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LEGAL ACTS OF THE REPUBLIC OF LATVIA
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Text consolidated by Valsts valodas centrs (State Language Centre) with amending laws of:

10 November 1994 [shall come into force on 29 November 1994];
5 April 1995 [shall come into force on 25 April 1995];
2 November 1995 [shall come into force on 7 November 1995];
6 May 1996 [shall come into force on 1 June 1996];
17 October 1996 [shall come into force on 26 October 1996];
15 May 1997 [shall come into force on 22 May 1997];
1 October 1997 [shall come into force on 9 October 1997];
7 October 1998 [shall come into force on 3 November 1998];
16 December 1999 [shall come into force on 12 January 2000];
18 January 2001 [shall come into force on 16 February 2001];
5 April 2001 [shall come into force on 13 April 2001];
16 May 2002 [shall come into force on 30 May 2002];
24 October 2002 [shall come into force on 5 November 2002];
28 October 2004 [shall come into force on 26 November 2004];
16 June 2005 [shall come into force on 1 July 2005];
2 March 2006 [shall come into force on 6 April 2006];
15 June 2006 [shall come into force on 21 June 2006];
2 November 2006 [shall come into force on 9 November 2006];
9 November 2006 [shall come into force on 16 November 2006];
13 December 2007 [shall come into force on 23 December 2007];
15 May 2008 [shall come into force on 5 June 2008];
11 December 2008 [shall come into force on 24 December 2008];
19 February 2009 [shall come into force on 1 March 2009];
14 May 2009 [shall come into force on 20 May 2009];
11 June 2009 [shall come into force on 1 July 2009];
18 June 2009 [shall come into force on 1 July 2009];
16 July 2009 [shall come into force on 25 July 2009];
10 December 2009 [shall come into force on 1 January 2010];
28 October 2010 [shall come into force on 11 November 2010];
23 December 2010 [shall come into force on 1 January 2011];
9 June 2011 [shall come into force on 13 July 2011];
19 January 2012 [shall come into force on 2 February 2012];
16 October 2014 [shall come into force on 4 November 2014];
15 October 2015 [shall come into force on 27 October 2015];
19 May 2016 [shall come into force on 14 June 2016];
23 December 2019 (Constitutional Court Judgment) [shall come into force on 27 December 2019].

If a whole or part of a section has been amended, the date of the amending law appears in square brackets at the end of the section. If a whole section, paragraph or clause has been deleted, the date of the deletion appears in square brackets beside the deleted section, paragraph or clause.

The Saeima1 has adopted and
the President has proclaimed the following law:

Rules of Order of Saeima

I. MEMBERS OF SAEIMA

1. The Saeima shall be composed of one hundred representatives of the people - members of the Saeima whose mandates (powers) have been approved by the Saeima.

2. The Saeima shall elect the Mandate, Ethics and Submissions Committee which verifies election materials as well as complaints about elections if such complaints have been submitted to the Central Election Commission not later than four days after proclamation of the official election results in accordance with the procedures laid down in the law.

[2 March 2006]

3. (1) Following the report of the Mandate, Ethics and Submissions Committee, members of the Saeima shall, in alphabetical order, give a solemn promise at a sitting of the Saeima:

"I, upon assuming duties of a member of the Saeima, before the people of Latvia, do swear (solemnly promise) to be loyal to Latvia, to strengthen its sovereignty and the Latvian language as the only official language, to defend Latvia as an independent and democratic State, and to fulfil my duties honestly and conscientiously. I shall comply with the Constitution and laws of Latvia."

(2) A member of the Saeima shall give the promise in the Latvian language and certify it with his or her signature.

(3) Members of the Saeima shall give the solemn promise from the rostrum. If a member of the Saeima is a person with restricted mobility, he or she may give the solemn promise from his or her seat in the chamber.

(4) After giving the solemn promise, the Saeima shall decide on the powers of members of the Saeima (Article 18 of the Constitution).

[24 October 2002; 2 March 2006]

4. (1) A member of the Saeima shall have the rights of a member of the Saeima until expiry of the powers.

(2) Powers of a member of the Saeima shall expire from the moment when:

1) the newly elected Saeima has convened;

2) he or she has notified of resigning the mandate, and powers have been approved for another member of the Saeima in his or her place (Sections 5 and 6);

3) he or she has been excluded from the composition of the Saeima (Section 18);

4) he or she has died.

[6 May 1996]

4.1 (1) A member of the Saeima has the right to prenatal and maternity leave, paternity leave, leave for an adopter and also parental leave. When granting such leaves, provisions of Sections 154, 155, and 156 of the Labour Law shall be applicable in so far as the Rules of Order do not stipulate otherwise.

(2) During prenatal and maternity leave, paternity leave, leave for an adopter and also parental leave, a member of the Saeima shall retain the status of an employee for the duration of the relevant Saeima.

[15 June 2006]

5. (1) A member of the Saeima has the right to resign the mandate of the member of the Saeima for the term of office of the Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister and State Minister and also for the duration of prenatal and maternity leave, leave for an adopter or parental leave. Upon receipt of a submission for the resignation from mandate, the Presidium of the Saeima (hereinafter - the Presidium) shall invite the next candidate to join the composition of the Saeima in the place of this member of the Saeima and notify the Mandates, Ethics and Submissions Committee thereof. The Mandate, Ethics and Submissions Committee shall verify election materials and report on results of the verification to the Saeima which shall afterwards decide on the approval of powers of the member of the Saeima for the respective candidate.

(2) The Prime Minister, the Deputy Prime Minister or Minister who has resigned the mandate of member of the Saeima in accordance with the procedures laid down in this Section may reinstate it if he or she resigns from the office of the Prime Minister, the Deputy Prime Minister or Minister or if the government resigns. The relevant Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister or Minister may submit a submission for the reinstatement of the powers of a member of the Saeima to the Presidium within a week from the day when he or she has ceased to perform duties of the Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister or Minister.

(21) A member of the Saeima who is on a prenatal and maternity leave, leave for an adopter and also parental leave and who has resigned the mandate of a member of the Saeima in accordance with the procedures laid down in this Section may reinstate it if he or she has decided to terminate the prenatal and maternity leave, leave for an adopter and also parental leave. The submission for the reinstatement of the powers of a member of the Saeima must be submitted to the Presidium not later than seven days before the day from which he or she has decided to terminate the prenatal and maternity leave, leave for an adopter and also parental leave.

(3) The Presidium shall hand over the submission referred to in Paragraphs two and 2.1 of this Section to the Mandate, Ethics and Submissions Committee which shall notify it at the next sitting of the Saeima. From the moment of notification, powers of the member of the Saeima invited in accordance with the procedures laid down in Paragraph one of this Section expire and mandate of a member of the Saeima is reinstated for the member of the Saeima who has resigned from it for the term of office of the Prime Minister, the Deputy Prime Minister or Minister or for the duration of the prenatal and maternity leave, leave for an adopter and also parental leave.

(4) If a candidate has already joined the composition of the Saeima in accordance with the procedures laid down in Paragraph one of this Section, he or she shall not be invited to join the composition of the Saeima in place of another member of the Saeima who resigns the mandate for the term of office of the Prime Minister, the Deputy Prime Minister or Minister or for the duration of the prenatal and maternity leave, leave for an adopter and also parental leave.

(5) If several members of the Saeima who have been elected from a list of the same name in one electoral district have resigned mandates in accordance with the procedures laid down in Paragraph one of this Section, then in the case when the mandate is reinstated for one of them the powers of the member of the Saeima who has been the last to join the composition of the Saeima from the respective list in the relevant electoral district according to the procedures laid down in Paragraph one of this Section shall expire.

[6 May 1996; 7 October 1998; 2 March 2006; 15 June 2006; 16 October 2014]

6. (1) If a member of the Saeima has died, submitted a submission for withdrawal from the composition of the Saeima, has been excluded from it or his or her powers have not been approved, and also in the case referred to in Paragraph three of this Section, the Presidium shall, in accordance with the Law on the Election of the Saeima, invite the next candidate to join the composition of the Saeima in his or her place and notify the Mandate, Ethics and Submissions Committee thereof. The Mandate, Ethics and Submissions Committee shall verify election materials and report on results of verification to the Saeima. After the respective candidate has given the solemn promise in accordance with the procedures laid down in Section 3, the Saeima shall decide on the approval of his or her powers of a member of the Saeima.

(2) If a candidate has refused to join the composition of the Saeima in the case referred to in Paragraph one of Section 5, this shall not preclude the Presidium from inviting him or her to join the composition of the Saeima in the case provided for in Paragraph one of this Section.

(3) If a candidate has joined the composition of the Saeima in the place of the member of the Saeima who has resigned from the mandate of a member of the Saeima for the term of office of the Prime Minister, the Deputy Prime Minister or Minister or for the period of prenatal and maternity leave, leave for an adopter or parental leave (Section 5), this shall not preclude the Presidium from inviting him or her to join the composition of the Saeima in the case provided for in Paragraph one of this Section. Another candidate shall be invited in accordance with the procedures laid down in Paragraph one of Section 5 in the place of the member of the Saeima who has resigned from the mandate of a member of the Saeima for the term of office of the Prime Minister, the Deputy Prime Minister or Minister or for the period of prenatal and maternity leave, leave for an adopter or parental leave. If there are no more candidates for the position of a member of the Saeima in the relevant list or none of the candidates for the position of a member of the Saeima on the list agree to join the composition of the Saeima, the mandate of a member of the Saeima shall be reinstated for the relevant Prime Minister, the Deputy Prime Minister, Minister or member of the Saeima who is on prenatal and maternity leave, leave for an adopter or parental leave.

[6 May 1996; 24 October 2002; 2 March 2006; 15 June 2006; 16 October 2014]

7. Each member of the Saeima shall be obliged to participate in the work of the Saeima.

8. (1) A member of the Saeima shall be allowed not to participate in the work of the Saeima for not longer than one week by notifying the Presidium of this in advance and asking for leave. He or she may exercise this right once during the session. Leave shall be unpaid, and it shall be granted for a specific period.

(2) The Presidium shall submit a submission of a member of the Saeima for granting leave along with its opinion to the Saeima for examination (Section 54). In urgent cases, the Presidium shall decide on the leave and inform the Saeima thereof at the next ordinary sitting of the Saeima.

(3) A submission for the extension of leave shall be decided in accordance with the same procedures (Section 54).

[6 May 1996]

9. Each member of the Saeima shall notify the Administration of the Saeima of his or her address, telephone number, and any other information necessary for ensuring work of the member of the Saeima and receive the certificate of a member of the Saeima issued by the Presidium. The member of the Saeima shall notify the Administration of the Saeima of the information if it has changed, and also his or her address during the period between session.

[15 October 2015]

10. Restrictions on entrepreneurial activity, obtaining income, combination of positions and performance of work, and also other restrictions and obligations related thereto of the members of the Saeima shall be determined by the law On Prevention of Conflict of Interest in Activities of Public Officials.

[6 May 1996; 2 March 2006]

11. If a person who holds a position incompatible with the mandate of a member of the Saeima is elected as a member of the Saeima, he or she must leave this position or resign from the mandate of a member of the Saeima within a month from the day the powers are approved.

[6 May 1996]

12. The monthly wage determined in the Law on Remuneration of Officials and Employees of State and Local Government Authorities shall be disbursed to a member of the Saeima for the period worked in accordance with the procedures and within the periods laid down by the Presidium. The monthly wage shall be disbursed from the budget of the Saeima.

[23 December 2010]

13. (1) A member of the Saeima shall receive the monthly wage from the first sitting of the Saeima after election or from the day when he or she has joined the composition of the Saeima (Sections 5 and 6).

(2) [23 December 2010].

(3) [23 December 2010].

(4) [23 December 2010].

[6 May 1996; 24 October 2002; 15 June 2006; 15 May 2008; 28 October 2010; 23 December 2010]

14. (1) If a member of the Saeima has incurred expenses while exercising his or her powers, the compensations specified in the Law on Remuneration of Officials and Employees of State and Local Government Authorities shall be disbursed to the member of the Saeima from the budget of the Saeima in accordance with the procedures and within the periods laid down by the Presidium in the following amount:

1) if the member of the Saeima lives in Riga or up to 19 km around Riga, he or she has the right to receive compensation for the transport expenses according to the actual expenses but not exceeding the amount of the average work remuneration specified in the Law on Remuneration of Officials and Employees of State and Local Government Authorities to which a coefficient of 0.15 is applied;

2) if the member of the Saeima lives from 20 to 39 km from Riga, he or she has the right to compensation for the transport expenses according to the actual expenses but not exceeding the amount of the average work remuneration specified in the Law on Remuneration of Officials and Employees of State and Local Government Authorities to which a coefficient of 0.26 is applied;

3) if the member of the Saeima lives from 40 to 69 km from Riga, he or she has the right to compensation for the transport expenses according to the actual expenses and the compensation for the rent of accommodation (hotel) according to the actual expenses but the total amount of this compensation may not exceed the amount of the average work remuneration specified in the Law on Remuneration of Officials and Employees of State and Local Government Authorities to which a coefficient of 0.72 is applied;

4) if the member of the Saeima lives from 70 to 99 km from Riga, he or she has the right to the compensation for the transport expenses according to the actual expenses and the compensation for the rent of accommodation (hotel) according to the actual expenses but the total amount of this compensation may not exceed the amount of the average work remuneration specified in the Law on Remuneration of Officials and Employees of State and Local Government Authorities to which a coefficient of 0.76 is applied;

5) if the member of the Saeima lives from 100 to 129 km from Riga, he or she has the right to the compensation for the transport expenses according to the actual expenses and the compensation for the rent of accommodation (hotel) according to the actual expenses but the total amount of this compensation may not exceed the amount of the average work remuneration specified in the Law on Remuneration of Officials and Employees of State and Local Government Authorities to which a coefficient of 0.79 is applied;

6) if the member of the Saeima lives from 130 to 159 km from Riga, he or she has the right to the compensation for the transport expenses according to the actual expenses and the compensation for the rent of accommodation (hotel) according to the actual expenses but the total amount of this compensation may not exceed the amount of the average work remuneration specified in the Law on Remuneration of Officials and Employees of State and Local Government Authorities to which a coefficient of 0.83 is applied;

7) if the member f the Saeima lives from 160 to 189 km from Riga, he or she has the right to the compensation for the transport expenses according to the actual expenses and the compensation for the rent of accommodation (hotel) according to the actual expenses but the total amount of this compensation may not exceed the amount of the average work remuneration specified in the Law on Remuneration of Officials and Employees of State and Local Government Authorities to which a coefficient of 0.86 is applied;

8) if the member of the Saeima lives from 190 to 219 km from Riga, he or she has the right to the compensation for the transport expenses according to the actual expenses and the compensation for the rent of accommodation (hotel) according to the actual expenses but the total amount of this compensation may not exceed the amount of the average work remuneration specified in the Law on Remuneration of Officials and Employees of State and Local Government Authorities to which a coefficient of 0.9 is applied;

9) if the member of the Saeima lives from 220 to 249 km from Riga, he or she has the right to the compensation for the transport expenses according to the actual expenses and the compensation for the rent of accommodation (hotel) according to the actual expenses but the total amount of this compensation may not exceed the amount of the average work remuneration specified in the Law on Remuneration of Officials and Employees of State and Local Government Authorities to which a coefficient of 0.94 is applied;

10) if the member of the Saeima lives from 250 to 279 km from Riga, he or she has the right to the compensation for the transport expenses according to the actual expenses and the compensation for the rent of accommodation (hotel) according to the actual expenses but the total amount of this compensation may not exceed the amount of the average work remuneration specified in the Law on Remuneration of Officials and Employees of State and Local Government Authorities to which a coefficient of 0.97 is applied;

11) if the member of the Saeima lives beyond 280 km from Riga, he or she has the right to the compensation for the transport expenses according to the actual expenses and the compensation for the rent of accommodation (hotel) according to the actual expenses but the total amount of this compensation may not exceed the amount of the average work remuneration specified in the Law on Remuneration of Officials and Employees of State and Local Government Authorities to which a coefficient of 1 is applied.

(2) The actual expenses within the meaning of Paragraph one of this Section shall be considered urban or inter-urban public transport expenses, and also expenses related to the use of a vehicle owned or possessed by the member of the Saeima.

(3) A member of the Saeima shall be compensated for official travel expenditures (travel, hotel, representation and transport expenses), a daily allowance, a supplement and other expenses specified in laws and regulations), and they shall be paid according to the actual expenses.

(4) The procedures for compensating the expenses specified in Paragraph three of this Section and the amounts of compensation shall also apply to an employee of the Saeima who travels on mission approved by the decision of the Presidium.

(5) The compensations specified in this Section shall not be taxed.

(6) A member of the Saeima who has been granted a car for official use as an official of the Saeima shall not be compensated for transport expenses.

[23 December 2010]

15. (1) The member of the Saeima who has been excluded from sittings of the Saeima or fails to appear at a sitting of the Saeima without proper cause, or violates requirements of Section 8 shall pay a penalty in the amount of 20 percent of the monthly wage for each sitting. The penalty shall be deducted from the monthly wage. The total amount of penalty in one calendar month may not exceed the amount as a result of deduction of which the member of the Saeima receives less than the minimum monthly wages determined in the State.

(2) In order to establish the presence of the members of the Saeima, the Presidium shall organise registration. A member of the Saeima shall be considered present if he or she has registered all times. Presence of the member of the Saeima in a sitting which has not been held (Section 46) shall be established after the last registration for a quorum.

(3) If a sitting is closed because the quorum is not present (Section 48), separate registration shall be organised to ascertain the presence of members of the Saeima after the last voting.

(4) Each member of the Saeima may request the chair of the sitting to verify the actual presence of any other member of the Saeima in a sitting immediately after registration with participation of tellers (Section 24).

(5) The Presidium shall examine the reasons for which a member of the Saeima has been absent from a sitting and impose a penalty if it recognises that the absence is unjustified.

[6 May 1996; 16 December 1999; 28 October 2004; 23 December 2010; 16 October 2014]

16. Leaves of members of the Saeima, absence thereof from sittings and penalties imposed shall be recorded in a special list.

17. (1) The Saeima shall decide to agree to initiate criminal prosecution against the member of the Saeima, his or her arrest, to conduct a search at his or her place or restrict his or her personal liberty otherwise after report of the Mandate, Ethics and Submissions Committee.

(2) During this period, the office of the prosecutor and the court have the right to impose on a specific member of the Saeima all the compulsory means specified in criminal procedure laws.

(3) If a member of the Saeima is arrested, he or she shall lose the right to participate in sittings of the Saeima and committees thereof as well as sittings of other authorities in which the Saeima has elected or approved the member of the Saeima.

(4) The Saeima shall decide to agree to forced conveyance of the member of the Saeima, inspection of person or property, and also removal of documents from the member of the Saeima after report of the Mandate, Ethics and Submissions Committee.

(5) A draft decision of the Saeima submitted in accordance with Paragraph one or four of this Section shall not be considered an independent motion.

[6 May 1996; 7 October 1998; 2 March 2006; 19 May 2016; judgement of the Constitutional Court of 23 December 2019]

18. (1) A member of the Saeima who has been convicted of a criminal offence shall be considered excluded from the composition of the Saeima from the day when a judgement of conviction has entered into effect.

(2) A member of the Saeima may be excluded from the composition of the Saeima by a decision of the Saeima if it is established after approval of his or her powers that the member of the Saeima:

1) has been elected by violating provisions of the Law on the Election of the Saeima;

2) does not have the knowledge of the official language to the extent necessary for the performance of professional duties;

3) holds a position incompatible with the mandate of member of the Saeima;

4) has failed to attend more than half of sittings of the Saeima during one ordinary session without proper cause;

5) has committed an offence in a state of incapacity or after committing a crime has become ill with a mental illness which has deprived him or her of the ability to understand his or her actions or to control them;

6) [16 October 2014].

[6 May 1996; 16 December 1999; 16 October 2014]

19. If the security measure - arrest - shall be applied on the member of the Saeima, disbursement of the monthly wage shall be suspended for the time spent in arrest. If a criminal case is terminated without finding the member of the Saeima guilty or the member of the Saeima is acquitted, he or she shall receive all the monthly wage not disbursed to him or her for the period of suspension, and also compensations.

[7 October 1998; 13 December 2007; 15 May 2008; 23 December 2010; judgement of the Constitutional Court of 23 December 2019]

19.1 Former members of the Saeima as well as members of the Supreme Council of the Republic of Latvia who voted for the Declaration of 4 May 1999 "On the Restoration of Independence of the Republic of Latvia" have the right to visit buildings of the Saeima. Members of the Saeima who have been excluded from the composition of the Saeima do not have such right (Section 18).

[7 October 1998]

II. OFFICIALS OF SAEIMA

20. The Presidium shall be composed of a Chairperson, two Deputies thereof, a Secretary, and Deputy thereof.

21. (1) The Chairperson shall represent the Saeima, chair sittings of the Saeima and take charge of order therein. In the absence of the Chairperson, his or her duties shall be performed by one of his or her Deputies upon mutual agreement. The Chairperson and his or her Deputies shall also divide between them current works and chairing of sittings.

(2) The Chairperson shall proclaim decisions of general significance taken by the Saeima in the official gazette Latvijas Vēstnesis. This provision shall also apply to the cases provided for in Sections 30 and 30.1.

(3) [15 October 2015].

[6 May 1996; 15 May 2008; 11 December 2008; 16 October 2014; 15 October 2015]

22. The Secretary and his or her Deputy shall ensure that minutes are taken of sittings of the Saeima where necessary, shall read documents in a sitting of the Saeima, examine transcripts, and be aware of works of the Administration of the Saeima by mutual agreement on the division of these works.

[15 October 2015]

23. (1) The Presidium shall:

1) lay down the procedures for visiting the building of the Saeima and the procedures for staying in it, and also the internal rules and course of work in the Administration of the Saeima and other units of the Saeima;

2) establish and terminate employment relationships with the Secretary-General of the Administration of the Saeima, other heads of units of the Saeima, except for heads of the Presidium Member Offices, and also establish and terminate employment relationships with heads of units of the Administration of the Saeima upon the motion of the Secretary-General of the Administration of the Saeima;

3) provide an opinion and further incoming matters in all the cases provided for in the Rules of Order;

4) address matters not settled with the Rules of Order and decision of the Saeima in consultation with the Council of Parliamentary Groups (Section 190);

5) decide on business trips and payment thereof;

6) draw up an agenda of sittings of the Saeima;

7) make a list of posts (establishment plan) of employees of the Saeima, and also a system of remuneration of employees of the Saeima;

8) lay down the procedures for health insurance of members of the Saeima and employees of the Saeima, and the procedures for arranging accident insurance;

9) appoint a representative of the Saeima in the Constitutional Court unless the Saeima has decided otherwise;

10) lay down the procedures for ensuring protection (security) of objects of the Saeima.

(2) Course of a sitting of the Presidium shall be recorded in a phonogram from which a transcript of a relevant part shall be prepared if necessary. Minutes of a sitting of the Presidium shall reflect the opinions and decisions taken. Documents submitted to the Presidium shall be appended to the minutes. The minutes of a sitting of the Presidium shall be signed by the chairperson of the sitting - the Chairperson of the Saeima or his or her Deputy - and the Secretary of the Saeima or his or her Deputy.

(3) The Secretary-General of the Administration of the Saeima shall establish and terminate employment relationships with heads of the Presidium Member Offices, counsels, and consultants upon the motion of the relevant Presidium member in accordance with the provisions of the Labour Law. Employment contracts with heads of the Presidium Member Offices, counsels, and consultants shall be entered into for the term of mandate of a Presidium member. The restriction of the term of an employment contract specified in Paragraph one, Section 45 of the Labour Law shall not apply to the respective employees.

(4) An employment contract with the Secretary-General of the Administration of the Saeima shall be entered into for the term of mandate of the relevant Saeima by adding 12 months to this term. The Presidium of the newly elected Saeima may, not lather than one months before expiry of the employment contract of the Secretary-General of the Administration of the Saeima, decide to extend the term of the labour contract for the mandate of the relevant Saeima by adding 12 months to this term. The restriction of the term of an employment contract specified in Paragraph one, Section 45 of the Labour Law shall not apply to the respective official.

[16 December 1999; 18 January 2001; 16 May 2002; 24 October 2002; 11 December 2008; 10 December 2009; 9 June 2011; 15 October 2015]

23.1 Administrative acts and actual action of the Administration of the Saeima and other units of the Saeima may be contested at the Presidium of the Saeima. A decision of the Presidium of the Saeima may be appealed to a court in accordance with the procedures laid down in the Administrative Procedure Law.

[13 December 2007; 15 October 2015]

23.2 A private person who wishes to visit the building of the Saeima or stay therein shall follow the rules governing passes and visiting of the building of the Saeima, safety, order, morality rules, and rules of behaviour generally accepted in the society, and also shall not pose a threat to the democratic structure of the State and rights of other persons, and shall not interfere with the performance of functions of the Saeima, Administration of the Saeima, and other units of the Saeima. Officials specified in laws and regulations have the right to take necessary measures to ensure compliance with these requirements.

[10 December 2009; 15 October 2015]

24. In the case of a secret ballot votes in sittings of the Saeima shall be counted by tellers elected from among the members of the Saeima if votes are cast using ballot papers and in other necessary cases.

III. ELECTION, APPROVAL, APPOINTMENT, REMOVAL OR DISMISSAL OF OFFICIALS FROM OFFICE, VOTE OF CONFIDENCE OR NO CONFIDENCE

[6 May 1996]

25. Members of the Saeima shall submit to the Presidium in writing the candidatures for the positions of members of the Presidium, President and Auditor General. A signature of the submitter of candidature shall mean that the nominated candidate has agreed to his or her nomination as a candidate.

26. (1) For the candidates nominated for each of the positions referred to in Section 25 votes shall be cast at the same time using ballot papers.

(2) A candidate who has obtained the highest number of votes shall be considered elected, moreover, the number of votes may not be less than the absolute majority of votes cast by the members of the Saeima present.

(3) The President shall be considered elected with the majority of the votes of not less than 51 votes (Article 36 of the Constitution).

(4) If no one has obtained the number of votes necessary for the election in the first round, then votes shall be cast for all candidates for the second time in accordance with the procedures laid down in Paragraph one of this Section. If no one is elected even then, elections shall be continued by excluding in each following round the candidate who has obtained the smallest number of votes in the previous round. Elections shall be continued until one of the candidates obtains the number of votes necessary for election.

(5) If no one has obtained the number of votes necessary for election in the last round of elections, new elections shall be organised in accordance with the procedures laid down in Section 25 and Paragraphs one to four of this Section. Candidates not elected in the previous elections may also be nominated in each new election.

[19 January 2012]

27. (1) A candidate for the office of the Prime Minister invited by the President shall notify the chairperson of the Saeima of the formation of the Cabinet by appending the Declaration Regarding the Intended Activities of the Cabinet and a relevant draft decision of the Saeima.

(2) Copies of the respective documents shall be immediately issued to the members of the Saeima.

(3) In the absence of any motion or request for convening an extraordinary session or extraordinary sitting of the Saeima, the Presidium shall include the respective report and the draft decision of the Saeima on the agenda of the next ordinary sitting of the Saeima as the first item.

28. The Prime Minister shall submit to the Chairperson of the Saeima a draft decision of the Saeima to express confidence to the Deputy Prime Minister or minister who is invited or appointed by the Prime Minister later.

[16 October 2014]

29. (1) A draft decision of the Saeima to give a vote of no confidence to the Cabinet, the Prime Minister, the Deputy Prime Minister or minister may be submitted in accordance with the procedures laid down in Section 130 or as a separate draft decision of the Saeima.

(2) Such draft decision of the Saeima may be submitted by the committee of the Saeima or at least ten members of the Saeima, and it shall not be considered an independent motion. Copies of the draft decision shall be immediately issued to the members of the Saeima.

(3) Such draft decision of the Saeima shall be included on the agenda of a sitting of the Saeima not earlier than five days but not later than ten days after issue thereof to the members of the Saeima but in cases where such draft decision is submitted during the inter-session period - not later than ten days after the beginning of the ordinary session, and it shall be examined in one reading.

(4) The following persons shall report on such draft decision of the Saeima at a sitting of the Saeima:

1) if the draft decision is submitted by the committee of the Saeima - a rapporteur elected by the committee of the Saeima;

2) if the draft decision is submitted by at least ten members of the Saeima - the first of signatories, unless submitters have agreed otherwise.

[16 October 2014]

30. If in voting on the annual draft State budget submitted by the Cabinet the Saeima rejects it in the first or second reading, it shall be considered as vote of no confidence to the Cabinet.

[17 October 1996]

30.1 (1) The Prime Minister may submit to the Chairperson of the Saeima a draft decision of the Saeima to re-express confidence to the Cabinet or Prime Minister. Copies of the draft decision shall be immediately issued to the members of the Saeima.

(2) In the absence of any motion or request for convening an extraordinary session or extraordinary sitting of the Saeima, the draft decision of the Saeima to re-express confidence to the Cabinet or Prime Minister shall be included on the agenda of a sitting of the Saeima in accordance with the procedures laid down in the Rules of Order of the Saeima.

(3) If the Prime Minister wishes to link confidence to the Cabinet or Prime Minister to any matter to be voted on at a sitting of the Saeima, he or she shall submit a relevant submission to the Presidium in writing. The submission shall be submitted before the relevant voting, and it shall indicate what outcome of voting is considered by the Prime Minister to be expression of no confidence. A chairperson of the sitting of the Saeima shall read out the submission of the Prime Minister before the relevant voting. If in voting on the relevant matter no confidence is expressed to the Cabinet or Prime Minister, the chairperson of the sitting of the Saeima shall notify thereof after notification of results of the relevant voting.

[15 May 2008]

31. (1) Election, approval, appointment, removal or dismissal from office of judges, Prosecutor General, Director of the Constitution Protection Bureau, and other officials not referred to in Sections 25 and 32 shall be proposed in accordance with the procedures laid down in laws. Upon receipt of such submission, the Presidium shall immediately refer it to a relevant committee of the Saeima which shall, within fifteen days, examine this submission and draw up a draft decision of the Saeima.

(2) The draft decision of the Saeima referred to in Paragraph one of this Section shall not be considered an independent motion, and provisions of Sections 117 and 118 shall not be applicable thereto. If the draft decision of the Saeima drawn up by the committee has been available to the members of the Saeima at least five days before a relevant sitting, the Presidium shall include it on the agenda of the sitting of the Saeima. The Saeima may, upon the motion of the committee of the Saeima, include (Section 54) on the agenda the draft decision which has not been available to the members of the Saeima for the specific period of time.

(3) A rapporteur elected by the committee shall report on such draft decision of the Saeima at a sitting of the Saeima.

(4) The officials referred to in Paragraph one of this Section shall be elected, approved, appointed, removed or dismissed from office by voting separately on each of them.

(5) [19 January 2012]

(6) If law prescribes that any of the officials not referred to in Sections 25 and 32 is elected, appointed or approved by the Saeima but does not specify who is entitled submit the relevant candidatures, they shall be submitted with signatures of at least ten members of the Saeima. Election, approval or appointment shall take place in accordance with the procedures laid down in this Section.

(7) If the law prescribes that any of the officials not referred to in Sections 25 and 32 is elected, appointed or approved by the Saeima but does not lay down the procedures for removing or dismissing this official from office, the Saeima shall decide to remove or dismiss him or her in accordance with the procedures laid down in this Section upon a written submission of the respective official or motion of at least ten members of the Saeima.

(8) If the number of candidates nominated for a relevant position exceeds the number of officials to be elected, voting shall take place in accordance with the procedures laid down in Section 26 of this Law.

[7 October 1998; 19 January 2012]

32. Members of the Saeima shall submit to the Presidium candidatures for members of committees of the Saeima, tellers, and members of the Central Election Commission in accordance with the procedures laid down in Section 25. The Saeima shall lay down the procedures for electing the officials referred to in this Section.

33. (1) A member of the Presidium or teller may be recalled by a decision of the Saeima:

1) upon a written submission of this member of the Presidium or teller;

2) upon the motion of at least ten members of the Saeima.

(2) A member of a committee of the Saeima may be recalled by a decision of the Saeima:

1) upon a written submission of this member of the committee;

2) upon the motion of at least ten members of the Saeima;

3) upon the motion of the relevant committee in the case provided for in Section 165.

(3) Members of the Central Election Commission elected by the Saeima shall be recalled in accordance with the procedures laid down in the law On the Central Election Commission.

(4) [19 January 2012]

[19 January 2012]

34. The absolute majority of votes of the members of the Saeima present shall be necessary for taking the decisions referred to in Sections 31, 32 and 33.

35. (1) The Saeima shall decide on representatives of the Saeima in interparliamentary organisations in accordance with the procedures laid down in Sections 117 and 118.

(2) [19 January 2012]

[19 January 2012]

IV. SESSIONS AND SITTINGS OF SAEIMA

36. (1) Sessions of the Saeima shall be ordinary and extraordinary. There are three ordinary sessions in a year: autumn, winter, and spring sessions.

(2) An extraordinary session may be convened at any moment between ordinary sessions.

37. The Presidium shall convene ordinary sessions of the Saeima. The Saeima shall decide to commence and close an ordinary session of the Saeima.

38. (1) The Presidium shall convene an extraordinary session or extraordinary sitting of the Saeima upon its own proposal as well as upon request of the President, Prime Minister, or at least one third of members of the Saeima (Articles 19 and 20 of the Constitution) which shall indicate the agenda to be discussed.

(2) Upon receipt of such request, the Presidium shall convene an extraordinary session or extraordinary sitting of the Saeima on the day indicated in the request but if it is not indicated in the request, an extraordinary session - not later than within 48 hours but an extraordinary sitting during the ordinary session - not later than within 24 hours.

(3) Convening of an extraordinary session or extraordinary sitting shall be notified through radio and television and, where possible, to each member of the Saeima individually.

(4) Only those agenda items which are indicated in the motion or request for convening an extraordinary session or extraordinary sitting shall be examined in an extraordinary session or extraordinary sitting, and after examination of such items the session or sitting shall be closed.

[6 May 1996]

39. (1) Draft laws and independent motions not examined in an ordinary session of the Saeima shall be discussed further in the next ordinary session of this Saeima.

(2) If examination of a draft law has not been completed during one mandate of the Saeima but the draft law has been examined in one or two readings, the next Saeima shall, upon the motion of the President, Cabinet, committee of the Saeima or at least five members of the Saeima, decide in its first session whether to continue examination of the draft law. If the Saeima decides to continue examination of the draft law, it shall determine the responsible committee and time limit for the submission of motions. The draft law referred to the responsible committee in accordance with such procedures shall be considered adopted first reading.

(3) The current Saeima may only decide to continue examination of a draft law submitted to the previous Saeima.

[7 October 1998]

40. The Presidium shall determine the days and hours of sittings, except when the Saeima itself has decided on it (Section 54) or when the day of a sitting has been indicated in the request for convening an extraordinary sitting.

[6 May 1996]

41. A chairperson of the sitting shall open and close the sitting. He or she shall notify the day and hour of the next sitting at the end of the sitting where possible. The Saeima may decide (Section 54) to extend the sitting upon the motion of the chairperson of the sitting or at least five members of the Saeima.

[7 October 1998]

42. (1) Agenda of ordinary sittings shall be announced at least 48 hours before opening the sitting. Announcement shall be made by a written notification which shall be placed on premises of the Saeima and, where possible, published in the mass media. The Presidium may notify agenda of an extraordinary sitting when opening this sitting.

(2) The Presidium shall determine the order in which the matters to be examined are recorded on the agenda to be announced, except for the case provided for in Section 27, Paragraph three.

[6 May 1996]

43. Ministers to the unit of which the matters included on the agenda refer shall also be notified of the sittings.

[6 May 1996]

44. Sittings may be held if at least half of the members of the Saeimaare present.

45. Five minutes before the opening of a sitting members of the Saeima shall be invited into the chamber by the bell.

46. If half an hour after the determined opening time of a sitting the necessary number of members of the Saeima has not appeared (Section 44), the chairperson of the sitting shall declare the sitting not to have taken place.

47. The chairperson of the sitting also may, at his or her discretion or motion of five members of the Saeima that are present, make certain of the quorum by organising registration.

48. (1) If it is found that the quorum is not present, the chairperson of the sitting may, at his or her discretion, close or suspend the sitting. If after suspension the quorum is still not present, the sitting shall be closed.

(2) If it is established during any voting that the quorum is not present, votes shall be cast again. If the quorum is still not present after re-voting, the procedures laid down in Paragraph one of this Section shall be followed.

49. A sitting shall only be suspended and closed on the basis of a decision of the Saeima (Section 54), except for the cases prescribed in the Rules of Order (Sections 41, 48 and 76). Suspension and closing may be proposed by the chairperson of the sitting or at least five members of the Saeima.

[7 October 1998]

V. EXAMINATION OF MATTERS

1. General Provisions

50. (1) Matters shall be examined in the Saeima and its committees in the official language.

(2) Draft laws, independent motions, and other draft decisions, inquiries, issues and motions, and also accompanying documents shall be submitted in the official language.

[7 October 1998]

51. (1) After opening of a sitting the chairperson of the sitting shall notify for acceptance the Saeima of the announced agenda to which the Saeima may, upon the motion of the President, Prime Minister, committee of the Saeima, parliamentary group, or at least five members of the Saeima, make amendments. Matters shall be examined in specific order, but the Saeima may, upon the motion of the President, Prime Minister, committee of the Saeima, parliamentary group, or at least five members of the Saeima, amend it also during the sitting (Section 54).

(2) If examination of a matter has been commenced in a previous sitting but has not been completed, the agenda shall be notified after examination of this matter.

[6 Mary 1996; 7 October 1998]

52. It shall not be permitted to proceed to another matter before examination of one matter has been completed, except for the cases where a committee of the Saeima or at least 20 members of the Saeima request suspension of the debate and proceeding to another matter and the Saeima agrees to it (Section 54).

53. Consent of the Saeima shall be required to speak about the agenda, except for the cases prescribed in the Rules of Order (Sections 49, 51, 52, 66 and 67).

54. (1) In the cases provided for in Section 8, Section 31, Paragraph two, Sections 40, 41, 49, 51, 52, 65, 77, 82, 84, 90, 92, 93, 98, 104, 117, 127, 133, 135, 136, 140 and 142, the floor shall only be given to two members of the Saeima before voting - one - for and the other - against the motion and for not longer than five minutes for each.

(2) If a submitter of a motion defends his or her motion himself or herself, it shall be considered that he or she has spoken "for".

[6 May 1996; 7 October 1998; 15 May 2008]

55. Chairperson of the sitting shall not participate in the debate. If the chairperson of the sitting wishes to participate in the debate, he or she shall delegate chairing of the sitting to his or her deputy.

[6 May 1996]

56. (1) Chairperson of the sitting shall give a permission to speak at a sitting of the Saeima from the rostrum upon receipt of an application. Applications may be made in writing or using an electronic voting system.

(2) Preference shall be given to written applications submitted before commencement of the examination of the relevant matter, except for the cases provided for in Section 58.

(3) It shall be permitted for the following persons not to apply in writing:

1) a rapporteur;

2) spokespersons in the cases provided for in Section 54;

3) spokespersons in the debate on a draft law or draft decision;

4) spokespersons who respond to an inquiry.

(4) A member of the Saeima who is the Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister, or minister shall indicate in an application that he or she will speak as a member of the Saeima or as the Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister, or minister. If it has not been indicated in the application, he or she shall speak as a member of the Saeima.

[7 October 1998; 16 October 2014]

57. (1) The President, members of the Saeima, the Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Ministers, Ministers, and Parliamentary Secretaries of ministries have the right to speak in sittings of the Saeima.

(2) The Presidium may also allow officials of foreign and international organisations to speak in sittings of the Saeima.

[7 October 1998; 16 December1999; 16 October 2014]

58. (1) The floor shall be given in the debate to a rapporteur, the Prime Minister, and a representative of the Cabinet on a priority basis in the matter to be discussed.

(2) The Cabinet may authorise the Deputy Prime Minister, minister or Parliamentary Secretary of a ministry as his or her representative in the matter to be discussed. The Cabinet shall inform the Presidium of the authorisation in writing. One representative of the Cabinet may be involved in the matter to be discussed.

[6 May 1996; 7 October 1998; 16 December 1999; 16 October 2014]

59. (1) In cases where several spokespersons have applied, the floor shall be given in the order of application. If the order of application cannot be established, the order of spokespersons shall be determined by the chairperson of the sitting.

(2) If before entering into the debate parliamentary groups have indicated spokespersons who will express opinion of a parliamentary group, the floor shall be first given to these spokespersons (to one of them from each parliamentary group) in the order of application.

(3) When examining a draft law in the second or third reading, the floor shall be first given to those who have applied in writing.

[6 May 1996]

60. Spokespersons who have applied for the debate may swap places notifying the chairperson of the sitting thereof in a timely manner,

[6 May 1996]

61. If a spokesperson who has applied for the debate is not present in the chamber when it is his or her turn, the spokesperson shall lose his or her turn. The floor shall only be given to him or her after other spokespersons listed have spoken.

[6 May 1996]

62. (1) None of the spokespersons, except for a rapporteur, the Prime Minister, and a representative of the Cabinet in the matter to be discussed may speak in the same matter for more than twice.

(2) This provision shall not apply to the discussions on draft laws in the second and third reading when each spokesperson may speak not more than twice about each object of the vote: a clause or paragraph of a section, a section in general, or a group of sections.

[6 May 1996]

63. When all the spokespersons who applied for the debate have spoken, the chairperson of the sitting shall declare the debate to be closed and indicate it by tapping the gavel. After that only a rapporteur speaks, if he or she wishes so.

[6 May 1996]

64. (1) Speaking time of a rapporteur, the Prime Minister, and a representative of the Cabinet in the matter to be discussed may not exceed one hour for the first time, fifteen minutes for the second time, and five minutes for each following time.

(2) Speaking time of other spokespersons in discussing amendments to the Constitution, draft decisions on the vote of confidence or no confidence, draft laws, and independent motions in the first reading as well as inquiries may not exceed fifteen minutes but when speaking for the second time - five minutes, in discussing the annual report of the Minister for Foreign Affairs on the results and further work with respect to national foreign policy the speaking time may not exceed ten minutes but when speaking for the second time - five minutes, in the rest of cases - five minutes for the first time and two minutes for the second time.

(3) The Saeima shall decided to extend the speaking time without the debate upon request of the spokesperson.

[7 October 1998; 16 December1999; 19 January 2012]

65. (1) The Saeima may decide the following upon the motion of at least ten members of the Saeima (Section 54):

1) to shorten the speaking time;

2) to close the list of spokespersons.

(2) Speaking time of a rapporteur, the Prime Minister, and a representative of the Cabinet in the matter to be discussed may not be shortened.

(3) In the cases where the Saeima has determined the speaking time of less than five minutes when shorting it, the speaking time of a spokesperson who speaks for the second time may not exceed one minute, unless the Saeima has decided otherwise.

(4) If the list of spokespersons has been closed, the spokespersons listed may only speak once, except for the cases where a spokesperson has applied to speak again already before closing the list of spokespersons. In addition to the spokespersons included on the list of spokespersons, the floor may only be given to a rapporteur, the Prime Minister, and a representative of the Cabinet in the matter to be discussed.

(5) The Saeima may decide to close the debate upon the motion of at least twenty members of the Saeima (Section 54). Then the floor shall only be given to the following persons:

1) the spokespersons who have applied in accordance with the procedures laid down in Section 59, Paragraph two;

2) a rapporteur, the Prime Minister, and a representative of the Cabinet in the matter to be discussed.

[6 Mary 1996; 7 October 1998]

66. The floor shall be given to spokespersons on a priority basis:

1) for the failure to follow the Rules of Order or its violation;

2) for the procedures by which the matter shall be progressed.

67. (1) A spokesperson who wishes to deliver an urgent report off the agenda shall indicate in a written application about what the report will be delivered. The chairperson of the sitting shall decide whether to allow him or her to deliver the urgent report.

(2) If several spokespersons have applied to deliver an urgent report, the chairperson of the sitting shall determine their order.

(3) Speaking time for an urgent report may not exceed three minutes.

[6 May 1996]

68. A discussion on urgent reports (Section 67) shall not be accepted.

[6 May 1996]

69. (1) Spokespersons shall speak from the rostrum, except when the spokesperson is a person with restricted mobility.

(2) A member of the Saeima may speak from his or her seat in the chamber upon a written application or by show of hands:

1) for the failure to follow the Rules of Order of the Saeima or its violation;

2) for the procedures by which the matter shall be progressed;

3) for the time limits for the submission of motions;

4) for the date when an urgent draft law is to be examined in the second reading;

5) when requesting to vote on a motion which is under discussion at the sitting of the Saeima.

(3) In case of disagreement, the chairperson of the sitting shall determine the order of spokespersons.

(4) Speaking time of a member of the Saeima speaking from his or her seat in the chamber may not exceed one minute.

[7 October 1998; 5 October 2001]

70. A spokesperson may not digress from the subject under discussion.

71. Interjections shall be allowed but conversations between a spokesperson on the rostrum and members of the Saeima shall not be acceptable.

72. A sitting shall be chaired by the chairperson or his or her deputy (Section 21). Comments or discussions on his or her orders in respect of the chairing of the sitting shall not be acceptable, except for the case referred to in Section 66.

73. The chairperson may interrupt a speaker (Sections 69, 70, 71, 72 and 74) and make a remark to him or her.

74. If a spokesperson or any participant of the sitting fails to comply with critical remarks of the chairperson of the sitting or dares to use insulting expressions or expressions incompatible with the respect for the Saeima, or disturbs the order during the sitting, the chairperson of the sitting shall bring him or her to order or preclude him or her from speaking, or, in especially important cases, suggest to the Saeima that he or she should be excluded from one to six sittings.

[6 May 1996]

75. (1) The Saeima shall decide on the suggestion of the chairperson of the sitting referred to in the previous Section without the debate after having heard explanations of the person to be excluded or representative of his or her parliamentary group.

(2) [19 January 2012]

(3) The person excluded may not sit in the chamber.

[6 May 1996; 19 January 2012]

76. (1) If a noise rises or disturbance occurs during a sitting, the chairperson of the sitting may bring participants to order by tapping the gavel.

(2) If a noise rises or disturbance occurs during a sitting and efforts made by the chairperson of the sitting to restore the order are unsuccessful, the chairperson of the sitting shall leave his or her seat, and thus the sitting shall be considered suspended for half an hour. If the noise or disturbance has not stopped even after resumption of the sitting, the chairperson of the sitting shall close the sitting.

[11 June 2009]

77. (1) Sittings of the Saeima shall be public. Upon request of ten members of the Saeima, the President, the Prime Minister, the Deputy Prime Minister or minister, the Saeima may decide by the majority of votes of at least two thirds of the members of the Saeima present (Section 54) that a sitting will be closed (Article 22 of the Constitution). Participants of a closed sitting shall be obliged not to disclose to the public what has occurred at the sitting.

(2) Public sittings and answers to the questions asked by members of the Saeima (Section 120) shall be broadcast by the national radio.

[6 May 1996; 7 October 1998]

78. The public is prohibited from expressing its approval or rejection or otherwise disturbing the order during the sitting. In such case, the chairperson of the sitting may ask individual persons or the entire public to leave the chamber.

78.1 It shall not be permitted to add other signatures to a document after submission thereof to the Saeima. The Presidium shall notify the first signatory of the document of the withdrawal of signatures from any of the documents submitted to the Saeima.

[7 October 1998]

2. Legislative Procedures

79. (1) Draft laws may be submitted to the Saeima by the following:

1) the President;

2) the Cabinet;

3) committees of the Saeima;

4) at least five members of the Saeima;

5) at least one tenth of the electorate (Article 65 of the Constitution). They shall be drawn up in the form of draft laws.

(2) The President has the right to submit also legislative initiatives which are not necessarily drawn up as draft laws.

(3) The Cabinet shall add to a draft law an annotation and text of the draft law and annotation in electronic form.

[7 October 1998; 18 January 2001]

80. (1) Each draft law to be submitted must be signed by its submitters.

(2) If a draft law provides for approval of an international treaty, it shall be accompanied by the official text of a relevant treaty, and also translation thereof in the Latvian language if the official text of the treaty is in the language other than Latvian.

(3) The Presidium is entitled to return back to submitters the draft laws which have been submitted without complying with the requirements of this Section.

81. A draft law submitted to the Saeima in accordance with the procedures laid down in the law On National Referendum and Legislative Initiative shall be passed on for a national referendum if the Saeima rejects passing thereof to committees, rejects it in general, or accepts it with substantive amendments.

82. (1) The Presidium shall notify the Saeimaof the received draft laws together with its opinion on their progression,and the Saeima shall decide (Section 54) to pass draft laws on to committees specifying the responsible committee or to reject them.

(2) Before voting on a draft decision of the Saeima included in the opinion of the Presidium, the Saeima shall decide (Section 54) on motions to make the following amendments thereto:

1) to pass on the draft law also to a committee not referred to in the opinion;

2) not to pass on the draft law to the committee referred to in the opinion;

3) determine another responsible committee.

(3) The motions referred to in Paragraph two of this Section may be submitted by a committee or member of the Saeima in writing or orally. Motions submitted in writing shall be decided before those expressed orally. Representatives of the committee who ask to speak to make the respective motions shall be given the floor in the order of application, however, before other spokespersons who speak about this draft law.

(4) Members of the Saeima mus be provided with a possibility to receive the submitted draft laws at least seven days before the report of the Presidium. The Presidium may shorten this time limit where necessary.

(5) All the submitted draft laws, alternative draft laws developed for the first reading (Section 85), draft laws prepared for examination in the second or third reading, and also opinions of the Presidium and committees on them shall be sent to the President and the Prime Minister.

[6 May 1996; 16 December 1999]

83. [13 December 2007]

84. When passing one and the same draft law to two or more committees, the Saeima may set a time limit (Section 54) within which the committees must examine the draft law and submit their motions to the responsible committee or the Presidium.

85. (1) The committees to which the Saeima has passed on the relevant draft law may develop their own alternative draft law for examination in the first reading.

(2) If a draft law has been passed on to a committee regarding amendments to a law to which the making of amendments is provide for by another draft law passed on to the committee as the responsible committee already before , the committee may:

1) combine these draft laws by submitting an alternative draft law for examination in the first reading;

2) integrate the draft law submitted later into a draft law submitted before as motions for the second or third reading;

3) take each of the respective draft laws forward for examination as a separate draft law.

(3) Paragraph two, Clauses 1 and 2 of this Section shall not be applicable to draft laws which provide for amendments to the Constitution of the Republic of Latvia.

(4) If the responsible committee decides to integrate any draft law submitted later into a draft law submitted before in accordance with the procedures laid down in Paragraph two, Clause 2 of this Section, the sections (paragraphs) of the draft law to be integrated which the responsible committee has rejected or proposed to amend shall also have the status of the motion.

(5) If a draft law is submitted by the President, a committee of the Saeima or at least five members of the Saeima, the responsible committee shall, in accordance with the procedures laid down by the Presidium, complete an annotation of the draft law including therein answers of the submitter to the following questions:

1) why the law is necessary;

2) what could be the impact of the law on the development of society and national economy;

3) what could be the impact of the law on the State budget and local government budgets;

4) what could be the impact of the law on the existing system of legal provisions;

5) to which international obligations of Latvia the draft law corresponds;

6) what consultations have occurred in drawing up the draft law;

7) how the implementation of the law will be ensured.

(6) (Izslēgta ar 18.01.2001. likumu.)

[6 May 1996; 7 October 1998; 18 January 2001]

86. (1) No draft law may be included on the agenda and examined at a sitting of the Saeimabefore it has been examined by a responsible committee. The committee responsible for the draft law shall submit an opinion and an annotation to the Presidium. The opinion and the annotation shall be immediately issued to the members.

(2) The Presidium shall, in compliance with the requirements of Section 87, Clause 1, include a draft law supported by the responsible committee on the agenda of the next ordinary sitting of the Saeima, unless motions have been submitted for the inclusion of this draft law on the agenda of another sitting of the Saeima.

(3) If a draft law has been developed and submitted, in accordance with the procedures laid down in Section 79, by the committee which has been determined as the responsible committee by the Saeima, the draft law shall be taken forward for examination in the first reading without re-examination at the responsible committee, unless it has been passed on to other committees.

(4) Draft laws rejected by a responsible committee shall also be examined at a sitting of the Saeima if:

1) the draft law has been submitted by the Cabinet;

2) the draft law has been submitted in accordance with the procedures laid down in Article 78 of the Constitution;

3) examination thereof is requested by the submitter of the draft law.

(5) The Presidium shall, in compliance with the requirements of Section 87, Clause one of the Rules of Order, include a draft law rejected by the responsible committee and submitted by the Cabinet or submitted in accordance with the procedures laid down in Article 78 of the Constitution on the agenda of the next ordinary sitting of the Saeima, unless motions have been submitted for the inclusion of this draft law on the agenda of another sitting of the Saeima.

(6) A draft law rejected by the responsible committee and not submitted by the Cabinet or not submitted in accordance with the procedures laid down in Article 78 of the Constitution shall be considered rejected if the submitter thereof does not request the Presidium to examine this draft law at a sitting of the Saeima within ten days from the day when the opinion of the responsible committee has been available to the members of the Saeima and sent to the President. The rejected draft law may only be re-submitted for examination in this session if the draft law has been signed by at least 51 members of the Saeima or amendments have been made thereto. If the committee has developed an alternative draft law to the rejected draft law, the alternative draft law shall be examined in the first reading without being submitted in accordance with the procedures laid down in Section 79.

(7) A draft law submitted by the President, a committee of the Saeima, or at least five members of the Saeima may be withdrawn until the beginning of voting on the adoption of the draft law in the first reading by notifying the Presidium or the responsible committee thereof in writing or at a meeting of the responsible committee or sitting of the Saeima orally. A note shall be made in minutes of the relevant sitting on of such oral notification.

(8) If the responsible committee has been notified of the withdrawal of the draft law, the responsible committee shall notify the Administration of the Saeima thereof in order to make a relevant note in the Register of Draft Laws.

(9) A draft law submitted by at least five members of the Saeima shall be considered withdrawn if it has been withdrawn by so many submitters that the support to the draft law of at least five members of the Saeima does not remain.

(10) Members of the Saeima shall be notified in writing of withdrawal of a draft law which has not occurred at a sitting of the Saeima.

(11) If a draft law has been withdrawn to which a committee has developed an alternative draft law, the alternative draft law shall be examined in first reading without being submitted in accordance with the procedures laid down in Section 79.

(12) Draft laws submitted by the Cabinet may not be withdrawn without an opinion of the responsible committee and consent of the Saeima.

(13) If the responsible committee recognises that a draft law submitted by the Cabinet is to be revised, the Saeima may return it to the Cabinet upon the motion of this committee by setting a time limit within which the revised draft law is to be submitted to the Saeima.

[6 May 1996; 7 October 1998; 15 October 2015]

87. No draft law may be examined in the first reading if:

1) members of the Saeima have not been provided with a possibility to receive this draft law, an opinion of the responsible committee on it, and an annotation of this draft law at least seven days in advance. This provision shall not be applicable to an extraordinary session or extraordinary sitting of the Saeima, and also to the cases where the Saeima has decided otherwise;

2) it provides for additional costs or changes in income in the budget, and it is not accompanied by a comment of the Minister for Finance. This provision shall not be applicable to the draft laws submitted by the Cabinet, and also to the cases where the Minister for Finance has failed to provide a comment within the time period prescribed by the law.

[6 May 1996; 17 October 1996; 7 October 1998]

Section 87.1 (1) If a package of draft budget laws composed of a draft annual State budget law or draft amendments thereto or draft medium-term budget framework law or draft amendments thereto (hereinafter - the draft budget law), and draft laws prescribing or amending the State budget or medium-term budget framework law (hereinafter - the budget-related draft laws) has been submitted to the Saeima for examination, then the package of draft budget laws shall be examined in the first reading in the following order:

1) the budget-related draft laws;

2) the draft law on budget.

(11) If a package of draft budget laws consists of both a draft annual State budget law or draft amendments thereto and a draft medium-term budget framework law or draft amendments thereto, the draft medium-term budget framework law or draft amendments thereto shall be examined first and then the draft annual State budget law or draft amendments thereto.

(2) In the first reading, a debate shall be allowed on the entire package of draft budget laws in general but the voting in the first reading shall take place on each draft law individually.

[1 October 1997; 16 October 2014]

88. In examining a draft law in the first reading, a rapporteur elected by the responsible committee (Section 177) shall provide a report. After report, a debate shall be opened on the principles of the draft law.

89. (1) Once the debate is closed, the Saeima shall decide on the adoption of the draft law in the first reading.

(2) If several versions of a draft law have been submitted, the Saeima shall, after debates on all drafts, decide which of them to adopt in the first reading. All draft laws not withdrawn before the beginning of the voting shall be put to a vote in the order of their submission.

[6 May 1996]

90. (1) If a draft law has been adopted in the first reading, the Saeima shall decide (Section 54) on the time limit within which motions are to be submitted. If a draft budget law has been adopted in the first reading and a draft decision of the Saeima on the procedures (form of) for submitting motions intended for the draft budget law (package of draft budget laws) is submitted in accordance with the procedures laid down in Section 90.1, then the Saeima shall decide on the time limit within which motions are to be submitted for the second reading after examination of the respective draft decision.

(2) This time period may not be set shorter than five days, except when the draft law has been recognised as urgent.

(3) (Izslēgta ar 13.12.2007. likumu.)

(4) The Saeima shall decide (Section 54) to extend the time limit for the submission of motions upon the motion of a committee of the Saeima or at least ten members of the Saeima.

[6 May 1996; 17 October 1996; 1 October 1997; 13 December 2007]

90.1 (1) The responsible committee may submit a draft decision of the Saeima on the procedures (form of) for submitting motions for the draft budget law (package of draft budget laws). It shall be submitted concurrently with an opinion on the relevant draft law and immediately submitted to the members of the Saeima.

(11) If a package of draft budget laws consists of both a draft annual State budget law or draft amendments thereto and a draft medium-term budget framework law or draft amendments thereto, the draft decision of the Saeima referred to in Paragraph one of this Section may provide for the procedures for submitting a motion which apply both to the draft annual State budget law or draft amendments thereto and the draft medium-term budget framework law or draft amendments thereto.

(2) A draft decision of the Saeima on the procedures for (form of) submitting motions for the draft law on budget (package of draft budget laws) shall not be considered an independent motion and shall be examined in one reading.

3) [16 October 2014]

4) [16 October 2014]

5) [16 October 2014]

(6) The responsible committee may submit a draft decision of the Saeima on amendments to the decision of the Saeima on the procedures (form of) for submitting motions for the draft law on budget (package of draft budget laws).

[17 October 1996; 1 October 1997; 7 October 1998; 16 December 1999; 16 October 2014]

91. (1) If a draft law has not been adopted in the first reading, it shall be considered rejected, and it may only be re-submitted for examination in this session if the draft law has been signed by at least 51 members of the Saeima or amendments have been made thereto.

(2) If the Saeima has adopted the alternative draft law developed by the responsible committee in accordance with the procedures laid down in Section 85, Paragraph two, Clause 1, the draft laws combined therein shall not be considered rejected.

[6 May 1996]

92. (1) Draft laws which have been recognised as urgent by the decision of the Saeima upon the motion of the responsible committee or ten members of the Saeima shall only be discussed in two readings. A decision on urgency shall be taken (Section 54):

1) before the debate on the draft law in the first reading;

2) (izslēgts ar 13.12.2007. likumu);

3) after a decision to continue examination of the draft law (Section 39).

(2) If a motion has been submitted to recognise any of the alternative draft laws as urgent, the decision on urgency shall be taken (Section 54) before voting on this draft law in the first reading.

(3) If a draft law which has been recognised as urgent is adopted in the first reading, the Saeima shall decide when it will be examined in the second reading. If none of the persons present who are entitled to submit motions in accordance with Section 95 object, the time limit for the submission of motions need not be set and the draft law recognised as urgent may be examined in the second reading immediately after its adoption in the first reading.

[6 May 1996; 7 October 1998; 13 December 2007]

93. Upon the motion of the responsible committee or ten members of the Saeima, the Saeima may, by the absolute majority of votes of the members of the Saeima present, revoke the decision by which a draft law has been recognised as urgent (Section 54). Together with the motion to revoke urgency, the responsible committee or ten members of the Saeima may suggest extension of the time limit for the submission of motions for the second reading.

[6 December 1999; 28 October 2004]

94. The responsible committee shall prepare a draft law for the second reading by involving specialists of the Legal Bureau of the Saeima and specialists of the official language, providing an opinion on the submitted motion and adding its motions where necessary.

95. (1) Motions for amendments to a draft law or draft decision of the Saeima may be submitted by the following:

1) the President;

2) a committee of the Saeima;

3) a parliamentary group, a political bloc;

4) a member of the Saeima;

5) the Prime Minister; the Deputy Prime Minister, a minister;

6) a Parliamentary Secretary of a ministry under authorisation of the minister;

7) the Legal Service of the Saeima if these motions refer to legislative techniques and codification;

8) the Ombudsman.

(2) Motions shall be submitted in writing to the responsible committee or the Administration of the Saeima which shall immediately pass them on to the responsible committee. If the procedures for (form of) submitting motions for the draft budget law have been laid down in accordance with Section 90.1 of the Rules of Order, the motions shall be submitted in accordance with the procedures laid down in this decision.

(3) (Izslēgta ar 07.10.1998. likumu)

(4) The responsible committee shall summarise motions for the draft budget law and budget-related draft laws and immediately send them to the Cabinet concurrently notifying that the motions will be examined in the committee.

(5) The Cabinet may submit motions alternative to the motions referred to in Paragraph four of this Section until the moment when the responsible committee has taken the decision to submit the relevant draft law for examination in the second reading.

[6 May 1996; 17 October 1996; 7 October 1998; 15 May 2008; 14 May 2009; 16 October 2014; 15 October 2015]

95.1 (1) A motion submitted in accordance with the procedures laid down in Section 95 may be withdrawn by its submitter before it is put to a vote at a sitting of the Saeima. A motion submitted by the Parliamentary Secretary of a ministry may be recalled by a relevant Minister.

(2) A motion supported by a responsible committee may only be recalled with consent of the responsible committee.

(3) A motion shall be recalled by notifying the Presidium or the responsible committee regarding this in writing or at a meeting of the responsible committee or sitting of the Saeima orally. If recalling of a motion is notified orally at a meeting of the responsible committee, a note shall be made in minutes of the relevant meeting in respect of such recall.

[6 May 1996; 7 October 1998; 16 October 2014]

95.2 (1) The Cabinet may submit an opinion on the motion for the draft law on budget and budget-related draft laws in writing:

1) by the moment when the responsible committee commences preparation of the relevant draft law for examination at a sitting of the Saeima if the motion has been submitted in accordance with the procedures laid down in Section 95;

2) within five days after meeting of the responsible committee if the motion has been made by the responsible committee.

(2) If the Cabinet does not submit an opinion on the motion for the draft budget law or a law related thereto within the time limit referred to in Paragraph one of this Section, it shall be considered that it supports the motion.

[1 October 1997]

96. (1) No draft law may be included on the agenda and examined in the second reading unless:

1) it is accompanied by all motions submitted within the specified time limit and in accordance with the specified procedures (Sections 90, 92 and 95), except for motions which have been withdrawn by their submitters;

2) the draft law prepared for the second reading and all the motions submitted within the specified time limit and in accordance with the specified procedures have been available to the members of the Saeima at least five days in advance. This provision shall not apply to the draft laws which have been recognised as urgent.

(2) To the extent possible, motions shall be arranged in the order specified in Section 101.

(3) If the responsible committee has integrated a draft law submitted later into a draft law submitted before as motions for the second reading in accordance with the procedures laid down in Section 85, Paragraph two, Clause 2, the draft law shall be included on the agenda of a sitting of the Saeima for the second reading by indicating which draft laws have been integrated into it as motions.

[6 May 1996]

96.1 (1) No draft budget law may be examined in the second reading unless:

1) it is accompanied by the following:

a) all motions submitted within the specified time limit (Sections 90 and 92) and in accordance with the specified procedures (Sections 90.1 and 95) (also alternative motions of the Cabinet), except for the motions which have been withdrawn by their submitters;

b) opinions of the responsible committee on motions (also alternative motions);

c) motions of the responsible committee;

d) all opinions of the Cabinet on motions submitted within the specified time limit and in accordance with the specified procedures;

2) the documents referred to in Clause one of this Section have been available to the members of the Saeima at least five days in advance. This provision shall not apply to the draft laws which have been recognised as urgent;

3) the budget-related draft laws have been adopted.

(11) If a package of draft budget laws consists of both a draft annual State budget law or draft amendments thereto and a draft medium-term budget framework law or draft amendments thereto, the draft annual State budget law or draft amendments thereto shall be examined in the second reading after the draft medium-term budget framework law or draft amendments thereto have been adopted.

(2) The responsible committee shall lay down the procedures for arranging motions for the draft budget law.

[17 October 1996; 1 October 1997; 16 December 1999; 16 October 2014]

97. In examining a draft law in the second reading, a rapporteur (Section 177) shall provide a report after which examination of the draft law is commenced by sections.

98. (1) In the second reading, only a debate on an individual section or its paragraph shall be allowed.

(2) An annex to a draft law shall be examined as an individual section. The Saeima shall, upon the motion of the responsible committee or at least five members of the Saeima, decide (Section 54) whether the annex is to be examined before or after examination of the relevant section of the draft law or all sections of the draft law.

(3) When examining the draft budget law, a debate may take place on several sections (paragraphs of sections) at the same time if it arises from the submitted motion.

[6 May 1996; 17 October 1996]

99. (1) Votes shall be taken in the second reading on each clause or paragraph of a section, a section in general or a group of sections.

(2) If motions have not been submitted for a section, votes shall not be taken on it individually.

(3) When examining a draft budget law, votes shall be taken on a motion in general concurrently with making amendments to several sections where necessary. If such motion has been accepted or rejected, it shall be accepted or rejected in respect of all sections for which it provides amendments.

(4) When reporting on a motion submitted for a draft annual State budget law or draft amendments thereto which does not differ from a motion submitted for a draft medium-term budget framework law or draft amendments thereto for the relevant year, a rapporteur shall inform of the decision of the Saeima on the motion for a draft medium-term budget framework law or draft amendments thereto which has already been examined.

[6 May 1996; 17 October 1996; 16 October 2014]

100. Only motions of the responsible committee, and also motions submitted to the responsible committee or the Administration of the Saeima within the specified period (Sections 90 and 92) and not withdrawn before voting shall be put to a vote in the second reading.

[6 May 1996; 15 October 2015]

101. (1) Submitted motions shall be put to a vote in the following order:

1) motions for the deletion of a relevant section or paragraph thereof from a draft law;

2) motions which are the most dissimilar from the motion of the responsible committee;

3) motions which are least significantly dissimilar from the motion of the responsible committee;

4) motions of the responsible committee.

(2) If the order of voting cannot be determined using the respective signs, it shall be determined by the chairperson of the sitting.

(3) The Saeima shall, upon the motion of the responsible committee, lay down the procedures for voting on motions for the draft budget law.

[17 October 1996]

102. A motion which has received the absolute majority of votes of the members of the Saeima present shall be considered accepted.

103. It shall not be acceptable to examine different parts of the same draft law in second and third readings at the same time.

104. (1) After examination of all motions, the chairperson of the sitting shall put to a vote a draft law in general together with the motions accepted.

(2) If the Saeima has passed a draft law in such manner, it shall be returned to the responsible committee for preparation for third reading. After passage of the draft law in the second reading, the Saeima shall decide (Section 54) on the time period within which motions are to be submitted. This time period shall not be set shorter than five days.

(3) If the Saeima does not pass a draft law in the second reading, it shall return it back to the responsible committee and it may be re-submitted for examination in the second reading by following the provisions of Sections 94 and 96.

105. If in accordance with Section 104, Paragraph one the Saeima votes for a draft law in general which has been recognised as urgent, the law shall be considered adopted.

106. (1) The responsible committee shall prepare a draft law for third reading involving specialists of the Saeima Legal Bureau and specialists in the official language by providing an opinion on the motions submitted and adding its motions where necessary.

107. Motions after examination of a draft law in second reading shall be submitted in accordance with the procedures laid down in Section 95. Motions which were rejected when voting on them individually in the second reading or which are rejected because the members of the Saeima agree with the opinion of a responsible committee may not be re-submitted after the second reading. The responsible committee shall not examine such motions and shall not append them to the draft when taking it forward for third reading.

[2 March 2006]

108. (1) No draft law may be included on the agenda and examined in third reading if:

1) it is not accompanied by all motions submitted within the specified period and in accordance with the specified procedures (Sections 104 and 95), except for the motions which have been withdrawn by submitters thereof;

2) the draft law prepared for the third reading and all the motions submitted within the specified period and in accordance with the specified procedures have not been available to the members of the Saeima at least five days in advance.

(2) Motions shall be arranged in the order specified in Section 101 to the extent possible.

(3) If the responsible committee has integrated a draft law passed on later into a draft law passed on before as motions for third reading in accordance with the procedures laid down in Section 85, Paragraph two, Clause 2, the draft law shall be included on the agenda of a sitting of the Saeima for the third reading by indicating which draft laws have been integrated into it as motions.

[6 May 1996]

109. When examining a draft law in the third reading, a rapporteur (Section 177) shall provide a report. Only the sections in respect of which motions have been submitted after second reading shall be discussed and put to a vote.

110. Only motions of the responsible committee, and also motions (including motions in respect of transitional provisions) submitted to the responsible committee or the Administration of the Saeima within the specified time period (Sections 104) and not withdrawn before voting shall be put to a vote in third reading.

[16 May 2002; 15 October 2015]

111. (1) If necessary, the procedures for applying a law, and also the tasks given to the government and local governments which are necessary to ensure application of the law shall be laid down in the form of transitional provisions.

(2) If in adopting a draft law it comes in conflict with the existing laws, the Saeima shall determine that the new law or individual parts thereof will come into force concurrently with amendments to the existing laws.

112. After examination of all motions, the chairperson of the sitting shall put to a vote a draft law in general together with the motions accepted.

113. If the Saeima does not pass a draft law in third reading, it shall return it back to the responsible committee and it may be re-submitted for examination in the third reading by following the provisions of Sections 107 and 108.

114. (1) A draft law shall be considered as passed and thus shall become a law if it has been discussed in three readings but in the cases provided for in Paragraph two of this Section - two readings, and has obtained the absolute majority of votes of the members of the Saeima present when voting on it in general.

(2) The following shall be taken in two readings:

1) draft laws which have been recognised as urgent;

2) a draft State budget law, amendments to the State budget, a draft medium-term budget framework law and amendments to the medium-term budget framework law;

3) draft laws which provide for the approval of international treaties.

[6 May 1996; 16 October 2014]

115. (1) If the President has requested a secondary review of a law in accordance with the procedures laid down in Article 71 of the Constitution, the Saeima shall, without a debate, pass on reasoned objections of the President to the responsible committee and other committees at the next sitting of the Saeima and decide on the time period within which motions are to be submitted and the law is to be re-examined.

(2) In re-examining the law, provisions for examination of a draft law in third reading shall be applicable but only the objections of the President and motions related to the objections raised by the President shall be examined.

[7 October 1998]

116. The Presidium shall send the laws adopted by the Saeima to the President for proclamation by indicating the year and day of the adoption of the law at the end of the text as follows: "The Law has been adopted by the Saeima on (date)."

3. Examination of Independent Motions

[7 October 1998]

117. (1) An independent motion shall be submitted in the form of a draft decision of the Saeima. It may be submitted by the following:

1) at least ten members of the Saeima;

2) a committee of the Saeima.

(2) An independent motion shall be submitted in writing to the Administration of the Saeima which shall immediately issue copies thereof to the members of the Saeima.

(3) Inclusion of items of regulatory nature in an independent motion shall not be permitted, except for the cases provided for in law.

(4) If the independent motions submitted have been available to the members of the Saeima at least 72 hours before the relevant sitting, the Presidium shall notify the Saeima of them immediately after reports on the submitted draft laws. The Saeima may, upon a motion of at least five members of the Saeima, decide (Section 54) that the Presidium notifies also about the submitted independent motions which have not been available to the members of the Saeima at least 72 hours before the relevant sitting.

(5) In reporting on an independent motion, it shall be indicated who has submitted it and what is the name of a relevant draft decision of the Saeima. Then, except for the cases provided for in Paragraph twelve of this Section, the chairperson of the sitting shall ascertain whether there are any objections to the inclusion of this independent motion on the agenda of this sitting.

(6) If objections are not raised, the independent motion shall be considered included on the agenda of this sitting as the last item.

(7) If the Prime Minister or at least one member of the Saeima objects, the Saeima shall decide (Section 54) to include this independent motion on the agenda of the next ordinary sitting of the Saeima.

(8) If the Saeima does not include an independent motion on the agenda of the next ordinary sitting of the Saeima and no motion has been submitted for passing it on to a committee of the Saeima, the independent motion shall be considered rejected.

(9) The Saeima shall decide (Section 54) on the submitted motions in respect of passing independent motions on to a committee in the order of submission thereof. If the Saeima has passed on an independent motion to several committees, it shall determine the responsible committee.

(10) If the Saeima does not take the decision to pass on an independent motion to a committee, the independent motion shall be considered rejected.

(11) In the cases where an independent motion is passed on to a committee for examination, motions for amendments thereto shall be submitted within five days, unless the Saeima has decided (Section 54) otherwise.

(12) If an independent motion for admission to citizenship of Latvia for special meritorious service for the benefit of Latvia is not submitted by the Citizenship, Migration and Social Cohesion Committee, after report of the Presidium it shall be considered passed on to the Citizenship, Migration and Social Cohesion Committee.

[19 January 2012; 16 October 2014; 15 October 2015]

118. (1) If an independent motion has not been passed on to a committee, the first of the submitters of the motion shall report on it at a sitting of the Saeima unless they have agreed otherwise. In such case the independent motion shall be examined in one reading but motions regarding amendments thereto shall not be examined.

(2) If an independent motion has been passed on to a committee, it shall provide an opinion on the independent motion but in the cases where motions have been submitted in respect of amendments to the independent motion - also opinions on these motions and add its motions where necessary.

(3) The committee to which an independent motion has been passed on, an alternative independent motion may be submitted. In such case provisions of Section 117, Paragraphs four-eleven shall not be applicable.

(4) No independent motion which has been passed on to a committee for examination may be examined at a sitting of the Saeima unless the following documents are available to the members of the Saeima:

1) an opinion of the committee on the independent motion;

2) all the motions submitted within the specified time period and in accordance with the laid down procedures in respect of amendments to the independent motion and opinions of the committee thereon;

3) an opinion of the Minister for Finance if the independent motion provides for unforeseen expenses in the budget.

(5) A rapporteur elected by a relevant committee shall report at a sitting of the Saeima on an independent motion which has been passed on to the committee for preliminary examination.

(6) If there are no motions for amendments to an independent motion, it shall be examined in one reading.

(7) If a committee to which an independent motion is passed on has submitted an alternative independent motion, after the debate on both independent motions the Saeima shall vote which motion is to be adopted.

(8) If motions have been submitted for amendments to an independent motion, it shall be examined in two readings. In the first reading, a rapporteur shall report and a debate shall take place in respect of the general principles of the independent motion, and also the Saeima shall decide to adopt the submitted draft decision of the Saeima in the first reading. If the Saeima does not adopt the independent motion in the first reading, it shall be considered rejected.

(9) Second reading of the independent motion shall follow immediately after the first reading, unless the Saeima has decided otherwise. Provisions regarding examination of draft laws in second reading shall be applicable thereto.

(10) A committee of the Saeima which has submitted an independent motion or each of the members of the Saeima who have signed an independent motion may withdraw their support thereto. Withdrawal shall be acceptable until voting on adoption of the independent motion in first reading.

(11) A withdrawn motion may be maintained by a committee to which it has been passed on.

(12) If an independent motion for which a committee has developed an alternative independent motion has been withdrawn, the alternative independent motion shall be examined by following the provisions of Paragraph three of this Section.

(13) An independent motion which has been rejected by the responsible committee shall be considered rejected if the submitter thereof does not, within ten days from the day when the opinion of the responsible committee has been available to the members of the Saeima, require the Presidium in writing to examine this independent motion at a sitting of the Saeima.

(14) In the cases prescribed in the law On Budget and Financial Management and the law On the Representation of Latvia on the Board of Governors and Board of Directors of the European Stability Mechanism, the draft laws to be examined by the Saeima shall not be considered independent motions and they shall be examined in one reading.

[9 June 2011; 16 October 2014]

3.1 Reports of the Members of the Cabinet

[15 May 2008]

118.1 (1) The Prime Minister shall, not later than on 1 March, submit to the Saeima in writing the annual report on the results and intended activities of the Cabinet. Copies of this report shall be immediately issued to the members of the Saeima. If on the day of submission of the report, the Prime Minister has held this office for less than six months, he or she shall submit the respective report not later than within nine months from taking the office.

(2) If there are no motions or requests for convening an extraordinary session or extraordinary sitting of the Saeima, the Presidium shall include the annual report on the results and intended activities of the Cabinet on the agenda of a sitting of the Saeima not earlier than 10 days and not later than 20 days after submission thereof.

(3) In examining the annual report on the results and intended activities of the Cabinet at a sitting of the Saeima, the Prime Minister shall report thereon, and then a debate shall be opened. After the debate, only the Prime Minister shall speak if he or she so wishes.

118.2 (1) If the Prime Minister submits a motion to the Saeima to give the floor to him or her or a minister (one or several) to report on a specific topic at a sitting of the Saeima, the relevant written report shall be submitted concurrently with the motion. It shall be indicated in the motion which minister or ministers will report on it. Copies of the report shall be immediately issued to the members of the Saeima and sent to a relevant committee of the Saeima.

(2) If there are no motions or requests for convening an extraordinary session or extraordinary sitting of the Saeima, the Presidium shall include the motion of the Prime Minister on the agenda of the next ordinary sitting of the Saeima, and the Saeima shall decide whether the report on the specific topic is to be included on the agenda of the next ordinary sitting of the Saeima.

(3) After the report of the Prime Minister or minister on a specific topic, a debate shall be opened at a sitting of the Saeima. After the debate, only the Prime Minister or the minister who has submitted the report shall speak if he or she so wishes.

(4) The Saeima shall vote on the adoption of the report of the Prime Minister or the relevant minister.

118.3 (1) The Minister for Foreign Affairs shall, not later than on 16 January, submit to the Saeima the annual report on the results and intended activities with respect to national foreign policy which has been agreed upon with the Prime Minister, including in this report also information regarding the results and intended activities with respect to the European Union. Copies of this report shall be immediately issued to the members of the Saeima.

(2) If there are no motions or requests for convening an extraordinary session or extraordinary sitting of the Saeima, the Presidium shall include the annual report of the Minister for Foreign Affairs on the agenda of an ordinary sitting of the Saeima nearest to the day of the international (de jure) recognition of the Republic of Latvia.

(3) The Minister for Foreign Affairs shall report on the respective report at the sitting of the Saeima in which this report is examined, and then a debate shall be opened. After the debate, only the Minister for Foreign Affairs shall speak if he or she so wishes.

[28 October 2010]

4. Examination of Questions

[7 October 1998]

119. (1) At least five members of the Saeima may submit a question in writing to the Prime Minister, the Deputy Prime Minister, a minister and the President of Latvijas Banka in respect of the matters within the competence of these officials.

(2) A question must be formulated so that a short and specific answer could be given thereto. It shall not be acceptable to include an assessment in the issue.

(3) If the members of the Saeima believe that a question is urgent, it shall be submitted with a note "urgent" and justification of urgency.

(4) A question shall be submitted to the Administration of the Saeima which shall record it in the Question Register in accordance with the procedures laid down by the Presidium and notify an official to whom the question is addressed.

(5) A notification shall be placed on premises of the Saeima in respect of the submitted question which do not contain the note "urgent". Copies of the urgent questions shall be immediately issued to the members of the Saeima.

(6) The Presidium shall report on the submitted questions during an ordinary sitting of the Saeima by indicating who has submitted a question and to whom it is addressed.

(7) After the report of the Presidium, the first signatory of the question or any other of the signatories may speak, upon a mutual agreement thereof, to justify the question if it has been indicated when submitting the question. In such case the speaking time may not exceed one minute.

[16 October 2014; 15 October 2015]

120. (1) During an ordinary session, the Presidium shall determine a time for the provision of answers to questions. This time may not exceed one hour.

(2) Concurrently with the notification of the agenda of an ordinary sitting of the Saeima, the Presidium shall notify the list of questions to which answers will be provided within the determined time. Answers to the questions which have been submitted not later than at least six days before a sitting shall be included on this list in the order recorded in the Question Register.

(3) The list of question shall include full text of questions, the number with the Question Register, and indicate the members of the Saeima who have submitted the question, and also the officials to whom it is addressed.

[6 December 1999; 28 October 2004]

121. (1) An answer to a question shall be provided by the official to whom it is addressed, except for the following cases:

1) an answer to a question addressed to the Prime Minister may be provided by the Deputy Prime Minister or minister under authorisation of the Prime Minister;

2) an answer to a question addressed to the Deputy Prime Minister may be provided by a minister under authorisation of the Deputy Prime Minister;

3) [16 October 2014];

4) an answer to a question addressed to the President of Latvijas Banka may be provided by the Deputy President of Latvijas Banka under authorisation of the President of Latvijas Banka.

(2) Answer to a question which is not urgent shall be provided by the relevant official in writing to the Administration of the Saeima not later than on the previous day before the end of the period which has been set for answers to the submitted questions, or provided orally.

(3) Answer to an urgent question shall be provided if the question has been submitted not later than within 48 hours before the relevant sitting of the Saeima.

(4) Questions and answers provided orally shall be recorded in a phonogram from which a transcript shall be prepared. The transcript shall be published in the official gazette Latvijas Vēstnesis together with the answers provided in writing.

(5) If submitters of a question notify that the submitted written answer does satisfy them, the time for the provision of this answer shall not be determined.

[16 December 1999; 28 October 2004; 16 October 2014; 15 October 2015]

122. (1) Putting of questions and provision of answers shall be managed by the chairperson of the Saeima or any of the deputies thereof who may, at the proposal of the submitters of questions or providers of answers, only make the following amendments in the announced procedures for the provision of answers:

1) change the order of answers;

2) additionally include answers to urgent questions;

3) postpone the time for the provision of an answer after the next ordinary sitting of the Saeima due to the justified absence of an official to whom the the question is addressed;

4) exclude from the questions to be answered the question which does not correspond to the requirements of Section 119, Paragraphs one and two of the Rules of Order of the Saeima.

(2) If a question which has been submitted as urgent cannot be examined, an answer thereto shall be provided within the time determined by the Presidium.

(3) Answer shall be provided orally only if at least one of the submitters of a question is present. Speaking time for answering the question may not exceed five minutes, but in case of a written answer - two minutes.

(4) After receipt of the answer, the submitters of the question may put two additional questions related to the submitted question if they so wish. The floor shall be given to the first signatory of the question, unless the submitters have agreed otherwise. Speaking time for putting one additional question may not exceed one minute.

(5) After answers have been received to the additional questions of the submitter of the question, other members of the Saeima that are present may put additional questions related to the submitted question, but not more than three. If there are more submitters of additional questions, the additional questions shall be put in the order of submission of applications.

(6) If the chairperson of the sitting believes that the additional question is not related to the relevant question, he or she shall reject it. Another additional question may be put instead of the rejected additional question.

(7) Speaking time for an answer to each additional question may not exceed two minutes.

[28 October 2004]

123. (1) The answers which are not provided within the time intended for question due to lack of time or because none of the submitters of the question is present shall be submitted in writing (Section 121, Paragraph three) not later than within 48 hours after the relevant sitting of the Saeima.

(2) If an answer is not provided due to justified absence of the relevant official, but the written answer is not provided or does not satisfy the submitters of the question, the provision of the answer to the relevant question shall be postponed upon their request.

(3) If answers to questions are not provided within the relevant session of the Saeima, written answers shall be provided not later than within 48 hours after closing of the relevant session. Answers to these questions shall not be postponed to the next session of the Saeima.

[28 October 2004]

5. Examination of Inquiries

[7 October 1998]

124. (1) At least ten members of the Saeima may submit inquiries to the members of the Cabinet in writing.

(2) During a sitting of the Saeima inquiries shall be submitted to the Presidium, between sittings of the Saeima - to the Administration of the Saeima, and they shall be immediately issued to the members of the Saeima.

[15 October 2015]

125. (1) The Presidium shall notify the submitted inquiries at a sitting of the Saeima by indicating who has submitted an inquiry and to whom it is addressed.

(2) After the report of the Presidium, the first signatory of the inquiry or any other of the signatories (Section 124) may speak, upon a mutual agreement thereof, to justify the inquiry if it has been indicated when submitting the inquiry. In such case the speaking time may not exceed three minutes.

126. (1) Inquiries which have not been recognised as urgent by their submitters shall be passed on to the Parliamentary Inquiry Committee (Section 149).

(2) The Parliamentary Inquiry Committee shall, within two weeks, examine an inquiry and submit an opinion thereon to the Presidium. The opinion shall indicate the reasons for the decision of the Committee as well as the result of the vote.

(3) The Parliamentary Inquiry Committee may recognise that an inquiry is:

1) admissible;

2) partly admissible;

3) to be rejected.

(4) If the Parliamentary Inquiry Committee has recognised an inquiry as partly admissible, it shall formulate accordingly the part of the inquiry which it has recognised as admissible.

(5) If the Parliamentary Inquiry Committee has recognised that an inquiry is to be rejected, it may suggest transforming the inquiry into a question.

(6) The Saeima shall decide to accept or reject an inquiry.

(7) If the Parliamentary Inquiry Committee has recognised an inquiry as partly admissible, the Saeima shall first vote on the inquiry submitted by the members of the Saeima, but if it is rejected - on the inquiry formulated by the Parliamentary Inquiry Committee.

(8) If the Parliamentary Inquiry Committee has recognised that an inquiry is to be rejected and suggested transforming it into a question, but its submitters have not agreed to that, the Saeima shall vote on the inquiry submitted by the members of the Saeima.

[28 October 2004]

127. (1) The Saeima shall decide whether an inquiry is to be recognised as urgent (Section 54) if the submitters thereof have recognised it as urgent and it has been submitted to the Administration of the Saeima before 12.00 on the day before a sitting of the Saeima, and it has been available to parliamentary groups and members of the Saeima not later than at 14.00 on the same day.

(2) If the Saeima recognises the inquiry as urgent, it shall immediately commence discussion of this inquiry on the merits and vote on acceptance thereof. If the urgency is rejected, the inquiry shall be passed on to the Parliamentary Inquiry Committee (Section 149).

[15 October 2015]

128. The chairperson of the sitting of the Saeima shall immediately pass on copies of the inquiry accepted and accompanying documents to the Prime Minister and head of a relevant department, and also to the Parliamentary Inquiry Committee.

129. (1) Members of the Cabinet shall respond to an inquiry in writing not later than within seven days after receipt thereof. The response shall be issued to the members of the Saeima and included on the agenda of the next sitting of the Saeima; then also a debate shall take place.

(2) The response to the inquiry shall not be postponed to the next session if the decision on the urgency of the inquiry has been taken at least three days before closing the session of the Saeima.

130. (1) At least ten members of the Saeima or the Parliamentary Inquiry Committee may submit a draft decision in relation to an inquiry, including on a vote of confidence to the Cabinet, the Deputy Prime Minister or a minister. In such case the provision of Section 117 regarding the postponing of the discussion of a draft decision to the next sitting or passing thereof on to committees shall not be applicable.

(2) If necessary, the Saeima shall determine a time for the submission of motions.

[16 October 2014]

131. [6 May 1996]

5.1 Reports of the Ombudsman

[15 May 2008]

131.1 (1) The Ombudsman shall, once a year, submit a report to the Saeima in writing on activities of the Ombudsman's Office. Copies of this report shall be immediately issued to the members of the Saeima.

(2) If there are no motions or requests for the convening of an extraordinary session or extraordinary sitting of the Saeima, the Presidium shall include the annual report on the activities of the Ombudsman's Office on the agenda of a sitting of the Saeima not earlier than 10 days and not later than 20 days after its submission.

(3) In examining the annual report on the activities of the Ombudsman's Office, the Ombudsman shall report thereon, and then a debate shall be opened. After the debate only the Ombudsman shall speak if he or she so wishes.

5.2 Sending of a Member of the Saeima to the Examination of the the Official Language Proficiency

[9 June 2011]

131.2 (1) If at least 20 members of the Saeima have doubts that the proficiency of a member of the Saeima in the official language is not sufficient for the performance of professional duties, they have the right to submit a draft decision to send the relevant member of the Saeima to the examination of the official language proficiency. The draft decision shall be accompanied by a statement of facts.

(2) The Presidium shall notify the received draft decision at a sitting of the Saeima, and the Saeima shall, without a debate, pass it on to the Mandate, Ethics and Submissions Committee.

(3) The Mandate, Ethics and Submissions Committee shall, within a month, evaluate the draft decision to send a member of the Saeima to the examination of the official language proficiency at a closed meeting and submit an opinion thereon to the Saeima. The relevant member of the Saeima and a representative of the State Language Centre shall be invited to the meeting of the Mandate, Ethics and Submissions Committee.

(4) The Mandate, Ethics and Submissions Committee shall indicate in its opinion whether the relevant member of the Saeima has participated in the meeting of the Committee, and also provide any other necessary information.

(5) The draft decision to send the relevant member of the Saeima to the examination of the official language proficiency shall be included on the agenda of a sitting of the Saeima not later than within 10 days after the Mandate, Ethics and Submissions Committee has submitted its opinion to the Saeima. If the opinion has been submitted between sessions of the Saeima, the draft decision shall be included on the agenda of the next ordinary session, unless the Saeima has decided otherwise.

(6) A rapporteur elected by the Mandate, Ethics and Submissions Committee shall report on the relevant draft decision at a sitting of the Saeima. If the Saeima takes the decision to send the member of the Saeima to the examination of the official language proficiency, this examination shall be taken by the member of the Saeima at the National Centre for Education not later than within five months from the taking of the decision. During this period, the examination may not be taken for more than twice. At least 10 members of the Saeima may submit a draft decision to extend the period for the examination of the official language proficiency.

(7) If the relevant member of the Saeima does not agree with the result of the examination, he or she may contest it within 10 days in accordance with the procedures laid down in laws and regulations. A decision on the contested result of the examination shall be taken within 15 days. The member of the Saeima may, within 10 days, appeal the decision of the National Centre for Education on the contested result of the examination to the Department of Administrative Cases of the Senate of the Supreme Court which shall examine this case as a court of first instance composed of three judges within 30 days.

(8) If the Saeima has taken the decision to send the relevant member of the Saeima to the examination of the the official language proficiency and after this examination it is established that the official language proficiency of the member of the Saeima does not correspond to the level specified in laws and regulations or the member of the Saeima has failed to attend the examination within the specified time limit, the Mandate, Ethics and Submissions Committee of the Saeima shall, within 15 days, submit to the Saeima a draft decision to exclude the member of the Saeima from the composition of the Saeima.

(9) If, by conducting the examination specified in this Section, the National Centre for Education recognises that the official language proficiency of a member of the Saeima corresponds to the level specified in laws and regulations, it shall send the relevant opinion to the Mandate, Ethics and Submissions Committee of the Saeima. The Committee shall send this opinion to the Presidium who shall notify the Saeima thereof.

5.3 Examination of Collective Submissions

[19 January 2012]

131.3 (1) At least 10 000 citizens of Latvia who have reached the age of 16 years on the day of the submission is submitted have the right to submit a collective submission to the Saeima. The collective submission shall include a request to the Saeima, a short justification thereof, and also indicate the natural person who is authorised to represent the submitters of the collective submission, his or her address and contact details. A signatory of the collective submission shall legibly indicate his or her given name, surname, and personal identity number. Signatures for the collective submission may also be collected electronically if the identification of signatories and protection of personal data are ensured.

(2) A collective submission may not include a request which is clearly unacceptable in a democratic society or clearly offensive, a collective submission may not undermine values of human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law, and human rights, including rights of minorities.

(3) In determining the number of submitters of a collective submission, withdrawal of signatures to a collective submission already submitted to the Saeima shall not be taken into account.

(4) If a collective submission has been sent electronically, technical information which confirms the signing of the collective submission and allows to ascertain the number of signatories, the given name, surname, and personal identity number of each signatory shall be submitted at the same time.

131.4 (1) The Presidium shall, not later than within 20 days after receipt of a collective submission, evaluate its conformity to the requirements of Section 131.3 of the Rules of Order and, where necessary, pass it on to the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs for verification, and decide to pass on this submission to the Mandate, Ethics and Submissions Committee for preliminary evaluation. A natural person authorised to represent the submitters of the collective submission shall be invited to a sitting of the Presidium.

(2) If the Presidium establishes that the document submitted does not correspond to the requirements of Section 131.3 of the Rules of Order, a reply thereto shall be provided in accordance with the Law on Submissions.

131.5 (1) A meeting of the Mandate, Ethics and Submissions Committee during which the preliminary evaluation of a collective submission takes place shall be organised not later than within a month after receipt of the collective submission by the Saeima, and the course of the meeting of the Committee shall be recorded in an audio format.

(2) The person authorised to represent the submitters of a collective submission, members of the Saeima from other committees of the Saeima, and representatives from the authorities affected by the request included in the collective submission shall be invited to a meeting of the Mandate, Ethics and Submissions Committee.

(3) The person authorised to represent submitters of a collective submission has the right to provide reasons for the collective submission and participate in discussion thereof at the meeting of the Mandate, Ethics and Submissions Committee in accordance with the procedures laid down by the Committee.

(4) The Mandate, Ethics and Submissions Committee shall, not later than within three months after receipt of the collective submission, draw up a report on the evaluation of the collective submission at the Committee and a draft decision of the Saeima on the further progression of the submission.

(5) The report of the Mandate, Ethics and Submissions Committee shall include information regarding the preliminary evaluation of the collective submission at the Committee, in particular requests of submitters of the collective submission and reasons for them, views of the persons invited, and also any other information which is recognised as necessary by the Committee. The draft decision of the Saeima on the further progression of the submission shall indicate the following:

1) the number of submitters of the collective submission;

2) a short statement of the nature of the collective submission;

3) the preferred progression of the collective submission (for example, establishing a special committee of the Saeima to draw up a relevant draft law, passing on the collective submission to an authority for further evaluation, assigning the Cabinet to prepare a concept or draft law, leaving without examination, rejection).

(6) The draft decision of the Saeima on the further progression of a collective submission shall be examined in accordance with the procedures laid down in Section 117 of the Rules of Order.

(7) The Mandate, Ethics and Submissions Committee shall control fulfilment of the task given under the decision of the Saeima on the further progression of a collective submission, and it may prepare other draft decisions of the Saeima to ensure fulfilment of the given task, where necessary.

5.4 Reports of the Auditor General

[16 October 2014/ Chapter shall come into force on 1 August 2019. See Paragraph 14 of Transitional Provisions]

131.6 (1) The Auditor General shall, concurrently with the annual financial statement of the State Audit Office which is accompanied by an opinion of a sworn auditor (sworn auditor commercial company), submit a report to the Saeima in writing on activities of the State Audit Office. Copies of this report shall be immediately issued to the members of the Saeima.

(2) If there are no motions or requests in respect of the convening of an extraordinary session or extraordinary sitting of the Saeima, the Presidium shall include the annual report on the activities of the State Audit Office on the agenda of a sitting of the Saeima not earlier than 10 days and not later than 20 days after submission thereof.

(3) In examining the annual report on the activities of the State Audit Office, the Auditor General shall report thereon, and then a debate shall be opened. After the debate, only the Auditor General shall speak if he or she so wishes.

[16 October 2014/ Chapter shall come into force on 1 August 2019. See Paragraph 14 of Transitional Provisions]

6. Voting

132. Prior to voting, the chairperson of the sitting shall notify the voting procedures.

133. Each member of the Saeima may suggest split examination of a motion and a split vote (Section 54).

[16 December 1999]

134. Motions shall be put to a vote in accordance with the procedures laid down in Section 101 before the section to which they refer. Motions which may supplement another motion shall be put to a vote before it. After putting motions as well as individual paragraphs of the section to a vote, the section shall be put to a vote in general.

135. (1) Motions regarding the fact that a relevant matter is not to be discussed by the Saeima on the merits may be submitted by a committee or member of the Saeima . A proposal shall be submitted to the Presidium in writing.

(2) If such motion is submitted before discussion of the announced agenda or during discussion of the announced agenda, it shall be decided (Section 54) in the general order, however, before the motions regarding the relevant matter which have been submitted in accordance with the procedures laid down in Section 51.

(3) If such motion is submitted before examination of the relevant matter is commenced, it shall be decided (Section 54) immediately after examination of a current case is completed.

(4) If such motion is submitted when examination of a relevant case has been commenced, it shall be decided (Section 54) immediately allowing to speak only the speaker to whom the floor has already been given.

[6 May 1996]

136. (1) The President, a committee of the Saeima, a member of the Saeima, the Prime Minister or a representative of the Cabinet in the matter to be discussed may submit a motion for postponing a matter, return thereof back to a committee, collection of additional information and similar. The motion shall be submitted to the Presidium in writing.

(2) Such motion shall be decided (Section 54) before voting on the matter on the merits.

[6 May 1996]

137. In voting on time periods, further time periods shall be put to a vote before the nearest ones. This provision shall not be applicable to the motions which are put to a vote in accordance with the procedures laid down in Section 101.

[6 May 1996]

138. (1) Prior to voting on a draft law and a draft decision in general, a bell shall be rung at the order of the chairperson of the sitting.

(2) During voting, the floor shall not be given to anyone.

(3) After announcement of the voting results, votes shall not be further accepted or changed.

[7 October 1998]

139. Voting shall be by open ballot at sittings of the Saeima using an electronic voting system or ballot papers. Voting shall be by secret ballot in the cases specified and in accordance with the procedures laid down in the Constitution of the Republic of Latvia. Members of the Saeima who have cast votes for, against or abstentions shall be considered present at the voting.

[19 January 2012]

140. (1) [19 January 2012]

(2) At least ten members of the Saeima may suggest that the vote of each member of the Saeima is read after the voting (Section 54).

[6 May 1996; 19 January 2012]

141. (1) If votes are tied (votes for and votes against or abstentions are tied), votes shall be re-cast.

(2) If votes are tied also after re-voting, the motion put to a vote shall not be accepted.

142. If at least five members of the Saeima have reasonable (Section 54) doubts as to the result of voting not later than within one hour, votes shall be re-cast.

[7 October 1998]

143. Decisions shall be taken by an absolute majority of votes of the members of the Saeima present, except for individual cases prescribed in the Constitution.

144. (1) Each member of the Saeima as well as a representative of a parliamentary group or political bloc of the Saeima has the right to submit a report on the reasons for voting. Such report shall be submitted in writing not later than within 24 hours after the end of the relevant sitting of the Saeima.

(2) If the report has been submitted before voting and it indicates that the submitter thereof wishes to read it, the floor shall be given to the submitter immediately after announcement of voting results. In such case the speaking time may not exceed five minutes.

(3) Reports on the reasons for voting which have been submitted within the time period referred to in Paragraph one of this Section but have not been read at a sitting of the Saeima shall accompany a transcript of the sitting of the Saeima.

[6 May 1996]

7. Transcripts

145. The course of sittings of the Saeima shall be recorded in a phonogram from which a transcript shall be prepared. Head of the Transcript Division shall be responsible for ensuring that the transcript corresponds to the phonogram. The phonogram shall be retained. Language specialists shall correct mistakes in the transcript, clarify the spelling of personal names, foreign names, geographical designations, names of undertakings, institutions, and organisations, laws, decisions, and international treaties.

146. The transcript shall be accompanied by the following:

1) the minutes of the sitting of the Saeima in which the agenda examined, the decisions taken, and the results of voting during the sitting are recorded. The minutes of the sitting of the Saeima shall be taken by the Transcript Division and signed by the chairperson of the sitting - the Chairperson of the Saeima or his or her Deputy - and the Secretary of the Saeima or his or her Deputy;

2) the table of contents of the transcript;

3) the data of votes registered by the electronic voting system;

4) the written answers to the questions put by the members of the Saeima;

5) the reports on the reasons for voting which have not been read at a sitting of the Saeima.

[6 May 1996]

147. (1) Transcripts of public sittings and accompanying written answers to the questions put by the members of the Saeima, and also reports on the reasons for voting shall be published in the official gazette Latvijas Vēstnesis.

(2) Extracts from the transcripts of public sittings and copies of the transcripts of public sittings shall be issued to members of the Saeima upon their request.

(3) The Presidium shall lay down the procedures by which member of the Saeima may become acquainted with the transcripts of closed sittings.

[6 May 1996; 16 October 2014]

148. Persons who have participated in the preparation of the transcripts of closed sittings of the Saeima shall give a signed statement that they will not disclose the content of the transcripts.

VI. COMITTEES OF SAEIMA

149. (1) The Saeima shall have the following permanent committees:

1) the Foreign Affairs Committee;

2) the Budget and Finance (Taxation) Committee;

3) the Legal Affairs Committee;

4) the Human Rights and Public Affairs Committee;

5) the Education, Culture and Science Committee;

6) the Defence, Internal Affairs and Corruption Prevention Committee;

7) the Public Administration and Local Government Committee;

8) the Economic, Agricultural, Environmental and Regional Policy Committee;

9) the Social and Employment Matters Committee;

10) the Mandate, Ethics and Submissions Committee;

11) the Parliamentary Inquiry Committee;

12) the Public Expenditure and Audit Committee;

13) [1 April 2012];

14) the National Security Committee;

15) the Citizenship, Migration and Social Cohesion Committee;

16) the European Affairs Committee;

17) the Sustainable Development Committee.

(2) The Saeima shall lay down the principles for the establishment of each committee.

(3) The committee shall agree upon the budgetary expenses necessary for foreign policy activities with the Presidium.

(4) The Citizenship, Migration and Social Cohesion Committee shall also exercise parliamentary control over implementation of the Citizenship Law.

[10 November 1994; 2 November 1995; 7 October 1998; 16 December 1999; 24 October 2002; 2 March 2006; 9 November 2006; 11 December 2008; 19 January 2021; 16 October 2014]

150. The Saeima may establish special committees for the performance of individual legislative tasks. The Saeima shall appoint parliamentary investigatory committees for specific cases if so required by at least one third of the members of the Saeima (Section 26 of the Constitution). Motions for the establishment of such committees shall be examined at the nearest ordinary sitting of the Saeima.

151. The Secretary of the Saeima shall convene the first meeting of the committee and chair it until the chairperson of the committee is elected. Further meetings shall be convened and chaired by the chairperson of the committee.

152. The committee shall elect from its members the chairperson and the secretary, and also the deputy chairperson where necessary. This election shall be reported to the Presidium.

153. (1) A member of the Saeima may only act as a chairperson of the committee in one independent committee at the same time.

(2) A member of the Saeima may act as a member of not more than two permanent committees and three sub-committees at the same time.

[19 February 2009; 19 January 2012]

154. If the chairperson of the committee or his or her deputy fails to participate at a meeting, the meeting shall be opened and chaired by the secretary of the committee.

155. The committee may elect from its members not more than two sub-committees for the preparation of works or performance of special tasks. The members of the Saeima who are not members of the relevant committee may also be included in the composition of a sub-committee if they agree.

[6 May 1996; 19 February 2009]

156. The secretary of the committee shall convene the first meeting of a sub-committee and chair it until the chairperson of the sub-committee is elected. Further meetings shall be convened and chaired by the chairperson of the sub-committee.

[6 May 1996]

157. The sub-committee shall elect from its members the chairperson and the secretary. This election shall be reported to the Presidium.

158. The sub-committee shall submit its decisions and motions for a meeting of the committee.

159. Meetings of the committee shall be public but closed meetings may also be held on the basis of a decision of the Saeima or committee.

160. Meetings of the committee shall have a quorum if at least half of the number of members of the committee are present.

161. Members of the committee must arrive to a meeting at a specific time, and they may not leave the meeting without the consent of the chairperson thereof.

[7 October 1998; 23 December 2010]

162. All the members of the committee present shall sign certifying their participation in the meeting.

163. (1) Minutes shall be taken during meetings of the committee. The minutes shall be signed by the chairperson of the meeting and the secretary. If the meeting is chaired by the secretary or if the secretary does not participate in the meeting, then the minutes shall be signed by the chairperson of the meeting and any of the members of the committee according to the instruction of the chairperson of the meeting. The minutes shall be available to the members of the committee not later than three days after the meeting of the committee.

(2) The following shall be recorded in the minutes of the meeting:

1) the start and end time of the meeting;

2) the members of the committee who participate in the meeting of the committee;

3) any other persons who participate in the meeting of the committee;

4) the chairperson of the meeting of the committee;

5) the person who takes minutes of the meeting;

6) the type of the meeting of the committee (public or closed);

7) the agenda examined;

8) the decisions taken and the results of voting.

(3) Meetings of the committees specified in Section 149, Paragraph one, Clauses 1-10 of the Rules of Order shall be recorded in an audio format.

[6 May 1996; 28 October 2010; 15 October 2015]

164. Each member of the committee has the right to append his or her dissenting opinion to the minutes, but not later than at the next meeting.

165. If any member of the committee has missed three consecutive meetings without a serious reason, the chairperson of the committee shall notify his or her parliamentary group or political block. If even then the member of the committee fails to attend meetings, the Saeima may, upon a proposal from the committee, recall him or her and elect another one in accordance with the procedures laid down in Section 34.

166. The committee shall examine draft laws, motions, and submissions on the basis of a decision of the Saeima or submit them itself if they are related to the objectives of the committee.

167. (1) Upon expiry of the mandate of the Saeima, documentary materials of committees shall be submitted to the archives of the Saeima.

(2) In the case of wind-up or termination of activities of the committee, materials of the committee shall be submitted to the Presidium which shall in turn pass it on to another committee or they shall be deposited in the archives of the Saeima.

168. Information regarding closed meetings of the committee may only be made public with the common consent of the chairperson, the deputy chairperson (if such has been elected), and the secretary of the committee.

169. (1) Members of the Presidium and one of the members of the Saeima who have signed the relevant draft law or another submission, and also reporters who have been selected by other committees to speak about the draft law under discussion may participate in meetings of the committee in the capacity of advisors. The committee has the right to call on experts both independent and for individual cases. They shall act in the capacity of advisors.

(2) Other members of the Saeima may also be present at a meeting of the committee but they shall enjoy the capacity of advisors only on the basis of a special decision of the committee.

(3) A person authorised by a parliamentary group or political bloc, and an assistant to a member of the Saeima may also be present at public meetings of the committee.

170. Reporters who have been selected by other committees to speak about the draft law under discussion shall also be invited to meetings of the responsible committee.

171. The Prime Minister, the Deputy Prime Minister, a minister, and also public officials authorised by them may also participate in meetings of committees in the capacity of advisors.

[6 May 1996; 16 October 2014]

172. (1) The committee has the right to, directly, without the intermediation of the Presidium, request information and explanations necessary for its activities from a relevant Minister and institutions subordinate to him or her (institutions under his or her authority or supervision), and also from local governments, and invite the relevant officials to provide explanations.

(2) Sub-committees shall communicate with the ministries and other institutions independently.

[19 January 2012]

173. (1) The parliamentary investigatory committee (Section 150) has the rights to, within the limits of the task determined by the Saeima, summon and question also private persons and, where necessary, conduct audits in State, local government and private institutions and undertakings by inviting experts if the private institutions and undertakings directly or indirectly obtain State allowances, credits or contracts, or participate in the privatisation of the State or local government property.

(2) If the persons, institutions, or enterprises referred to in this Section fail to comply with the requirements of the parliamentary investigatory committee related to the questioning or audit, the police must, upon request of the committee, take enforcement measures to ensure compliance with these requirements.

174. (1) The responsible committee shall examine draft laws before each reading.

(2) Draft laws shall be passed on to a sub-committee, if any, for preliminary preparation where necessary.

(3) Before discussion of a draft law, the committee shall select one member of the committee who will report on this draft to the committee.

175. Decisions shall be taken at the committee by an absolute majority of votes of the members of the committee present.

176. Opinions of the committee to be approved by the Saeima shall be formulated in the form of draft decisions of the Saeima where necessary. They may be accompanied by reference materials.

177. After examination of a matter the committee shall elect one member of the committee as a rapporteur for the matter to be discussed at a sitting of the Saeima.

178. Committees may organise common meetings. Decisions shall be taken by each committee individually, except for the decisions on the agenda and progress of work of a common meeting. At common meetings, chairpersons of the committees shall agree on chairing the meeting.

179. (1) The Mandate, Ethics and Submissions Committee shall:

1) draw up a report of the Saeima on approval and termination of powers of the members of the Saeima;

2) draw up a draft decision of the Saeima in relation to a submission of the Office of the Prosecutor General for the initiation of criminal prosecution against a member of the Saeima, his or her arrest, detention, conducting of search, or other restriction of his or her personal liberty;

3) supervise compliance with the Code of Ethics of the members of the Saeima and examine cases related to violations of the Code of Ethics of the members of the Saeima;

4) draw up a monthly report to the Saeima on the submissions received by the Public Relations Bureau of the Saeima and their examination in the Presidium, parliamentary groups, committees of the Saeima, and other units of the Saeima;

5) once during an ordinary session notify at a sitting of the Saeima of the members of the Saeima upon whom administrative penalty has been imposed during the previous session and the inter-session period. The notification shall include information regarding an administrative offence committed by a member of the Saeima indicating the provision of a law or regulation which provides for the offence for the committing of which the person has been held administratively liable; the authority which has taken the decision to impose an administrative penalty; the type of the penalty imposed, and the date when the decision to impose the administrative penalty has entered into effect.

(2) The Mandate, Ethics and Submissions Committee shall elect two members of the Saeima from each parliamentary group represented in the Saeima. Members of the Committee shall refrain from any activities which may be considered as unfounded actions against political opponents or unfounded advocacy of behaviour of the members of the Saeima due to their political affiliation.

(3) The Mandate, Ethics and Submissions Committee shall bring a case regarding violation of the Code of Ethics of the members of the Saeima not later than within a week after a written submission has been received from a member of the Saeima, group of members of the Saeima, or parliamentary group in which:

1) nature of the case is set out;

2) it is explained how the violation of the Code of Ethics of the members of the Saeima has manifested itself;

3) proof is provided if such is at the disposal of the submitter;

4) other factors which may be relevant to the examination of the case are outlined.

(4) If a submission is not sufficiently justified, it shall be immediately sent to the submitter for clarification or elimination of deficiencies.

(5) The Mandate, Ethics and Submissions Committee shall commence examination of a case regarding violation of the Code of Ethics of the members of the Saeima not later than within a week after its bringing. After the case has been brought, the Committee shall immediately send a copy of an initiative and submission to the member of the Saeima against whose behaviour the case regarding breach of the Code of Ethics of the members of the Saeima has been brought.

(6) The Mandate, Ethics and Submissions Committee shall examine a case regarding violation of the Code of Ethics of the members of the Saeima at a public meeting not later than within two weeks after bringing the case. The Committee may, by a two-thirds majority, decide to hold a closed meeting. A member of the Committee may propose holding of a closed meeting.

(7) After establishing a violation of the Code of Ethics of a member of the Saeima, the Mandate, Ethics and Submissions Committee shall take one of the following motivated decisions:

1) to give an oral warning to the member of the Saeima which is noted in the minutes of the Committee;

2) to give a written warning to the member of the Saeima;

3) to give a written warning to the member of the Saeima, notify this at a sitting of the Saeima and publish the decision of the Committee in the official gazette Latvijas Vēstnesis;

4) to propose that the Saeima does not allow the member of the Saeima to take floor at a sitting of the Saeima and draw up a relevant draft decision of the Saeima;

5) to propose that the Saeima excludes the member of the Saeima from one to six sittings of the Saeima and draw up a relevant draft decision of the Saeima.

(8) A draft decision of the Saeima submitted in accordance with Paragraph seven, Clause 4 or 5 of this Section shall not be considered an independent motion, and provisions of Sections 117 and 118 shall not be applicable thereto.

(9) In order to prepare the notification referred to in Paragraph one, Clause 5 of this Section, the Mandate, Ethics and Submissions Committee is entitled to request information from the Punishment Register in accordance with the procedures laid down in laws and regulations.

[7 October 1998; 2 March 2006; 11 December 2008; 16 October 2014; 19 May 2016]

179.1 The Mandate, Ethics and Submissions Committee shall, upon written request of a member of the Saeima, evaluate whether his or her intended actions in a complicated situation will not be in conflict with the Code of Ethics of the members of the Saeima from the ethical point of view. If such request has been received from the member of the Saeima, a meeting of the Committee shall be convened as soon as possible upon an agreement with the submitter.

[2 March 2006]

179.2 The Legal Affairs Committee shall draw up a draft decision of the Saeima to allow initiation of criminal prosecution against a judge or the Ombudsman and his or her arrest, and also motions related to the submissions for the imposition of an administrative penalty on the Ombudsman.

[11 December 2008]

180. [23 December 2010]

181. The committee shall, not later than on the fifth day of the month, submit to the Administration of the Saeima a list of meetings indicating the number of meetings attended by each member of the committee in the previous month.

[15 October 2015]

182. The Secretary-General of the Administration of the Saeima shall, upon proposal of the chairperson of the relevant committee, establish and terminate employment relationships with the employees of committees in accordance with the provisions of the Labour Law.

[15 October 2015]

183. (1) General Provisions of the Rules of Order shall be applied by analogy to the activities of committees in all cases not prescribed in this Chapter.

(2) Rules of procedure of committees shall be applied to the activities of sub-committees.

VII. BUDGET AND FINANCES OF THE SAEIMA

[16 December 1999]

183.1 (1) The Saeima shall have financial autonomy.

(2) A draft budgetary request of the Saeima shall be developed by the Administration of the Saeima. The Secretary-General of the Administration of the Saeima shall submit the draft budgetary request to the Presidium for approval. After approval of the budgetary request of the Saeima by the Presidium, it shall be submitted to the Minister for Finance for incorporation into the draft State budget law without any amendments.

(3) The budgetary request of the Saeima may not be amended without the consent of the Presidium until the draft State budget law is submitted to the Saeima.

[16 December 1999; 15 October 2015]

184. The Presidium shall decide on the financial management of the Saeima. The Presidium or its appointed official of the Saeima shall act as a treasurer.

[19 January 2012/ Amendments to the Section shall come into force on 1 April 2012. See Paragraph 13 of Transitional Provisions]

185. (1) The accounting records, the usefulness and legality of expenses and the annual financial statements of the Saeima shall be reviewed by the Public Expenditure and Audit Committee.

(2) During the reporting year, the Public Expenditure and Audit Committee shall plan and conduct selectively an audit of financial items in the finance of the Saeima. After the conducted selective audits the Public Expenditure and Audit Committee shall submit opinions to the Presidium of the Saeima. An audit of the annual financial statement shall be conducted at the end of each reporting year. The Public Expenditure and Audit Committee shall submit to the Presidium of the Saeima an opinion on the audit of the annual financial statement not later than six months after the end of the reporting year.

[24 October 2002]

VII.1 PARTICIPATION OF THE SAEIMA IN THE EUROPEAN UNION AFFAIRS

[18 October 2001]

185.1 (1) The Saeima shall ascertain its participation in the European Union affairs through the European Affairs Committee, unless the Saeima has decided otherwise.

(2) The European Affairs Committee shall lay down the procedures by which members of the European Parliament elected from Latvia have the right to participate in activities of this Committee.

[28 October 2004]

185.2 The composition of the European Affairs Committee shall include at least one member of the Saeima from each parliamentary group of the Saeima. The composition of the Committee shall correspond to the proportions of parliamentary groups of the Saeima.

185.3 The European Affairs Committee shall examine the official guidelines of the Republic of Latvia prepared in accordance with the procedures laid down by the Cabinet and decide on them before notifying them to the European Union institutions.

Section 185.4 The European Affairs Committee may send the official guidelines of the Republic of Latvia as well as legislative proposals of the European Union and other documents of the European Union institutions for examination and provision of an opinion to other committees of the Saeima.

[28 October 2004]

185.5 [28 October 2010]

VIII. PARLIAMENTARY GROUPS, POLITICAL BLOCS, AND THE COUNCIL OF PARLIAMENTARY GROUPS

186. At least five members of the Saeima of the list of candidates of the same name may establish a parliamentary group. Members of the Saeima of the list of candidates of the same name may only establish one parliamentary group and may not join another parliamentary group.

[11 June 2009/ The new wording of the Section shall come into force on 2 November 2010. See Paragraph 8 of Transitional Provisions]

187. (1) The Secretary-General of the Administration of the Saeima shall, upon proposal of the head of the parliamentary group, establish and terminate employment relationship with an employee of a parliamentary group in accordance with the provisions of the Labour Law.

(2) An employment contract shall be concluded for one of the following terms:

1) for the period of activities of the parliamentary group during the term of the relevant Saeima mandate;

2) for a specific period which is not shorter than six months, and this employment contract may be extended. If the parliamentary group terminates its activities before the concluded employment contract expires, the employment contract of the employee shall expire from the day when the parliamentary group terminates its activities.

[2 November 2006; 15 October 2015]

188. Individual parliamentary groups may join together in political blocs.

[6 May 1996; 28 October 2010]

189. The Presidium shall be immediately notified of the composition of parliamentary groups and political blocs and any changes therein.

190. The Presidium, parliamentary groups, and political blocs shall establish the Council of Parliamentary Groups which clarifies and harmonises activities and tactics of the parliamentary groups and political blocs in the Saeima and committees, and also settle the matters referred to in Section 23, Clause 4 together with the Presidium.

191. Each parliamentary group or political bloc shall delegate one representative for the Council of Parliamentary Groups.

192. Opinions of the Council of Parliamentary Groups shall be of recommendatory nature, and they shall not be binding upon the parliamentary groups or political blocs. However, the parliamentary groups or political blocs who do not agree with the opinion of their representative at a meeting of the Council of Parliamentary Groups shall notify the Presidium thereof by the beginning of the next sitting of the Saeima.

[7 October 1998]

193. (1) The Presidium shall establish an agenda for the meetings of the Council of Parliamentary Groups and convene its meetings. Meetings shall be chaired by the Chairperson of the Saeima or his or her deputy.

(2) Agenda of the Council of Parliamentary Groups may be supplemented or amended if requested by at least one fifth of the members of the Council of Parliamentary Groups.

(3) Meetings of the Council of Parliamentary Groups shall be convened if requested by members of the Council representing at least one fifth of the composition of the Saeima.

194. Upon expiry of the term of the Saeima mandate, documentary materials of the parliamentary groups, political blocs of the Saeima, and the Council of Parliamentary Groups shall be passed on to the archives of the Saeima.

VIII.1 GROUPS OF MEMBERS OF SAEIMA

[6 May 1996]

194.1 At least three members of the Saeima may establish a group of members of the Saeima to facilitate cooperation with parliaments of other countries or satisfy other interests related to the activities of a member of the Saeima.

194.2 Participants of the group of members of the Saeima shall inform the Presidium in writing of the establishment of the group of members of the Saeima and also any amendments to the composition of the group of members of the Saeima.

194.3 Participants of the group of members of the Saeima shall elect a head of the group from among its participants.

194.4 Groups of members of the Saeima shall not be granted a separate financing.

IX. ASSISTANT TO MEMBER OF SAEIMA

195. (1) Each member of the Saeima may have not more than two assistants who are remunerated from the State budget, but the amount of remuneration of two assistants to a member of the Saeima may not exceed the amount intended for the employment of one assistant.

(2) The task of an assistant to a member of the Saeima shall be to handle all organisational, technical, advisory, and other matters related to the activities of the member of the Saeima.

196. An assistant to a member of the Saeima shall have the following duties:

1) to facilitate the work of the member of the Saeima in the Saeima and its committees;

2) to listen to suggestions and complaints of the electorate, examine submissions of the electorate;

3) to handle matters related to the reception of the electorate in cooperation with a local government, and also heads of undertakings and organisations;

4) to organise meetings between the member of the Saeima and the electorate;

5) to provide the member of the Saeima with the information and references necessary for his or her work;

6) to receive the electorate between receptions of the electorate and handle the suggested matters with officials or institutions following instructions of the member of the Saeima;

7) to seek views of the electorate on the activities of the Saeima and the member of the Saeima;

8) to inform the electorate following instructions of the member of the Saeima;

9) to settle economic and technical issues related to the activities of the member of the Saeima;

10) to keep the records of the member of the Saeima.

197. An assistant to a member of the Saeima has the right to be present at public meetings of the committees of the Saeima on behalf of the member of the Saeima.

[7 October 1998]

198. (1) The Secretary-General of the Administration of the Saeima shall, upon proposal of a member of the Saeima, establish and terminate employment relationship with an assistant to the member of the Saeima in accordance with the provisions of the Labour Law.

(2) An employment contract shall be entered into for one of the following terms:

1) for the term of office of the member of the Saeima;

2) for a specific period which is not shorter than six months, and this employment contract may be extended. If the powers of the member of the Saeima expire before the concluded employment contract expires, the employment contract of the member's assistant shall expire from the day when the powers of the member of the Saeima expire.

[2 November 2006; 15 October 2015]

199. A member of the Saeima has right to use the remuneration intended for an assistant or part thereof to pay for contract works.

200. The Administration of the Saeima shall issue a single model certificate to an assistant to a member of the Saeima.

[7 October 1998; 15 October 2015]

Transitional Provisions

[13 December 2007]

1. From 1 January 2008 until 31 December 2008, in applying Section 12, Paragraph one, second sentence, Paragraphs two, three and four, and also Section 14, Paragraph two, the amount of the average work remuneration of the employees in the public sector in 2006 published in the official statistical report of the Central Statistical Bureau shall be used by applying a coefficient of 1.1 to this amount of the work remuneration.

2. From 1 January 2009 until 31 December 2009, in applying Section 12, Paragraph one, second sentence, Paragraphs two, three and four, and also Section 14, Paragraph two, the amount of the average work remuneration of the employees in the public sector in 2007 published in the official statistical report of the Central Statistical Bureau shall be used by applying a coefficient of 0.812 to this amount of the work remuneration.

[11 December 2008]

3. Until the moment when the Public Relations Bureau of the Saeima commences work, the Submissions Bureau of the Saeima shall provide information to the Mandate, Ethics and Submissions Committee information on the submissions received by the Submissions Bureau of the Saeima and their examination in parliamentary groups and committees of the Saeima.

[11 December 2008]

4. From 1 July 2009 until 31 December 2009, the wage of the member of the Saeima which has been determined in accordance with the third sentence of Section 12, Paragraph one of the Rules of Order of the Saeima shall be reduced by 20 percent.

[18 June 2009]

5. From 1 July 2009 until 31 December 2009, the lump sum benefit provided for in Section 13, Paragraph three of the Rules of Order of the Saeima shall be disbursed in the amount of one average monthly wage.

[11 June 2009]

6. From 1 July2009 until 31 December 2009, the compensation determined in accordance with Section 14, Paragraph two, Clause 2 of the Rules of Order of the Saeima shall be reduced by 20 percent but the compensation determined in accordance with Section 14, Clause 3 shall be reduced by 30 percent.

[11 June 2009]

7. From 1 September 2009 until 31 December 2009, the compensation determined in accordance with Section 14, Paragraph two, Clause 1 of the Rules of Order of the Saeima shall be reduced by 20 percent.

[11 June 2009]

8. The new wording of Section 186 of the Rules of Order of the Saeima shall come into force concurrently with the convening of the 10th Saeima.

[11 June 2009]

9. From 1 July 2009 until 31 December 2009, the remuneration for participation in work of the committees of the Saeima which has been determined in accordance with Section 12, Paragraph three of the Rules of Order of the Saeima shall be reduced by 20 percent.

[18 June 2009]

10. If the number of employees of the Saeima is reduced in 2009, the preference for retaining employment shall be given to the employees who have better work performance an higher qualification. If the work performance and qualification of employees do not significantly differ, the preference for retaining employment shall be given to the employee who does not have another regular source of income. If an employee does not have another regular source of income, the preference for retaining employment shall be determined in accordance with the Labour Law. Within the meaning of this Paragraph, the following shall be regarded as regular sources of income:

1) performance of official or professional duties with another employer if the monthly wage (monthly base wage, working wage) determined for it is equal to or above the minimum monthly wage, and the term for the performance of official or professional duties specified in the order or contract exceeds three months;

2) old-age pension or service pension if the person has the right to such pension in accordance with the law irrespective of whether he or she actually receives this pension.

[16 July 2009]

11. In 2009, a severance pay shall be disbursed in the following amount to the employees of the Saeima to whom the severance pay is to be disbursed in accordance with Section 112 of the Labour Law:

1) in the amount of one monthly average earnings if the employee has been employed for less than 10 years;

2) in the amount of average earnings of one and a half months if the employee has been employed for at least 10 years.

[16 July 2009]

12. From 1 January 2010 to 31 December 2010, when applying Section 12, Paragraph one, second and third sentence, Paragraphs two, three and four, Section 13, Paragraph three, and also Section 14, Paragraph two of this Law, a remuneration shall be disbursed in the same amount as that in force on 31 December 2009.

[10 December 2009]

13. Amendments to Section 149, Paragraph one of this Law in respect of the change in the number and name of the permanent committees of the Saeima, and Section 149, Paragraph four, and also an amendment to Section 184 in respect of the deletion of the words "upon the proposal of the Economic Committee" shall come into force on 1 April 2012.

[19 January 2012]

14. Chapter 5.4 of this Law shall come into force concurrently with the amendments to the State Audit Office Law which lays down the obligation of the State Audit Office to provide a written report to the Saeima on activities of the State Audit Office and report on its activities at a sitting of the Saeima.

[16 October 2014]

The Law shall come into force on 1 September 1994.

The Law has been adopted by the Saeima on 28 July 1994.

President G. Ulmanis

Adopted 18 August 1994

 

Rules of Order of Saeima
Annex

Code of Ethics of Members of Saeima

[2 March 2006]

1. The purpose of the Code of Ethics of the members of the Saeima (hereinafter - the Code of Ethics) is to establish high standards of behaviour and thus increase the public confidence in the Saeima.

2. The Code of Ethics shall be equally binding upon all members of the Saeima.

3. The Code of Ethics shall be part of the organisation of work of the Saeima. It shall include principles, rules and recommendations of professional ethics of a member of the Saeima which should be followed in the attitude towards work, intercommunication, and also in relationships with other institutions and the public.

4. A member of the Saeima shall respect in good faith the commitment made in the solemn promise of the member of the Saeima.

5. A member of the Saeima shall respect and always follow the Constitution, the Rules of Order of the Saeima, and other laws and regulations.

6. A member of the Saeima shall be morally responsible for his or her actions (speeches, votes etc.).

A member of the Saeima may not plead the pressure of representatives of the government, parties or other persons to justify a vote against his or her conscience.

A member of the Saeima shall admit his or her mistakes and seek to correct them.

7. When making public statements, a member of the Saeima shall avoid in public statements from any words, gestures and other actions which may be offensive, and also shall not use expressions that are insulting or incompatible with respect for the Saeima; a member of the Saeima shall base his or her position on facts, their fair interpretation, and reasoning.

8. A member of the Saeima shall not make any statements and shall not support any action which may be understood as a call to an illegal activity.

A member of the Saeima shall respect human rights and shall not justify his or her reasoning by referring to the race, gender, colour, nationality, language, religion, social origin, or health condition of his or her opponent.

9. A member of the Saeima shall avoid any personal or national conflict of interests and situations which may lead the public to suspect the existence of such conflict.

A member of the Saeima shall not accept a private invitation and shall not participate in an event or avoid any other situation if it may lead to suspicion as to his or her conflict of interests or lowering of the prestige of the Saeima.

10. A member of the Saeima shall refrain from participation in parliamentary investigatory committees if the area and period to be investigated are related to his or her activities.

11. A member of the Saeima shall not use his or her position to unlawfully influence decisions of State and local government institutions.

12. A member of the Saeima shall not use the confidential information which he or she has obtained as an official for his or her private interests or those of persons associated with him or her.

13. A member of the Saeima shall use the property and means assigned to him or her as efficiently as possible.

14. While being at the Saeima, a member of the Saeima shall be properly attired and groomed. A member of the Saeima shall not appear at public places while being under the influence of alcohol or psychoactive substances or having grossly indecorous appearance.

15. A member of the Saeima shall comply with the lawful requirements of the officials who maintain public order.

16. A member of the Saeima shall be polite to employees of the Saeima, other State and local government institutions and any member of the public.

17. A member of the Saeima shall educate himself or herself, and gain democratic, political and cultural experience of his or her own country and other countries on a constant basis.

18. A member of the Saeima shall improve his or her speaking and official language skills.

19. A member of the Saeima shall refrain from self-indulgent grandstanding from the rostrum of the Saeima.

20. In his or her private life, a member of the Saeima shall not engage in anything which could damage the prestige of the Saeima or raise doubts of his or her ability to fulfil duties of the member of the Saeima in good faith.

21. A member of the Saeima shall maintain a constant and open connection with the public.

22. A member of the Saeima shall behave responsively towards the public and members of the media.

23. A member of the Saeima shall not evade answering questions, except for questions concerning confidential information or his or her private life.


1 The Parliament of the Republic of Latvia

Translation © 2021 Valsts valodas centrs (State Language Centre)

 
Document information
Title: Saeimas kārtības rullis Status:
In force
in force
Issuer: Saeima Type: law Adoption: 28.07.1994.Entry into force: 01.09.1994.Theme: Parliament; State institutions, public service; Constitutional rightsPublication: Latvijas Vēstnesis, 96, 18.08.1994.; Latvijas Republikas Saeimas un Ministru Kabineta Ziņotājs, 17, 08.09.1994.
Language:
LVEN
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27.12.2019
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