended by the LA-255-N, dated 15.06.2022)
4. The person elected or appointed by the National Assembly in the cases established by the Constitution or a law, shall take the office with swearing at a sitting of the National Assembly.
(Supplemented by the LA-50-N, dated 17.01.2018)
Article 136. Election of the Chairperson of the National Assembly
1. Election of the Chairperson of the National Assembly shall be held at the first session of the National Assembly, as well as when there is a vacancy for his/her office.
2. The right to nominate a candidate from a composition of the National Assembly for the Chairperson of the National Assembly shall belong to factions.
3. Candidates for the Chairperson of the National Assembly shall be nominated:
1) at the first session of the National Assembly, at the beginning of a debate of the issue on election of the Chairperson of the National Assembly;
2) within ten days after there is a vacancy for the office for the Chairperson of the National Assembly.
4. (Expired by the LA-309-N, dated 22.06.2020)
5. The issue of the election of the Chairperson of the National Assembly at a sitting of the National Assembly shall be debated in the procedure established by Article 135 of the Rules of Procedure, with the following difference:
(Amended by the LA-309-N, dated 22.06.2020)
1) up to ten minutes shall be allocated for presentation of candidates;
2) up to 30 minutes shall be allocated for the speeches of candidates;
3) up to fifteen minutes shall be allocated for the concluding speeches of candidates;
6. The Chairperson of the National Assembly shall be elected by a secret ballot, by a majority of votes of the total number of Deputies.
7. If more than two candidates participated in a voting and none of them was elected, then a second round of elections shall be held, in which the two candidates who received the largest number of votes in the first round may participate. The issue shall be debated in the procedure established by part 9 of Article 139 of the Rules of Procedure.
8. If a Chairperson of the National Assembly is not elected, then a new election for the Chairperson of the National Assembly shall be held in accordance with the procedure established by this Article.
Article 137. Elections for Vice-Chairpersons of the National Assembly
1. Elections for Vice-Chairpersons of the National Assembly shall be held at the first session of the National Assembly, as well as when there is a vacancy for their offices.
2. Nomination, debate and a voting for the candidates, at the first session of the National Assembly, as well as in other cases when there are simultaneous vacancies for the offices for Vice-Chairpersons of the National Assembly, shall be carried out separately.
3. The right to nominate a candidate from the composition of the National Assembly for a Vice-Chairperson of the National Assembly shall belong to factions. One of the candidates for a Vice Chairperson of the National Assembly may be nominated only from the number of Deputies being in the composition of the opposition faction.
4. Candidates for a Vice-Chairperson of the National Assembly shall be nominated:
1) at the first session of the National Assembly, at the beginning of the debate of the issue of electing each of the Vice-Chairpersons of the National Assembly;
2) within ten days after there is a vacancy for the office for a Vice-Chairperson of the National Assembly.
5. (Expired by the LA-309-N, dated 22.06.2020)
6. The issue of the election of a Vice-Chairperson of the National Assembly shall be debated at a sitting of the National Assembly in the procedure established by Article 135 of the Rules of Procedure.
(Amended by the LA-309-N, dated 22.06.2020)
7. A Vice-Chairperson of the National Assembly shall be elected by a secret ballot, by a majority of votes of the total number of Deputies.
8. If more than two candidates participated in a voting and none of them was elected, then a second round of elections shall be held, in which the two candidates, who received the largest number of votes in the first round, may participate. The issue shall be debated in the procedure established by part 9 of Article 139 of the Rules of Procedure.
9. If a Vice-Chairperson of the National Assembly is not elected, then new elections for a Vice-Chairperson of the National Assembly shall be held in accordance with the procedure established by this Article.
Article 138. Elections of Chairs and their Deputies of Standing Committees
1. Elections for chairpersons of standing committees and their deputies shall be held at the first session of the National Assembly, as well as when there are vacancies for their offices.
2. The right to nominate a candidate for a chairperson of a standing committee or his deputy shall belong to a faction determined in accordance with the procedure established by part 3 of this Article. The right to nominate candidates shall be maintained until the end of the powers of the National Assembly.
3. The right to nominate candidates from the composition of the Deputies for the offices for chairpersons of the standing committees and their deputies shall be distributed among the factions on the opening day of the first session of the National Assembly in accordance with the coefficient obtained for each office, which shall be calculated by the formula CF = MF / (OF + 1), Where:
1) the CF (coefficient of faction) is the coefficient received by the faction for each office;
2) the MF (Member of Faction) is the total number of members of the faction;
3) the OF (Office of Faction) is the total number of offices of the chairpersons of the standing committees and their deputies, reserved to the factions with the right to nominate a candidate while calculating coefficient of a faction for a regular office. At the beginning of the calculation of the coefficient, the OF is equal to zero.
4. At the beginning of the calculation of the coefficients, the faction having the highest coefficient shall be reserved with a right to nominate one of the candidates for one of the chairpersons of the standing committees or their deputies. The right to nominate for the next office shall be reserved for a faction having a higher coefficient than the other factions. In a case of equality of the highest coefficients, the right to nominate a candidate for a regular office for the chairperson of the standing committee or his deputy shall be determined by mutual agreement of factions, having equal coefficients, and in case of impossibility: by a lot. The calculation of the coefficients shall be repeated until the right to nominate a candidate for the last position for a chairperson of standing committees or their deputies shall be determined.
5. After determining the right to nominate candidates for the offices for chairpersons of standing committees or their deputies, factions may, by mutual agreement, substitute or concede their right to nominate candidates for the offices for a chairperson of the standing committee or his/her deputy.
6. Candidates for a chairperson of a standing committee shall be nominated:
1) at a first session of the National Assembly: at the beginning of a debate of the issue of electing a chairperson for each standing committee;
2) within ten days after there is a vacancy for the office for a chairperson of a standing committee.
7. (Expired by the LA-309-N, dated 22.06.2020)
8. The issue of the election of the chairperson of a standing committee shall be debated at a sitting of the National Assembly in accordance with the procedure established by Article 135 of the Rules of Procedure.
(Amended by the LA-309-N, dated 22.06.2020)
9. The chairperson of the standing committee shall be elected by a secret ballot, by a majority of votes of the Deputies participating in a voting, if more than half of the total number of Deputies have participated in a voting.
10. If the chairperson of a standing committee is not elected, then the competent faction shall propose a new candidate for the vacant office within ten days after a voting.
11. A deputy chairperson of a standing committee shall be elected by the proposal of the head or secretary of the competent faction, by the decision of the committee. Election of a deputy chairperson of the standing committee shall be held within five working days after the approval of the composition of the committee, as well as after there is a vacancy for his/her office.
11.1. If the nominee for Deputy Chairman of the Standing Committee is not elected, then the competent faction shall nominate a new candidate within five working days after the voting.”
(Supplemented by the LA-91-N, dated 12.04.2022)
12. If, within the t erm and procedure prescribed by the Rules of Procedure, a faction does not nominate a candidate for a vacant office for the chairperson of the standing committee or his deputy reserved to a faction, then the right to nominate a candidate for that office shall belong to the faction having the highest coefficient at the beginning of the calculation of the coefficients of factions by the procedure specified by part 4 of this Article.
(Supplemented by the LA-91-N, dated 12.04.2022)
12. If, within the t erm and procedure prescribed by the Rules of Procedure, a faction does not nominate a candidate for a vacant office for the chairperson of the standing committee or his deputy reserved to a faction, then the right to nominate a candidate for that office shall belong to the faction having the highest coefficient at the beginning of the calculation of the coefficients of factions by the procedure specified by part 4 of this Article.
(Supplemented by the LA-91-N, dated 12.04.2022)
12. If, within the t erm and procedure prescribed by the Rules of Procedure, a faction does not nominate a candidate for a vacant office for the chairperson of the standing committee or his deputy reserved to a faction, then the right to nominate a candidate for that office shall belong to the faction having the highest coefficient at the beginning of the calculation of the coefficients of factions by the procedure specified by part 4 of this Article.
(Supplemented by the LA-91-N, dated 12.04.2022)
Article 139. Election of the President of the Republic
1. Regular elections of the President of the Republic shall be held no earlier than forty and no later than thirty days prior to the expiry of the powers of the President of the Republic and in the event of removal from office of the President of the Republic, impossibility to exercise the powers thereby, resignation or death thereof, an extraordinary election of the President of the Republic shall be held no earlier than twenty-five and no later than thirty-five days after the office of the President of the Republic becomes vacant.
2. In the event of regular elections, candidates for the office for the President of the Republic may be nominated no earlier than fifty days and no later than forty days prior to the expiry of the powers of the President of the Republic, and in case of extraordinary elections: within five days, after the office of the President of the Republic becomes vacant.
3. Judges, prosecutors, employees of the investigation committee, anti-corruption committee, servants and military servants in police, national security, enforcement services of judicial acts, rescue services, taxation, customs bodies and in penitentiary service cannot be nominated as the President of the Republic.
(Amended by the LA-157-N, dated 24.03.2021)
4. At least one fourth of the total number of Deputies shall have the right to nominate a candidate for the President of the Republic.
5. A candidate for the office of the President of the Republic shall be nominated by a written application of at least one quarter of the total number of Deputies, in which the full names of the candidate for the President of the Republic, as well as of the representative of Deputies having the jurisdiction to present him/her, shall be indicated. The application shall be attached with documents certifying the provision of the requirements established by the Constitution. In a case of non-compliance with the requirements of the Constitution or requirements of part 3 of this Article, the Chairperson of the National Assembly shall return the application and the documents presented attached to it, to the representative of the Deputies, specifying the reasons.
(Edited by the LA-50-N, dated 17.01.2018)
6.In a case that the deadlines established by part 1 of this Article are provided, the issue of election of the President of the Republic shall be debated at the forthcoming regular sittings of the National Assembly after the expiration of the nomination period of candidates, and in a case that the regular sittings of the National Assembly are not held in those terms, the issue of election of the President of the Republic shall be debated at a special sitting of the National Assembly, convened immediately by virtue of law, about which the Chairperson of the National Assembly shall take the floor with a statement.
(Supplemented by the LA-50-N dated 17.01.2018)
7. The issue shall be debated in the procedure established by part 1 of Article 135 of the Rules of Procedure, with the following difference:
(Amended by the LA-309-N, dated 22.06.2020)
1) for representation of each of the candidates up to fifteen minutes shall be given;
2) up to an hour shall be given for the speeches of candidates;
3) up to thirty minutes shall be given for the concluding speeches of candidate.
8. A candidate, having received at least three fourths of votes of the total number of Deputies by a secret ballot, shall be elected President of the Republic.
9. In case a President of the Republic is not elected, a second round of elections shall be held wherein all candidates having taken part in the first round may participate. The issue shall be debated by the procedure established by part 1 of Article 135 of the Rules of Procedure, with the following difference:
(Amended by the LA-309-N, dated 22.06.2020)
1) up to fifteen minutes shall be given to the candidates for a speech;
2) during the exchange of opinions, only representatives of factions may take the floor with speeches up to ten minutes.
10. In the second round, the candidate having received at least three fifths of votes of the total number of Deputies by a secret ballot shall be elected as President of the Republic. In case President of the Republic is not elected, a third round of elections shall be held wherein the two candidates, having received a greatest number of votes in the second round, may participate. The issue shall be debated in the procedure established by part 9 of this Article.
11. In the third round, a candidate, by a secret ballot, having received the majority of votes of the total number of Deputies shall be elected President of the Republic.
12. If the President of the Republic is not elected within the timeframe established by Article 125 of the Constitution, then new candidates for the office of the President of the Republic may be nominated within a period of five days after the voting, and new elections for the President of the Republic shall be held within a period of ten days.
13. The President of the Republic shall take the office at a special sitting of the National Assembly by the procedure prescribed by Article 49 of the Rules of Procedure.
Article 140. Election of the Prime Minister
1. In case the Prime Minister submits a resignation or in other cases when the office of the Prime Minister is vacant, within a period of seven days after the adoption of resignation of the Government a faction shall be entitled:
1) to nominate one candidate for the Prime Minister, or
2) to form a political coalition with another faction and nominate one candidate for the Prime Minister.
2. A candidate for Prime Minister shall be nominated by a resolution of a faction, and in case of a political coalition, by a resolution of all factions in the composition of the coalition. The full names of the candidate for Prime Minister and the representative of the faction (factions) who has the right to present him/her shall be indicated in the resolution. The documents certifying the provision of the requirements, established by the Constitution, shall be attached to the resolution. In case of non-compliance with the requirements of the Constitution, the Chairperson of the National Assembly, within six hours, shall return the resolution and the attached documents to the faction, specifying the reasons.
(Edited by the LA-50-N, dated 17.01.2018)
3. In cases foreseen by parts 1 and 6 of this Article, the issue of the election of the Prime Minister shall be debated at a sitting of the National Assembly on the following day after the expiry of the term for the nomination of candidates for the Prime Minister. In case no regular sittings of the National Assembly are held on that day, the issue of the election of the Prime Minister shall be debated at 12:00 pm, on the day following the expiration day of the term for the nomination of candidates for Prime Minister, at a special sitting of the National Assembly convened by virtue of law, about which the Chairperson of the National Assembly shall take the floor with a statement.
(Edited by the LA-50-N, dated 17.01.2018)
4. In cases foreseen by parts 1 and 6 of this Article, the issue of the election of the Prime Minister shall be debated at a sitting of the National Assembly by the procedure prescribed in part 7 of Article 139 of the Rules of Procedure.
(Edited by the LA-50-N, dated 17.01.2018)
5. The Prime Minister shall be elected by a roll-call vote, by a majority of votes of the total number of Deputies.
6. In case Prime Minister is not elected, seven days after the voting a new election for the Prime Minister shall be held, wherein the candidates for Prime Minister nominated by at least one third of the total number of Deputies shall be entitled to participate. In that case, the candidates for the Prime Minister may be nominated within six days after the voting, as foreseen by part 5 of this Article.
(Supplemented by the LA-50-N, dated 17.01.2018)
7. A candidate for the Prime Minister shall be nominated in a written form by at least one third of the Deputies, in which the first and the last names of the candidate for the Prime Minister, and the Deputy with the right to present him shall be indicated. The documents certifying the provision of the requirements established by the Constitution shall be attached to the application. In case of non-compliance with the requirements of the Constitution, the Chairperson of the National Assembly, within six hours, shall return the application and the attached documents to the representative of Deputies, specifying the reasons.
(Amended and Supplemented by the LA-50-N, dated 17.01.2018)
8. (Expired by the LA 50-N, dated 17.01.2018)
9. If the Prime Minister is not elected by a roll-call vote by a majority of the total number of Deputies, then the National Assembly shall be dissolved by virtue of law.
(Amended by the LA-50-N dated 17.01.2018)
10. The candidate elected by the National Assembly shall be immediately appointed the Prime Minister by the President of the Republic.
Article 141. Election of Judges of the Constitutional Court
1. (Expired by the LA-4-N, dated 29.03.2019)
2. Three of the nine judges of the Constitutional Court shall be elected by the National Assembly upon the recommendation of the President of the Republic; three upon the recommendation of the Government; three upon the recommendation of the General Assembly of Judges.
3. (Expired by the LA-4-N, dated 29.03.2019)
4. A candidate for a judge of the Constitutional Court shall be nominated by a written application sent to the Chairperson of the National Assembly, where the first and the last names of the candidate for a judge of the Constitutional Court, as well as the person having the right to present him/her shall be indicated. The application shall be attached by documents certifying the provision of the requirements established by the Constitution and the law as well as the questionnaire filled by the candidate regarding the issues of correct behavior. In case of non-compliance with the requirements of the Constitution or the law, within two working days, the Chairperson of the National Assembly shall return the application and the attached documents to the body nominating the candidate, specifying the reasons, who are obliged to nominate a new candidate within a month. In case the requirements of the Constitution and laws are provided, the Chairperson of the National Assembly within a working day shall submit the filled questionnaire regarding the correct behavior to the Commission for the Prevention of Corruption in order to receive a consultative conclusion on it within ten days.
(Supplemented by the LA-50-N, dated 17.01.2018; Amended by the LA-4-N, dated 29.03.2019; Supplemented by the LA-201-N, dated 25.03.2020)
5. (Expired by the LA-309-N, dated 22.06.2020)
6. The issue of the election of a judge of the Constitutional Court shall be debated at a sitting of the National Assembly in accordance with the procedure prescribed by paragraph 5 of Article 136 of the Rules of Procedure, and within the term that shall provide the consultative conclusion by the Commission for the Prevention of Corruption, prescribed by paragraph 4 of this article regarding a candidate for a judge of the Constitutional Court.
(Amended by the LA-201-N, dated 25.03.2020, Amended by the LA-309-N, dated 22.06.2020)
7. A judge of the Constitutional Court shall be elected by a secret ballot, by at least three fifths of the votes of the total number of Deputies.
(Supplemented by the LA-50-N dated 17.01.2018; Amended by the LA-4-N, dated 29.03.2019)
8. (Expired by the LA-4-N, dated 29.03.2019)
Article 142. Election of the Chairperson of the Court of Cassation
1. The election of the chairperson of the Court of Cassation shall be held in case there is a vacancy for his/her office.
2. The Chairperson of the Court of Cassation shall be elected by the National Assembly, from the composition of the Court of Cassation, upon recommendation of the Supreme Judicial Council.
3. The Supreme Judicial Council shall nominate a candidate for the Chairperson of the Court of Cassation in a written application addressed to the Chairperson of the National Assembly by a procedure established by the Constitutional Law of the Republic of Armenia “Judicial Code of the Republic of Armenia” within ten days from the date of expiration of the term of the office for the Chairperson of the Court of Cassation, and in case his/her office is vacant for other reasons, within one month. The application shall be attached with documents certifying the provision of the requirements, as well as the advisory opinion towards ethics provided by the Commission for Prevention of Corruption established by the Constitution and the law. In case of non-compliance with the requirements of the Constitution or the law, the Chairperson of the National Assembly, within two working days, shall return the application and the documents presented attached to it, including the reasons, to the Supreme Judicial Council, which is obliged to nominate a new candidate within five days.
(Edited by the LA-50-N, dated 17.01.2018; Edited by the LA-96-N, dated 07.02.2018, Supplemented by the LA -332-N, dated 14.04.2021)
4. (Expired by the LA-309-N, dated 22.06.2020)
5. The issue of the election of the Chairperson of the Court of Cassation shall be debated at a sitting of the National Assembly in accordance with the procedure established by part 5 of Article 136 of the Rules of Procedure. The candidate shall be presented by the Chairperson of the Supreme Judicial Council.
(Amended by the LA-309-N, dated 22.06.2020)
6. The Chairperson of the Court of Cassation shall be elected by a secret ballot, by a majority of votes of the total number of Deputies.
7. If the Chairperson of the Court of Cassation is not elected, then within ten days after a voting, the Supreme Judicial Council shall nominate a new candidate for the vacant office for the Chairperson of the Court of Cassation.
Article 143. Election of Candidates for Judges of the Court of Cassation
1. The election of a candidate for a judge of the Court of Cassation shall be held in case there is a vacancy for the office of a judge of the Court of Cassation.
2. Candidates to be judges of the Court of Cassation shall be elected by the National Assembly from among the three candidates submitted for each seat by the Supreme Judicial Council.
3. The Supreme Judicial Council shall nominate candidates for Judges of the Court of Cassation in a written application addressed to the Chairperson of the National Assembly by a procedure established by the Constitutional Law of the Republic of Armenia "Judicial Code of the Republic of Armenia" within ten days from the date of expiration of the term of the office for the Chairperson of the Court of Cassation, and in case his/her office is vacant for other reasons, within one month. The application shall be attached by documents certifying the provision of the requirements, as well as the advisory opinion towards ethics provided by the Commission for the Prevention of Corruption established by the Constitution and the law. In case of non-compliance with the requirements of the Constitution or the law, the Chairperson of the National Assembly, within two working days shall return the application and the documents presented attached to it indicating the reasons to the Supreme Judicial Council, which is obliged to nominate a new candidate within five days.
(Edited by the LA-50-N, dated 17.01.2018, Edited by the LA-96-N, dated 07.02.2018, Supplemented by the LA -332-N, dated 14.04.2021)
4. (Expired by the LA-309-N, dated 22.06.2020)
5. The issue of election of the Chairperson of the Court of Cassation shall be debated in accordance with the procedure established by part 5 of Article 136 of the Rules of Procedure. The candidates shall be presented by the Chairperson of the Supreme Judicial Council. The candidate for a judge of the Court of Cassation nominated to the President of the Republic shall be elected by a secret ballot by at least three-fifths of the total number of votes of the Deputies.
(Amended by the LA-309-N, dated 22.06.2020)
6. If none of the candidates is elected, a second round of voting shall be held, in which the two candidates who received the largest number of votes in the first round can participate. The issue shall be debated in the procedure established by part 9 of Article 139 of the Rules of Procedure.
7. If a candidate for a judge of the Court of Cassation is not elected, new candidates shall be nominated by the Supreme Judicial Council within ten days after a voting.
8. The Chairperson of the National Assembly, within two working days, shall send a decision of the National Assembly on nominating a candidate for a judge of the Court of Cassation to the President of the Republic, who, within three days after receiving it:
1) shall appoint a judge of the Court of Cassation, or
2) shall return the decision of the National Assembly to the National Assembly with its objections.
9. The returned decision of the National Assembly shall be debated at the forthcoming regular sittings of the National Assembly in the following procedure:
1) the President of the Republic or his representative shall take the floor with a speech up to 20 minutes, after which he/she may be asked questions;
2) during the exchange of opinions only representatives of factions may take the floor with a speech up to ten minutes;
3) the President of the Republic or his representative may take the floor with a concluding speech up to 10 minutes;
4) after the concluding speeches, the question of adopting the objections of the President of the Republic shall be put to a vote.
10. If the National Assembly does not adopt the objections of the President of the Republic, then the President of the Republic shall sign a decree on appointing a judge of the Court of Cassation or shall apply to the Constitutional Court. If the President of the Republic does not fulfill the requirements established by this part, then the decree of the President of the Republic on nominating a candidate of the National Assembly a judge of the Court of Cassation shall come into force
by virtue of law.
11. If the National Assembly adopts the objection of the President of the Republic, then new candidates shall be nominated by the Supreme Judicial Council within ten days after the voting.
Article 144. Election of Members of the Supreme Judicial Council
1. Election of a member of the Supreme Judicial Council shall be held:
1) no earlier than three months and no later than one day before the end of the powers of a member of the Supreme Judicial Council elected by the National Assembly;
2) within three months after there is a vacancy for the office of a member of the Supreme Judicial Council elected by the National Assembly.
2. The right to nominate one candidate for an office of a member of the Supreme Judicial Council belongs to factions. The candidate shall be nominated by a resolution of a faction. The first and the last names of the candidate for a member in the Supreme Judicial Council and a representative of the faction entitled to present him/her shall be indicated in the resolution. The resolution shall be attached with documents certifying the provision of the requirements established by the Constitution and the law as well as the questionnaire filled by the candidate regarding the issues of correct behavior. In case of non-compliance with the requirements of the Constitution or the law, the Chairperson of the National Assembly, within two working days, shall return the resolution and the attached documents to the faction specifying the reasons. In case the requirements of the Constitution and laws are provided, the Chairperson of the National Assembly within a working day shall submit the filled questionnaire regarding the correct behavior to the Commission for the Prevention of Corruption in order to receive a consultative conclusion on it within ten days.
(Edited by the LA-50-N, dated 17.01.2018; Supplemented by the LA-201-N, dated 25.03.2020)
3. Candidates may be nominated:
1) no earlier than three months and no later than eighty days before the end of powers of a member of the Supreme Judicial Council;
2) within ten days after there is a vacancy for an office of a member of the Supreme Judicial Council.
4. No less than one hundred days before the end of powers of a member of the Supreme Judicial Council, and within 24 hours after there is a vacancy for his/her office, the Staff shall inform the Chairperson of the National Assembly and factions about it in written form.
5. (Expired by the LA-309-N, dated 22.06.2020)
6. The issue on election of a member of the Supreme Judicial Council shall be debated at a sitting of the National Assembly in accordance with the procedure established by Article 135 of the Rules of Procedure, at the terms that shall provide the consultative conclusion by the Commission for the Prevention of Corruption, prescribed by paragraph 2 of this Article regarding candidates for members of the Supreme Judicial Council.
(Supplemented by the LA-201-N, dated 25.03.2020, Amended by the LA-309-N, dated 22.06.2020)
7. A member of the Supreme Judicial Council shall be elected by a secret ballot by at least three fifths of the total number of Deputies. In the case foreseen by paragraph 1 of part 1 of this Article, a newly elected member of the Supreme Judicial Council shall assume office on the day when the term of powers of a member of the Supreme Judicial Council are expired.
8. If two or more candidates participate in the ballot and none of them is elected, then a second round of elections shall held, in which the two candidates with the largest number of votes in the first round may participate. The issue shall be debated in the procedure established by part 9 of Article 139 of the Rules of Procedure.
9. If a member of the Supreme Judicial Council is not elected, then within ten days after voting, a new candidate for a member of the Supreme Judicial Council may be nominated by factions for the vacant office.
Article 145. Procedure for Election of Officials by the Nomination of Competent Standing Committees
1. Elections of the Prosecutor General, the Human Rights Defender, the Chairperson and other members of the Audit Chamber, the Chairperson of the Central Bank, his deputies and other members of the Council of the Central Bank, the Chairperson and other members of the Central Electoral Commission, members of the Television and Radio Commission shall be held:
1) no earlier than three months and no later than a day before the termination of the powers of the relevant official;
2) within three months after there is a vacancy for the office of the relevant official.
2. A candidate for an office specified in part 1 of this Article shall be nominated to the National Assembly by a resolution of the competent standing committee of the National Assembly: from the composition of candidates nominated by one candidate from each faction.
3. Candidates may be nominated:
1) no earlier than three months and no later than eighty days before the end of the powers of the relevant official specified in part 1 of this Article;
2) within ten days after there is a vacancy for the office of the relevant official specified in part 1 of this Article.
4. At least one hundred days before the end of the powers of the official specified in part 1 of this Article, as well as within 24 hours after there is a vacancy for his office, the Staff shall inform the competent standing committee and factions about it in a written form.
4.1. A candidate for the office specified in part 1 of this Article shall be presented to the authorized standing committee of the National Assembly by a resolution of a faction. The first and the last names of the candidate and representative of the faction entitled to present it shall be indicated in the resolution. The resolution shall be attached with documents certifying the provision of the requirements and in case of the candidate for Prosecutor General, also the questionnaire on the ethics completed by the candidate, established by the Constitution and the law. In case of non-compliance with the requirements of the Constitution or the law, the chairperson of the authorized standing committee of the National Assembly, within two working days, shall return the resolution and the attached documents to the faction specifying the reasons. If the requirements of the Constitution and the law are met, the chairperson of the competent standing committee of the National Assembly, within a working day, shall submit a completed questionnaire on the ethics of the candidate for the Prosecutor General to the Commission for the Prevention of Corruption for receiving an advisory opinion within two weeks.
(Supplemented by the LA-50-N dated 17.01.2018, Supplemented by the LA -332-N, dated 14.04.2021)
5. Within two weeks, and in the case of the candidate for the Prosecutor General within the period provided the advisory opinion on the candidate, shall be provided by the Commission for Prevention of Corruption, as defined in Part 4.1 of this Article, after the expiration of the term for the nomination of candidates and after the nomination of at least one candidate, the issue of nominating a candidate to the National Assembly shall be debated at the forthcoming regular sitting of the authorized standing committee or may be debated at an extraordinary sitting of the committee. The authorized standing committee shall nominate to the National Assembly one candidate for the office specified in paragraph 1 of this Article. The chairperson of the authorized standing committee, within 24 hours after the expiration of the deadline for the debate of the issue, shall send the extract and, in the case of the candidate for the Prosecutor General, also the advisory opinion provided by the Commission for the Prevention of Corruption, of the record of the sitting of the committee to the Chairperson of the National Assembly.
(Amended by the LA-50-N, dated 17.01.2018, Edited by the LA-309-N, dated 22.06.2020, Supplemented by the LA -332-N, dated 14.04.2021)
5.1. If a candidate is not nominated to the competent standing committee of the National Assembly within the specified period, then within a ten-day period, candidates may be nominated for the appropriate office.”
(Amended by the LA-315-N, dated 14.07.2022)
6. If the authorized standing committee does not submit a candidate to the National Assembly within the deadline specified in part 5 of this Article, then after it, new candidates may be nominated for the appropriate office within ten days.
(Amended by the LA-309-N, dated 22.06.2020, Amended by the LA-315-N, dated 14.07.2022)
7. (Expired by the LA-309-N, dated 22.06.2020)
8. The issue of election of an official specified in part 1 of this Article shall be debated at a sitting of the National Assembly in accordance with the procedure established by Article 135 of the Rules of Procedure.
(Amended by the LA-309-N, dated 22.06.2020)
9. The Prosecutor General, the Human Rights Defender, the Chairperson and other members of the Audit Chamber, the Chairperson of the Central Bank, the Chairperson and other members of the Central Electoral Commission, members of the Television and Radio Commission shall be elected by a secret ballot, by at least three-fifths of votes of the total number of Deputies.
10. The deputies of the Chairperson of the Central Bank, as well as other members of the Council of the Central Bank, except the Chairperson of the Central Bank, shall be elected by a secret ballot, by a majority of votes of the total number of Deputies.
11. In the case foreseen by paragraph 1 of part 1 of this Article, the newly elected Prosecutor General, the Human Rights Defender, the Chairperson and other members of the Audit Chamber, the Chairperson of the Central Bank, his/her deputies and other members of the Council, the Chairperson and other members of the Central Election Commission, Television and Radio Commission shall assume their office on the day of the termination of the powers of the relevant official.
12. If an official specified in part 1 of this Article is not elected, within ten days after a vote, new candidates may be nominated for the appropriate office.
(Amended by the LA-315-N, dated 14.07.2022)
Article 146. Appointment of Members of Autonomous Bodies
1. The right to nominate a candidate for an appropriate office for a self-government body, established by a law, shall belong to the bodies envisaged by that law. The candidate shall be nominated by a written application addressed to the Chairperson of the National Assembly. Documents certifying the provision of the requirements prescribed by law shall be attached to the application. In case of non-compliance with the requirements of the law, the Chairperson of the National Assembly, within two working days, shall return the documents regarding the nomination of a candidate to the competent body-indicating the reasons.
(Edited by the LA-309-N, dated 22.06.2020, Amended by the LA-255-N, dated 15.06.2022)
2. If the right to nominate a candidate for an appropriate office of a self-government body is reserved by law to the ruling or opposition faction of the National Assembly, and the ruling or opposition factions of the National Assembly are more than two, then the ruling or opposition factions of the National Assembly shall nominate, as previously agreed upon, one united candidate for the appropriate office of a member of the self-government body.
(Supplemented by the LA-175-N, dated 13.09.2019, Amended by the LA-255-N, dated 15.06.2022)
2.1. If by law it is envisaged to form a competition council for the election of candidates for the office of a member of a self-government body, and the authority of the appointment of a member of which shall be reserved for the factions of the National Assembly or the Council of the National Assembly, then, within five working days after being notified by the procedure prescribed by the law regarding the formation of the competition council, the factions of the National Assembly, by the decision adopted by consensus, shall nominate one candidate for the member of the competitive council.
(Supplemented by the LA-439-N, dated 18.09.2020)
2.2. If the factions of the National Assembly, within the term prescribed by part 2.1, do not appoint a member of a competition council being formed for the election of candidates for the office of a member of the self-government body, then within five days after the expiration of that term, the Council of the National Assembly, from the composition of the candidates nominated by the factions of the National Assembly, shall appoint the member for the competition council.
(Supplemented by the LA-439-N, dated 18.09.2020)
3. If a candidate is not nominated for the appropriate office of an opposition faction of the National Assembly within the time period prescribed by law, then the right to nominate a candidate for this office shall be transferred to the ruling faction of the National Assembly.
(Supplemented by the LA-175-N, dated 13.09.2019, Amended by the LA-255-N, dated 15.06.2022)
4. The issue of appointing a member of a self-government body shall be debated at a sitting of the National Assembly as prescribed by Article 135 of the Rules of Procedure.
(Supplemented by the LA-309-N, dated 22.06.2020)
5. A member of a self-government body shall be appointed by a secret ballot, by a majority of votes of the total number of Deputies.
(Supplemented by the LA-309-N, dated 22.06.2020)
CHAPTER 28
ISSUES ON DISCONTINUATION, TERMINATION, CALLING BACK, EXPRESSING OF NO CONFIDENCE AND DISSMISSAL OF OFFICIALS
Article 147. General Procedure for Termination of Powers of Officials
1. Officials, elected or appointed by the National Assembly, except for the Prime Minister and the judges of the Court of Cassation, shall formally submit their written application on resignation to the Chairperson of the National Assembly, who takes the floor with a statement about it.
2. If within a week, after the promulgation of resignation, the relevant official with a written application:
1) withdraws his resignation application, then the Chairperson of the National Assembly shall take the floor with a statement on that;
2) does not withdraw his application for resignation, then a protocol shall be made on the termination of his powers, which shall be signed and promulgated by the Chairperson of the National Assembly. The resignation shall be deemed adopted from the moment of promulgation of the protocol.
3. In other cases foreseen by the Constitution or law, the fact of early termination of the powers of an elected or appointed official by the National Assembly shall be recorded by the Chairperson of the National Assembly within three days after being officially informed about it.
4. Powers of an official, elected or appointed by the National Assembly, shall be considered prematurely terminated from the moment of fixing the fact and delivering a statement about it by the Chairperson of the National Assembly.
Article 148. Termination of Powers of the Chairperson of the National Assembly and his Deputies
1. Powers of the Chairperson of the National Assembly or his deputies shall be terminated if:
1) his/her Deputy powers are discontinued or terminated;
2) he/she resigned;
3) he/she left or was expelled from the faction, if he/she was elected to the office only on the nomination of that faction.
2. Powers of the Deputy Chairperson of the National Assembly elected from among the Deputies being in the composition of the opposition factions shall also terminate when his/her faction ceases to be considered as an opposition faction.
Article 149. Procedure for Recall of the Chairperson of the National Assembly, and his Deputies
1. The right to submit a draft resolution of the National Assembly on the recall of the Chairperson of the National Assembly or his Deputy shall belong to a faction.
2. The issue on the recall of the Chairperson of the National Assembly shall be debated at a sitting of the National Assembly in the following procedure:
1) the main speaker shall take the floor with a speech up to 20 minutes;
2) the Chairperson of the National Assembly may take the floor with a speech up to 20 minutes;
3) the main speaker and the Chairperson of the National Assembly may be asked questions after the speech;
4) exchange of opinions;
5) with concluding speeches up to fifteen minutes in the same sequence, the main speaker and the Chairperson of the National Assembly may take the floor.
3. The resolution of the National Assembly on the recall of the Chairperson of the National Assembly or his deputy shall be adopted by a secret ballot, by a majority of votes of the total number of Deputies.
Article 150. Discontinuation and Termination of Powers of a Chairperson of a Standing Committee or its Deputies
1. Powers of the chairperson of a standing committee or its deputies are terminated if:
1) his/her deputy powers are discontinued or terminated;
2) he/she resigned;
3) he/she left or was expelled from the faction.
2. The right to submit a draft resolution of the National Assembly on termination of the powers of the Chairperson of a standing committee shall belong to a faction.
3. The issue of termination of the powers of the chairperson of a standing committee shall be debated at a sitting of the National Assembly as prescribed in part 2 of Article 149 of the Rules of Procedure, with the following difference: the chairperson of the standing committee can take the floor, answer the questions, and deliver a concluding speech after the speech of the main speaker.
4. The resolution of the National Assembly on the termination of the powers of the chairperson of a standing committee shall be adopted by a secret ballot, by a majority of votes of the Deputies participating in the voting if more than half of the total number of Deputies participated in the voting.
5. Powers of the deputy chairperson of a standing committee may be terminated by a resolution of a committee.
Article 151. Procedure for Dismissal from the office of the President of the Republic
1. The President of the Republic may be dismissed from the office for treason, for another serious crime or strong violation of the Constitution.
2. The right to submit a draft resolution of the National Assembly on the removal from the office of the President of the Republic shall belong to a faction.
3. The issue shall be debated in the National Assembly in the procedure established by part 2 of Article 149 of the Rules of Procedure, with the following difference:
1) The President of the Republic may take the floor, answer the questions, as well as deliver a concluding speech after the main speaker;
2) in the concluding speech, by the proposal of the main speaker, the National Assembly, by a resolution adopted by a majority of votes of the total number of Deputies, shall appeal to the Constitutional Court to obtain a conclusion on the grounds for dismissal of the President of the Republic, and the debate of the issue is adjourned until the conclusion of the Constitutional Court is received. If the resolution of the National Assembly on appealing to the Constitutional Court is not adopted, the draft shall be withdrawn from circulation.
4. If there are no grounds for dismissal from the office of the President of the Republic in accordance with the conclusion of the Constitutional Court, then the debate of the issue of dismissal from the office of the President of the Republic shall be considered concluded, the draft resolution of the National Assembly shall be withdrawn from circulation and facts that were refuted by a resolution of the Constitutional Court cannot serve as grounds for a draft of the National Assembly on the removal from office of the President of the Republic.
5. If according to the conclusion of the Constitutional Court, there are grounds for dismissal from the office of the President of the Republic, then after receiving the conclusion, the debate of the issue:
1) is resumed at forthcoming regular sittings of the National Assembly, or
2) may be resumed at an extraordinary session or a sitting of the National Assembly initiated regarding that issue.
6. Representatives of the factions and the President of the Republic may take the floor with up to ten-minute speeches in case of resumption of debates, after which a vote shall be held.
7. The resolution of the National Assembly on the removal from the office of the President of the Republic on the basis of the conclusion of the Constitutional Court shall be adopted by a closed ballot, by no less than two-third of votes of the total number of Deputies.
8. The President of the National Assembly shall immediately sign and promulgate the resolution of the National Assembly on the removal from office of the President of the Republic.
9. An application presented to the Constitutional Court on the issue of dismissal from the office of the President of the Republic may be withdrawn by a resolution of the National Assembly; the right to submit the draft of this resolution shall belong to a faction. The draft shall be submitted to the National Assembly for a debate and shall be put into circulation by the common procedure.
(Supplemented by the LA-50-N, dated 17.01.2018)
Article 152. Procedure for Expressing no confidence in the Prime Minister
1. No confidence in the Prime Minister may be expressed no earlier than one year after his appointment.
2. A draft resolution of the National Assembly on the expression of no confidence in the Prime Minister cannot be presented or debated during a state of emergency or martial law.
3. At least one-third of the total number of Deputies may submit a draft resolution of the National Assembly on expressing no confidence in the Prime Minister only if at the same time, by the draft resolution shall be nominated a candidate for a new Prime Minister.
4. The draft resolution of the National Assembly on expressing no confidence in the Prime Minister shall be submitted in a written application by at least one-third of the total number of Deputies, where the names and the last names of the new candidate for the Prime Minister, as well as the representative of Deputies authorized to present him/her, shall be indicated. The application shall be attached by documents certifying the provision of the requirements established by the Constitution and the law.
5. The issue of expressing no confidence in the Prime Minister shall be debated at forthcoming regular sittings of the National Assembly no earlier than forty-eight and no later than fifty hours after the submission to the Chairperson of the National Assembly, and in case of not holding regular sittings during those terms: at a special sitting of the National Assembly, immediately convened by virtue of law.
(Supplemented by the LA-50-N, dated 17.01.2018)
6. the issue shall be debated at a sitting of the National Assembly in the following procedure:
1) the main speaker may take the floor with a speech up to 20 minutes, presenting a draft on expressing no-confidence in the Prime Minister and nominating a new candidate for the Prime Minister;
2) the Prime Minister shall take the floor with a speech up to one hour;
3) a new candidate for the Prime Minister shall take the floor with a speech up to one hour;
4) after the speech, the main speaker, the Prime Minister and the new candidate for the Prime Minister may be asked questions;
5) exchange of opinions;
6) the main speaker may take the floor with a concluding speech up to 15 minutes;
7) The Prime Minister and the new candidate for the Prime Minister shall be given up to thirty minutes for concluding speeches.
7. The draft resolution of the National Assembly on the expression of no confidence in the Prime Minister shall be put to a vote no earlier than forty-eight hours and no later than seventy-two hours after its submission. The resolution shall be adopted by a roll-call vote, by a majority of votes of the total number of Deputies.
8. If during the debate of the issue of expressing no confidence in the Prime Minister, a state of emergency or martial law is declared, then the debate of the issue shall be interrupted and resumed no earlier than forty-eight and no later than fifty hours after the end of the state of emergency or martial law: at the forthcoming regular sittings of the National Assembly, and in case there are no regular sittings in those periods of time, at a special sitting of the National Assembly immediately convened by virtue of law. The draft resolution of the National Assembly on expressing no confidence in the Prime Minister shall be put to a vote within 24 hours after the resumption of the debate of the issue.
(Supplemented by the LA-50-N, dated 17.01.2018)
9. If the resolution on expressing no confidence in the Prime Minister in the term specified in part 2 of Article 115 of the Constitution:
1) is adopted, then it is considered that the Prime Minister has resigned and the new Prime Minister has been elected;
2) is not adopted, the debate of the issue is considered concluded, the draft shall be withdrawn from circulation, and such a draft may be submitted no earlier than six months later.
10. The Chairperson of the National Assembly shall immediately sign and promulgate the resolution of the National Assembly on expressing no confidence in the Prime Minister.
Article 153. Procedure for Terminating Powers of Officials Elected by the National Assembly in Case of Violation of the Requirements Established by the Constitution
1. In case of violation of one of the requirements for incompatibility established by Article 95 of the Constitution for Deputies, the powers of the members of the Central Electoral Commission, the Television and Radio Commission, the Audit Chamber, the Council of the Central Bank may be terminated on the basis of the conclusion of the Commission for the Prevention of Corruption by the procedure established by this Article.
(Amended by the LA-175-N, dated 13.09.2019)
2. The right to submit a draft resolution of the National Assembly on dismissal of the Prosecutor General in cases established by law, as well as on termination of powers of the members of the Central Electoral Commission, the Television and Radio Commission, the Audit Chamber or the Central Bank Board if one of the conditions established by the Constitution or by law is violated, except the cases specified in part 1 of this Article, shall belong to a faction. The draft shall be debated at a sitting of the National Assembly by the procedure established by part 2 of Article 149 of the Rules of Procedure, with the following difference: the official indicated in the draft may take the floor and answer the questions, as well as may take the floor with a concluding speech after the main speaker.
3. The Commission for the Prevention of Corruption shall submit to the National Assembly the conclusion on violation of one of the requirements of the Constitution by the procedure prescribed by the Law of the Republic of Armenia "On Public Service."
(Amended by the LA-175-N, dated 13.09.2019)
4. The Chairperson of the National Assembly shall, within 24 hours after receiving the conclusion, ensure its provision to the Deputies, and the issue on termination of powers of the official indicated in the conclusion shall be debated at forthcoming regular sittings of the National Assembly.
5. The official specified in the conclusion, at least a week before, shall be notified of the debate of the issue at a sitting of the National Assembly in a written form. In case of his/her absence, the debate of the issue shall be postponed twice for two weeks, after which it shall be debated at the next regular sittings, regardless of his/her presence.
6. The issue on termination of powers of the official specified in the conclusion shall be debated at a sitting of the National Assembly in the procedure established by part 2 of Article 149 of the Rules of Procedure, with the following difference: as a main speaker the Chairperson of the Commission for the Prevention of Corruption shall take the floor, after which the official specified in the conclusion may take the floor and answer the questions.
(Amended by the LA-175-N, dated 13.09.2019)
7.At the end of the debate of the issue, the issue on termination of powers of the official specified in the conclusion on the basis of the conclusion of the Commission for the Prevention of Corruption shall be put to a vote.
(Amended by the LA-175-N, dated 13.09.2019)
8. The resolution of the National Assembly on dismissal of the Prosecutor General, as well as on termination of the powers of the member of the Central Electoral Commission, member of the Television and Radio Commission, the Chairperson of the Central Bank, member of the Audit Chamber shall be adopted by a secret ballot, by at least three-fifths of the total number of Deputies, and the resolution on termination of powers of other members of the Central Bank Board: by a secret ballot, by a majority of votes of the total number of Deputies.
Article 153.1. Procedure for Termination of the Powers of a Member of a Self-government Body
1. In case there are grounds established by law, the powers of a member of a self-government body, appointed by the National Assembly, may be terminated by the procedure prescribed by this article on the basis of a conclusion of that self-government body.
2. The Chairperson of the National Assembly, within 24 hours after receiving the conclusion by the procedure as prescribed by law, shall provide its submission to the Deputies, and the issue of terminating the powers of a member of the self-government body shall be debated at the upcoming regular sitting of the National Assembly.
3. The member of the self-government body indicated in the conclusion, shall be notified in a written form, at least a week in advance, on the debate of the issue at a sitting of the National Assembly. In case of his absence, the debate of the issue shall be postponed twice - each time for two weeks, after which it shall be debated at the next regular sittings, regardless of his presence.
4. The issue of termination of the powers of a member of a self-government body shall be debated at a sitting of the National Assembly in the procedure prescribed by part 2 of Article 149 of the Rules of Procedure, with the following difference: the chairman of the self-government body or the person replacing him/her shall take the floor in the procedure prescribed by law as a main presenter, after which the member of a self-government body, indicated in the conclusion, may take the floor and answer the questions.
5. At the end of the debate, the issue of termination of the powers of a member of the self-government body on the basis of the conclusion of the self-government body shall be put to a vote.
6. The decision of the National Assembly on the termination of powers of a member of a self-government body shall be adopted by secret ballot, by a majority of votes of the total number of Deputies.
(Edited by the LA-175-N, dated 13.09.2019)
SECTION 7
DISCONTINUATION AND TERMINATION OF POWERS OF A DEPUTY
Article 154. Procedure for Discontinuation of Powers of a Deputy
1. The powers of a Deputy shall discontinue if:
1) the term of powers of the National Assembly has expired;
2) he has lost citizenship of the Republic of Armenia;
3) he has acquired citizenship of another state;
4) the judgment on sentencing him/her to imprisonment came into force;
5) the judgment of the court on declaring him/her as having no active legal capacity, as missing or dead came into force;
6) he resigned.
2. A Deputy shall submit his/her resignation by the procedure prescribed by Article 155 of the Rules of Procedure.
3. In the cases foreseen by parts 2-6 of part 1 of this Article, on the basis of the relevant documents, a record shall be made on discontinuation of powers of a Deputy, which within one week, shall be signed by the Chairperson of the National Assembly and shall be sent to the Central Electoral Commission.
Article 155. Procedure for Resignation of a Deputy
1. A Deputy shall officially submit his/her written application on resignation to the Chairperson of the National Assembly, who shall take the floor with a statement about it.
2. If a Deputy, within one week after the promulgation of the resignation, with a written application:
1) withdraws his/her resignation, then the Chairperson of the National Assembly shall take the floor with a statement about it;
2) does not withdraw his/her application on resignation, a record shall be made on the discontinuation of his/her powers, which shall be signed and promulgated by the Chairperson of the National Assembly. The resignation shall be deemed as adopted from the moment of the promulgation of the report.
Article 156. Appeal to the Constitutional Court on the Issue of Termination of Powers of a Deputy in Case of Invalid Absences at not less than Half of the Voting During a Calendar Half-year
1. The Council shall apply to the Constitutional Court on the issue of termination of the powers of a Deputy in case of invalid absences for at least half of the voting during each calendar half-year in accordance with the procedure established by this Article, as well as one-fifth of the total number of Deputies may apply.
2. The Staff shall calculate the participation of a Deputy in a voting in accordance with the procedure established by the Work Procedure.
3. Absence of a Deputy from a voting shall be deemed valid if:
1) (Recognized invalid by the LA-50-N, dated 17.01.2018)
2) within a week after his/her valid absence, foreseen by the Labor Code of the Republic of Armenia, a relevant document shall be submitted to the Chief of the Staff;
3) he/she was sent on a business trip by the National Assembly;
4) he/she is arrested or towards him/her was performed detention as a preventive measure, and he/she has not been sentenced to imprisonment, or a resolution to stop the criminal prosecution has been applied against him;
5) he occupies an office due to a status of a Deputy, and his/her absence is conditioned by the performance of his/her duties;
6) in a case of emergence of a conflict of interests, he/she has taken the floor with a statement on refusing to participate in a voting by a procedure prescribed by the Law of the Republic of Armenia "On Guarantees of the Activities of a Deputy" of the Republic of Armenia;
7) the head or secretary of a faction before a voting, at a sitting of the National Assembly, has taken the floor with a statement on the refusal of the faction to participate in a certain voting. The faction can refuse to participate in a voting at only one session of certain convocation of the National Assembly;
8) he/she is deprived of the right to attend the sitting hall of the National Assembly.
4. If a Deputy, according to a certificate, was absent for an unjustified cause for no less than half of the votes during the previous calendar half-year, then the Chairperson of the National Assembly, within a week after receiving the certificate, shall convene a sitting of the Council on the issue of applying to the Constitutional Court on the termination of powers of the Deputy and immediately shall notify the Deputy about it in a written form.
5. In case of absence of a Deputy, the debate of the issue shall be postponed for a week and it shall be resumed at a sitting of the Council convened the day following the day of expiration of the established time, irrespective of his/her presence.
6. The issue of the absence of each Deputy shall be debated separately. During the debate of an issue a Deputy or other Deputy authorized by him may take the floor, answer the questions and take the floor with a concluding speech.
7. If within two weeks after the commencement of the debate of the issue, the Council:
1) adopts a resolution on applying to the Constitutional Court on the issue of termination of the powers of a Deputy, then the Chairperson of the National Assembly shall send it to the Constitutional Court within 24 hours, indicating the name and the second name of the person entitled to take the floor as a representative during the debate of the issue in the Constitutional Court;
(Amended by the LA-50-N, dated 17.01.2018)
2) does not adopt a resolution on applying to the Constitutional Court on the issue of termination of the powers of a Deputy, then in accordance with paragraph 2 of part 1 of Article 169 of the Constitution, at least one-fifth of the total number of Deputies may, within no less than one month, apply to the Constitutional Court on the termination of the powers of a Deputy.
Article 157. Applying to the Constitutional Court on the Issue of Termination of Powers of a Deputy in Case of Violating of the Requirements of Article 95 of the Constitution
1. In case of violation of the requirements of Article 95 of the Constitution, the Council shall apply to the Constitutional Court in accordance with the procedure established by this Article, as well as at least one-fifth of the total number of Deputies may apply if:
1) The Commission for the Prevention of Corruption submitted to the National Assembly a conclusion on a Deputy violating the requirements of Article 95 of the Constitution;
(Amended by the LA-175-N, dated 13.09.2019)
2) a fine is imposed towards a Deputy for bring engaged in illegal business activities in a case provided by the Criminal Code of the Republic of Armenia;
3) a Deputy is deprived of the right to hold certain offices or being engaged in certain activities for illegal participation in business activities in a case envisaged by the Criminal Code of the Republic of Armenia;
4) a Deputy is brought to administrative responsibility for being engaged in illegal entrepreneurial activities.
2. In the cases provided by paragraphs 2 and 3 of part 1 of this Article, within one week from the date of entry into force of the relevant resolution, the competent court shall send a copy of the judgment to the Chairperson of the National Assembly.
3. In the case foreseen by paragraph 4 of part 1 of this Article, after the adoption of a relevant resolution, the competent body, within one week shall send the copy of the resolution to the Chairperson of the National Assembly.
4. In the cases foreseen by paragraph 1 of this Article the Chairperson of the National Assembly, within one week after receiving the relevant document, shall convene a sitting of the Council for applying to the Constitutional Court on the issue of termination of the powers of the Deputy indicated in the document, and immediately shall notify the Deputy about it in a written form.
5. In case of absence of the Deputy, the debate of the issue shall be postponed for a week and resumed at a sitting of the Council convened on the next day after the expiration of the established day, irrespective of his/her presence.
6. The chair of the committee shall present the conclusion of the Commission for the Prevention of Corruption at a sitting of the Council, and other grounds provided by part 1 of this Article: the Chairperson of the National Assembly. During the debate of the issue the Deputy specified in the relevant document, or other person authorized by him, may take the floor, answer the questions, and take the floor with a concluding speech.
(Amended by the LA-175-N, dated 13.09.2019)
7. At the end of the debate of the issue, the question of applying to the Constitutional Court on the issue of termination of powers of a Deputy shall be put to a vote.
8. If the Council within two weeks after the beginning of the debate of the issue:
1) adopts a resolution on applying to the Constitutional Court on the issue of termination of the powers of a Deputy, then the Chairperson of the National Assembly within 24 hours shall send it to the Constitutional Court, indicating the name and the second name of the Deputy who has the right to take the floor as a representative during the debate of the issue in the Constitutional Court.
2) does not adopt a resolution on applying to the Constitutional Court on the issue of termination of the powers of a Deputy, then according to paragraph 2 of part 1 of Article 169 of the Constitution, then no less than one-fifth of the total number of Deputies, no later than during one month, may apply to the Constitutional Court with the issue on termination of the powers of a Deputy.
SECTION 8
ORGANIZATION OF WORK OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
CHAPTER 31
INTER-PARLIAMENTARY RELATIONS OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
Article 158. Inter-parliamentary Agreements and Friendship Groups
1. The National Assembly may conclude an inter-parliamentary agreement with the legislative or higher representative body of another country, which regulates friendship and cooperation, exchange of experience, mutual assistance, formulation of parliamentary friendship groups, exchange of delegations and other relations.
2. Any written agreement that has been drawn in a form of an agreement, memorandum, protocol or document bearing any other internationally accepted name shall be considered as an inter-Parliamentary agreement.
3. The inter-parliamentary agreement, with the consent of the Council shall be
4. The Chairperson of the National Assembly, the Vice-Chairpersons of the National Assembly, factions and standing committees may take the floor with an initiative of signing an inter-parliamentary agreement or establishing a parliamentary friendship group. The initiative shall be debated in the competent Standing Committee and, within a ten day term shall be submitted to the Chairperson of the National Assembly.
CHAPTER 32
ENSURING THE ACTIVITIES OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY AND ITS BODIES
Article 159. Expenses of the National Assembly
1. The expenses of the National Assembly form a part of the expenses of the state budget and shall ensure the normal functioning of the National Assembly.
2. The work of forming an application (estimate draft of expenses) for the budget financing of the National Assembly for the forthcoming year shall be coordinated by the Chairperson of the National Assembly.
3. The Staff, by the procedure established by the Law of the Republic of Armenia "On Budgetary System of the Republic of Armenia," in the terms established by the decision of the Prime Minister about the beginning of the budget process for the forthcoming year, shall annually prepare and submit to the Government an application for financing of the National Assembly for the forthcoming year (hereinafter: the budget application) for including it in the draft state budget for the forthcoming year.
4. In case the budget application is adopted by the Government without amendments, and if there are objections: with amendments it shall be included in the draft state budget. The government shall submit to the National Assembly the budget application together with the draft state budget, as well as the substantiation for its amendments to the budget application.
5. The Budget means of the National Assembly, by the procedure established by law, shall be administered by the Chairperson of the National Assembly. If necessary, the Chairperson of the National Assembly, by the procedure established by the Government, may implement an internal redistribution of budget expenses among the articles of economic classification that does not exceed 15 percent of the total amount of allocations established by law on the state budget regarding each program implemented by the National Assembly.
Article 160. The Staff
1. The Staff shall provide assistance regarding implementation of the powers and functions of the National Assembly and its bodies, including professional assistance regarding formulation of drafts or documents submitted to the National Assembly for consideration, as well as shall implement their participation in civil legal relations, regulation of organizational issues and personal Management.
2. Peculiarities of managerial legal relations, and civil service in the Staff, as well as other peculiarities of the organization and activities of the Staff shall be established by law.”
(Edited by the LA-46-N, dated 21.01.2020)
Article 161. Ensuring the Activity of Factions
1. In the residence of the National Assembly the Staff shall provide the factions with the necessary means for their work activity.
2. Professional services for the activities of the faction shall be carried out by the clerk and the experts of the faction, who shall be engaged to work under a fixed-term contract according to the presentation of the head of a relevant faction, carry out his assignments, as well as shall support the work of the faction by his/her recommendation.
3. Factions consisting up to 14 members shall have one clerk and three experts, established by the staff list, and the factions having more than 14 members: one clerk and four experts.
Article 162. Maintenance of Activity of Committees
1. The Staff shall provide the committees of the National Assembly with the necessary means for their activities.
2. Professional maintenance of the activities of a standing committee shall be carried out by the secretariat of the committee, which is a subdivision of the Staff. It shall operate by the work procedure of the standing committee and by the procedure established by the statute of the Staff under the leadership of the chairperson of the committee.
(Amended by the LA-50-N, dated 17.01.2018)
3. Each of the standing committees, established by the staff list of the Staff, shall have one coordinating expert, at least two experts (specialists) and one clerk (assistant). The clerk (assistant) of a standing committee shall be accepted for work and released from work by the consent of the chairperson of the relevant committee, and the coordinating expert and other experts (specialists) are civil servants. The number of experts of the standing committee may be increased on the proposal of the chairperson and by a resolution of the Council of the committee.
(Amended by the LA-46-N, dated 21.01.2020)
4. The legal status of experts (specialists) of reorganized or renamed standing committees shall be determined by the procedure established by the Law "On Civil Service.”
(Amended by the LA-46-N dated 21.01.2020)
5. Professional services for the activities of the Ad-hoc committee on the draft of a separate law, as well as of the inquiry committee, shall be carried out by assistants to the members of the relevant committee, working on a fee-paying basis, or by relevant specialists of the Staff.
6. Prior to the establishment of the Ad-hoc committee on parliamentary ethics, applications for issues of parliamentary ethics shall be studied and within a two-week period shall be presented a conclusion to the factions by a competent expert (specialist) of the Staff and after the creation of the committee shall implement a professional service of the activities of the committee. The competent expert (specialist) of the Staff shall be a civil servant.
(Amended by the LA-46-N, dated 21.01.2020)
Article 163. The Budget Office
1. A Budget Office shall be established in order to contribute a productive
implementation of the oversight powers, reserved to the National Assembly by part 1 of Article 111 of the Constitution, as well as of the provisions established by Chapter 20, Articles 114-118 of the Rules of Procedure and for provision of professional assistance and information to Deputies, standing committees and factions. The Budget Office shall have functional independence.
2. General coordination and monitoring of the activities of the Budget Office shall be carried out by the competent standing committee.
3. The Budget Office shall function in accordance with the Rules of Procedure, the Work of Procedure and its own work procedure.
Article 164. Office Work of the National Assembly and its Bodies
1. Drafts and other documents submitted to the National Assembly for a debate shall be subject to a compulsory registration by the procedure established by the Rules of Procedure.
2. Draft amendments to the Constitution, other laws, as well as resolutions, statements and addresses of the National Assembly shall be recorded in the register of issues put into circulation in the National Assembly.
3. Conducting of the registration of drafts and other documents, as well as a register of issues that are put into circulation in the National Assembly, and the official website of the National Assembly shall be carried out by the Staff in accordance with the procedure established by the Work of Procedure.
Article 165. Coverage of the Works of the National Assembly
1. The National Assembly may have its own printed organs.
2. Public sittings of the National Assembly and its committees, as well as parliamentary hearings, shall be broadcasted online via the official website of the National Assembly. Online broadcasting of special sittings and parliamentary hearings of the National Assembly on the official website of the National Assembly shall be accompanied by translation into Armenian sign language.
(Supplemented by the LA 405-N, dated 26.10.2022)
3. Video recordings of the sittings specified in paragraphs 3 and 5 of part 3 of Article 40 of the Rules of Procedure, on the next day shall be fully demonstrated on television by the procedure established by the Work of Procedure.
Article 166. Entering into force of this Law
1. This Law shall enter into force on the opening day of the first session of the National Assembly of the next convocation, with the exception of paragraph 4.1 of part 2 of Article 5, paragraph 7 of part 1 of Article 8, paragraphs 5 and 13-15 of part 3 of Article 38, Articles 47, 48, 50, paragraph 4 of part 2 of Article 64, Article 74, part 2 of Article 76, part 4 of Article 83, Article 93, Articles 103-107, Articles 109, 115, parts 11, 13 and 14 of Article 121, Articles 127, 130, 131, 133, Articles 139-143, those parts of Article 145 that are related to the election of the Prosecutor General, the Chairperson and other members of the Audit Chamber, the Chairperson of the Central Bank, his deputies and other members of the Council of the Central Bank, members of the Television and Radio Commission, Articles 146, 151, 152, those parts of Article 153 that are related to the removal from office of the Prosecutor General, termination of the powers of the Chairperson and other members of the Audit Chamber, the Chairperson of the Central Bank, his deputies and other members of the Central Bank Board, members of the Television and Radio Commission, Chapters 7 and 19, as well as other provisions relating to Article 108 of Constitution, part 2 of Article 113, Articles 115, 117-120, 122 and Chapters 5-8, 12-15 that shall enter into force from the day of inauguration of the newly elected President of the Republic. Prior to that, according to the Constitution, with the amendments of 2005, the relevant provisions established by the Law LA-308 of February 20, 2002 of the Republic of Armenia "Rules of Procedure of the National Assembly" shall continue to function.
(Supplemented by the LA-50-N, dated 17.01.2018)
2. From the moment of entry into force of this Law, the Law LA-308 of February 20, 2002 of the Republic of Armenia "Rules of Procedure of the National Assembly" shall be considered invalid with the exception of those provisions of paragraph 4.1 of part 2 of Article 5,
1) which in accordance with part 1 of this Article shall continue to be valid until the day the new President of the Republic shall assume his/her office;
2) Chapters 3 and 4 of appendix 1, as well as Chapters 2 and 3 of appendix 2, which continue to be in force until the adoption of the relevant Acts relating to the activities of the Budget Office.
Article 167. Transitional Provisions
1. The Law of the Republic of Armenia "On Referendum" is brought into conformity with part 3 of Article 209 of the Constitution of the Republic of Armenia, and part 4 of Article 65 of this Law and by that part shall come into force upon the opening day of the first session of the National Assembly of the next convocation.
2. The Law of the Republic of Armenia "On Public Service" is brought into conformity with part 1 of Article 153 and paragraph 1 of part 1 of Article 157 of this Law and shall enter into force upon the opening day of the first session of the National Assembly of the next convocation.
3. The first election of the President of the Republic by the procedure established by Article 125 of the Constitution and Article 139 of this Law shall be held no earlier than forty days and no later than thirty days prior to the expiry of the powers of the President of the Republic. Candidates for the President of the Republic may be nominated no earlier than fifty days and no later than forty days prior to the expiry of the powers of the President of the Republic. In the third round of the election of the President of the Republic the candidate who received the largest number of votes shall be elected President of the Republic. If it is necessary to ensure the terms established by this part, the issue about the first election of the President of the Republic shall be debated at a special sitting of the National Assembly convened in accordance with the procedure established by parts 2 and 4-6 of Article 50 of this Law.
President of the Republic of Armenia S. SARGSYAN
14.01.2017
LA-9
