Parliamentary sittings are chaired by officers elected from the ranks of the Members of Parliament. These are the Speaker and Deputy Speakers of the National Assembly with the aid of the parliamentary notaries. The Speaker plays the most important role from among the elected officers. The Speaker upholds the dignity of the National Assembly, maintaining order and security, and organising the work of Parliament.
Key duties of the officers:
Speaker of the National Assembly:
- To represent the National Assembly in international relations;
- To represent the National Assembly before other state organisations and non-governmental organisations;
- To convoke sessions of Parliament and each sitting;
- To open and chair sittings impartially, enforcing compliance with the Rules of Procedure and the order of proceedings;
- To convoke and chair House Committee meetings;
- To coordinate the work of committees;
- To direct the Office of the National Assembly and appoint its leaders;
- To implement the measures necessary to protect the security of Parliament;
- To exercise law enforcement and disciplinary powers to ensure the uninterrupted operation of Parliament and to uphold its dignity.
Deputy Speakers of the National Assembly:
- To chair the sittings of the National Assembly by rotation;
- To convene and chair the Meeting of Committee Chairpersons;
- To substitute for the Speaker.
Principal of the National Assembly as appointed Deputy of the Speaker:
The Deputy of the Speaker of the National Assembly attends to duties assigned by the Speaker:
- To represent the National Assembly before other state institutions and non-governmental and other organisations;
- To represent Parliament in international relations;
- To attend to ad hoc duties assigned by the Speaker in accordance with the Act on the National Assembly.
Parliamentary notaries:
- To aid the Speaker and Deputy Speakers in chairing sittings;
- To certify both verbatim minutes taken of sittings and parliamentary resolutions;
- To act as a ballot counting committee when votes are cast in a secret ballot.
These duties are attended to simultaneously during plenary sittings by one parliamentary notary from a governing party and one from the opposition.