SECTION VI

1. The first sitting of a committee shall be convened and conducted by the Marshal of the Senate. At this sitting, the committee shall elect, from among its members, the candidate for its chairman.

2. The chairman shall organise the work of the committee and shall be responsible for its activity.

3. A committee elects a deputy chairman from among its members. A deputy chairman fulfils the duties of the chairman in the event of his absence, and the duties entrusted to him by the chairman.

4. The secretary shall keep minutes and be responsible for the records of the committee.

5. The chairman shall sign documents in the name of the committee.

1. Sittings of committees shall take place at times set by the committee itself or by its chairman. Upon the motion of the Marshal of the Senate, Presidium of the Senate or a written motion by one fourth of the total number of members of the committee, the chairman shall be obliged to call a sitting to consider a specific matter.

2. Senators can request that a committee consider specific issues.

3. Sittings of a committee are open.

4. Upon the motion of the Marshal of the Senate, chairman of a committee or at least 3 members of a committee, a committee can decide to hold a secret sitting or a sitting in camera. A committee by deciding to make a sitting secret or to hold a sitting in camera, specifies the people who must be present at the sitting. The provisions of article 36, para. 2 and 3 are applicable respectively.

1. Committee sittings may be attended by Senators who are not members of this committee. They may take the floor in discussion and submit motions but shall not hold any voting rights.

2. Deputies, representatives of the Council of Ministers and representatives of government administrative bodies may participate in sittings of a committee.

3. On the request of a committee or committee chairman, representatives of the Council of Ministers, state and local government bodies, institutions, works and enterprises, commercial law companies with state holdings or municipal corporate bodies and social organisations receiving subsidies from the state budget, are obliged to co-operate with the committee on issues being the subject of its activities, and in particular:

4. In the work of committees the Council of Ministers is represented by an authorised member of the Council of Ministers, a secretary of state, an under-secretary of state, a government plenipotentiary or head of a central office, and in particularly justified cases also by another person operating in the specified area of government administration with written authorisation from the Prime Minister. Other entities are represented by a person authorised in accordance with the procedure of external representation required for this entity or, with the consent of the committee chairman, a different person.

5. In performing the obligation to co-operate the entities specified in para. 3 are obliged to be guided by the deadline set by the chairman of the committee. The provision of article 49, para. 6 is applicable respectively.

6. The chairmen of committees can request the preparation of opinions and can invite experts, representatives of groups and organisations interested in the subject of a committee’s work, and other persons, to attend the sittings.

1. Senate papers and other materials relating to the issues considered at a committee sitting should be handed to its members no later than the day before a sitting.

2. The provisions of para. 1 are not applicable:

1. Resolutions of committees shall be carried by a majority vote with the presence of at least one third of its members. In voting on issues other than motions for rejection, acceptance without amendment or the introductions of amendments to an act, draft act or draft resolution, then in the event of an even number of votes, the vote of the chairman conducting the deliberations shall be decisive.

2. Committees may hold joint sittings chaired by one of the chairmen of these committees. The rules relating to sittings of a committee shall be applicable respectively to the sittings of joint committees, with the reservation of para. 3.

3. In the case of joint sittings of more than one committee, the passing of resolutions shall require the presence of at least one third of the members of each of the committees in sitting.

4. A minority motion from a committee shall be a motion which has obtained the support of at least two Senators, even in the event that it was not voted on.

5. During deliberations of a committee the provisions of article 53, para. 2-8, and articles 54-56 are applicable respectively.

1. The Senate, the Presidium of the Senate or the Marshal of the Senate shall be presented with a report from a committee on issues referred by the Senate to the committee for consideration.

2. Motions rejected by committees shall be, on the request of the movers, included in the report as minority motions.

3. A committee shall select from amongst its members a rapporteur who shall present in an objective manner the conclusions presented in the committee's report.

Committees may appoint sub-committees from amongst their members and specify their membership and areas of responsibility. The appointment of a standing sub-committee shall require the consent of the Marshal of the Senate given after seeking the opinion of the Presidium of the Senate.

A Senator who during his speech shall depart from the subject of the committee's deliberations may be requested by the chairman of the committee not to discuss unrelated issues using the phrase: "Please keep to the subject". After a Senator has been twice requested to "keep to the subject" the chairman of a committee may deprive the Senator of the floor.

1. Minutes and a stenographic record shall be drawn up on the course of the sitting of a committee.

2. A member of a committee may submit reservations to the minutes at the next sitting of the committee after the minutes were made available; the committee shall decide whether to accept or reject reservations. Minutes which have no reservations included with them shall be considered as accepted. The minutes shall be signed by the chairman of the committee conducting the sittings.

Committees shall prepare reports on their activity at the end of their terms of office.