| Parliament name (generic / translated) |
Narodno sabranie / National Assembly |
| Structure of parliament |
Unicameral |
| APPOINTMENT AND TERM OF OFFICE |
| Title |
Speaker of the National Assembly |
| Term |
- duration: 4 years (term of House)
- reasons for interruption of the term: resignation, death, dissolution, objective impossibility of fulfilling his duties or systematic non-accomplishment of his functions |
| Appointment |
- elected by all Members of the Assembly
- during the first sitting of the new legislature |
| Eligibility |
- any MP may be a candidate
- notification of candidature at the first sitting before the examination of the respective item of the agenda |
| Voting system |
- formal vote by secret ballot
- 2 rounds of voting
- by simple majority |
| Procedures / results |
- the oldest Member presides over the Assembly during the voting
- an ad hoc Commission appointed for the election supervises the voting
- this same Committee announces the results without delay
- the results may be challenged |
| STATUS |
| Status |
- can act as interim Head of State during the two months prior to the presidential elections if the Vice-President is not in a position to do so
- represents the Assembly with the public authorities
- represents the Assembly in international bodies
- is de facto chairman of the Administration Committee
- in the absence of the President, the Vice-President of the Assembly can assume his/her role and functions or, if applicable, the Vice-President designated by the largest parliamentary group |
| Board |
- an informal collegial body meets once a week
- consists of the Vice-Presidents and Presidents of the parliamentary groups and the standing committees |
| Material facilities |
- allowance (50% more than an MP's allowance)
- official residence
- official car
- secretariat
- bodyguards |
| FUNCTIONS |
| Organization of parliamentary business |
- convenes sessions
- makes proposals concerning the working programme and timetable, which are voted on by the National Assembly
- organizes the debates and sets speaking time
- examines the admissibility of bills and amendments
- refers texts to a committee for study
Chairing public sittings :
- can open, adjourn and close sittings
- ensures respect for provisions of the Constitution and Standing Orders
- makes announcements concerning the Assembly
- takes disciplinary measures in the event of disturbance, and lifts such measures
- establishes the list of speakers, gives and withdraws permission to speak
- establishes the order in which amendments are taken up
- calls for a vote, decides how it is to be carried out, verifies the voting procedure and cancels a vote in the event of irregularities
- checks the quorum
- authenticates the texts adopted and the records of debates
- interprets the rules or other regulations governing the life of the Assembly
- has discretionary power to give the floor outside the agenda and thus organizes impromptu debates (in cases provided for in the Constitution or in accordance with votes taken by the members) |
| Chairing of public sittings |
- can open, adjourn and close sittings
- ensures respect for provisions of the Constitution and Standing Orders
- makes announcements concerning the Assembly
- takes disciplinary measures in the event of disturbance, and lifts such measures
- establishes the list of speakers, gives and withdraws permission to speak
- establishes the order in which amendments are taken up
- calls for a vote, decides how it is to be carried out, verifies the voting procedure and cancels a vote in the event of irregularities
- checks the quorum
- authenticates the texts adopted and the records of debates
- interprets the rules or other regulations governing the life of the Assembly
- has discretionary power to give the floor outside the agenda and thus organizes impromptu debates (in cases provided for in the Constitution or in accordance with votes taken by the members)
|
| Special powers |
- is responsible for establishing the Assembly's budget
- is responsible for relations with foreign Parliaments
- is responsible for safety, and in this capacity, can call the police in the event of disturbance in the Assembly |
| Speaking and voting rights, other functions |
- takes the floor in legislative debates
- sometimes provides guidelines for the interpretation or completion of the text under discussion
- takes part in voting
- proposes bills or amendments
- intervenes in the parliamentary oversight procedure
- verifies the constitutionality of laws by signing adopted laws and sending them back to the President of the Republic |
Compare data for parliamentary chambers in the Presidency module
