Article 1. The National Assembly shall establish its proper organisation and shall transact its business pursuant to the Constitution and these Rules.

Article 2. The National Assembly shall sit in its House in the capital, save as when it may decide to sit elsewhere under extraordinary circumstances.

Article 3. (Declared unconstitutional by Decision No 11/3.12.2009 of the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Bulgaria, promulgated in SG No 98/2009) Members of parliament, reported by the Comittee for disclosing and announcing affiliation of Bulgarian citisens to the State Security and the intelligence services of the Bulgarian National Army to have been collaborators to the former State Security, can not be members of:

1.the National Assembly’s leadership;

2.the leaderships of parliamentary committees;

3.the international delegations of the National Assembly;

4.the parliamentary committees on Internal Security and Public Order, on Foreign Affairs and Defense, on Oversight of the State Agency for National Security and on the European Affairs and Control of the European Funds Absorption.


Article 4. (1) The first sitting of the National Assembly shall be opened by the eldest Member present. The said Member shall chair the sitting until the National Assembly elects its Chairperson.

(2) The Members of the National Assembly shall take a spoken oath in pursuance of Article 76, paragraph 2 of the Constitution to be documented by signing individual oath papers.

Article 5. (1) Under the Chair of the eldest Member debates shall be held exclusively on the election of a Chairman of the National Assembly as well as the election itself.

(2) Nominations for a National Assembly Chairperson may be moved by the coalitions and parties represented in Parliament and registered with the Central Elections Commission for independent running in the elections on 5 July 2009 and by members of the National Assembly.

(3) The nominee who has received more than one half of the votes of the Members in attendance shall be deemed elected. If at the first vote none of the nominees has obtained the required majority, a second vote shall be held between the two nominees having received the largest number of votes. The nominee who receives the larger number of votes shall be elected.

(4) The National Assembly shall elect six Deputy Chairpersons, one from each party and coalition represented in the Assembly and registered with the Central Elections Commission for independent running in the elections on 5 July 2009.

(5) Any party and coalition represented in Parliament and registered with the Central Elections Commission for independent running in the elections on 5 July 2009 shall nominate its candidate for Deputy Chairperson of the National Assembly. Nominations may be moved also by individual members.

(6) Deputy Chairpersons elected from the quota of political party GERB, Coalition of Bulgaria, Movement for Rights and Freedoms, political party “ATAKA”, the Blue Coalition and Order, Lawfulness, Justice shall take part in chairing the National Assembly sittings.

Article 6. (1) The Chairperson and Deputy Chairpersons of the National Assembly can be discharged of their powers before the expiry of the term on:

1.his/her own request;

2.a motion in writing of not less than one third of all Members when he/she is objectively incapable of fulfilling his/her duties, or is systematically abusing his/her authority or fails to carry out the duties within his/her competencies.

3.a motion in writing by the parliamentary group which has nominated them.

(2) The Deputy Chairpersons of the National Assembly shall be discharged of powers before the term when they have quit the parliamentary group which has nominated them, or when they have been dismissed by it.

(3) In the cases under item 1 of paragraph 1 and 2, the discharge shall be announced without a debate or vote.

(4) In the cases of items 2 and 3 of paragraph 1 the motion shall be put to a vote at the first sitting following the submission date, allowing a hearing to the person concerned. The motion shall be deemed carried if it has been supported by more than one half of the Members of the National Assembly in attendance.

(5) In case of discharge before the end of term, a new election shall take place within 14 days after the decision was adopted. Until the holding of a new election for the National Assembly Chairperson, the latter shall be chaired by its Deputy, nominated by the biggest parliamentary group or coalition represented in Parliament and registered with the central Elections Committee for running in the elections on 5 July 2009 on its own.

Article 7. The National Assembly shall elect 6 Secretaries from among the Members.

Article 8. At subsequent sittings the National Assembly shall elect Standing Committees.


Article 9. (1) The Chairperson of the National Assembly, in pursuance of his/her powers under Article 77, paragraph 1 and Article 78, item 1 of the Constitution, shall:

1. announce the bills and other motions submitted to the National Assembly and assign such bills and motions to the Committees in accordance with their subject;

2. authenticate the contents of the acts adopted by the National Assembly;

3. ensure that appropriate conditions exist for the work of the Committees of the National Assembly and the Members;

4. establish Standing Orders observable on the National Assembly premises, and such concerning the organisation and the use of the facilities, following coordination with the Council of the Chairperson;

5. organize the National Assembly budget elaboration and implementation and the preparation of the annual financial report.

6. authenticate by his signature the shorthand records of the sittings of the National Assembly;

7. exercise control over the publication of the “State Gazette” as well as the other powers pursuant to the “State Gazette” Act;

8. establish the seating arrangements in the plenary room for the Members of the National Assembly by Parliamentary Group, for the Members of the Council of Ministers, and for the President and the Vice-President of the Republic;

9. after a vote may require information from the Secretaries of the National Assembly on voting with someone else’s cards;

10. ensure and observe the compliance with these Rules;

11. approve the uniform schedule of staff positions at the National Assembly and the staffing of its departments;

12. appoint and dismiss the Secretary General of the National Assembly, the personnel at the Chairperson’s Office and at the offices of Deputy Chairpersons and Parliamentary Groups subject to their respective advice;

13. endorse Operational Rules for the Administration of the National Assembly;

14. control the internal and external security of the National Assembly placed under his orders;

15. appoint and dismiss the tellers of the National Assembly.

16. appoint by a written order the deputy chairpersons who will preside over the weekly sittings of the National Assembly; the seats on the presidium are filled with those designated by the order.

17. perform other functions he is entrusted with under the Constitution, the law and these Rules.

(2) The Chairperson of the National Assembly may establish Consultative Legislation Council. The organisation and the activities of the Council shall be regulated by rules approved by the Chairperson of the National Assembly.

(3) Deputy Chairpersons of the National Assembly shall assist the Chairman and carry out the activities assigned by him/her.

(4) If the Chairperson of the National Assembly decides to delegate the performance of his functions under paragraph 1 to the Deputy Chairpersons on a permanent basis, he shall issue an order in writing distributing these functions among them.

(5) The Chairperson of the National Assembly shall designate one of his Deputies to act for him/her in his/her absence, and if that has not been done, he shall be substituted by the Deputy Chairperson originally nominated by the largest party or coalition represented in Parliament and registered with the Central Elections Commission for running in the elections on 5 July 2009 on its own.

(6) If the Chairperson takes part in a floor discussion on a certain matter, the sitting shall be chaired by a Deputy Chairperson designated by him. He shall not resume the Chair for the same sitting before the vote or the discontinuation of debates on the said matter.

Article 10. (1) The Chairperson of the National Assembly shall be assisted by a Council to the Chairperson consisting of the Deputy Chairpersons and the Leaders of Parliamentary Groups or their duly authorised substitutes.

(2) The Council to the Chairperson shall:

1. conduct consultations on the draft bills schedule and weekly agenda of the National Assembly;

2. be informed, from time to time but not less than once a month, on the implementation of the legislative programme and on the Committees’ work on the bills and draft decisions assigned to them, on statements and appeals.

3. contribute to achieving consensus in cases of conflicts of interests between different parliamentary groups as well as on procedural and organisational matters connected with the National Assembly’s work.

(3) The Council of the Chairperson shall be convened by the Chairperson of the National Assembly on his own initiative or at the request of one-third of its members.

Article 11. The Secretaries of the National Assembly shall:

1. inform the Chairperson of the Members’ attendance at sittings of the National Assembly and assist him/her in performing quorum inspections;

2. provide at the beginning and collect at the end of the plenary sitting the voting cards under article 56, paragraph 3 which are not kept by Members of the National Assembly;

3. in the course of the plenary sitting ensure the inviolability of the voting cards left unattended by their holders by removing them from their stands and keeping them until they are requested by their holders;

4. when a vote is taken with the computerised voting system assist in preventing and punishing a vote with someone else’s card;

5. where a vote is taken by a show of hands, i.e. without the electronic voting equipment, count the votes and report the result of the vote to the Chairman;

6. where a vote is taken by secret ballot, render technical assistance to the ballot;

7. where a vote is taken by roll-call, call the roll;

8. verify and sign the shorthand records of sittings at which they have been on duty;

9. perform such other tasks as may be assigned to them by the Chairman in connection with the business of the National Assembly.

Article 12. The Tellers of the National Assembly shall:

1. perform the Chairperson's directions on the maintenance of order on the floor and in the galleries;

2. assist the Secretaries in counting the votes when voting with a show of hands is held and in the technical organisation of secret ballots;

3. ensure that only Members of the National Assembly, Ministers and officials authorised by the National Assembly are present in the plenary room.


Article 13. (1) The Members of the National Assembly may form Parliamentary Groups corresponding to their party or coalition’s registration with the Central Elections Commission for the 41st National Assembly.

(2) The minimum number of Members of the National Assembly to form a Parliamentary Group shall be ten.

(3) If the membership of a Parliamentary Group falls below the required minimum, such Group shall cease to exist.

(4) Where a parliamentary group cease to exist the Deputy Chairperson elected by it shall be discharged of powers before the end of term.

(5) Independent Members of the National Assembly may not form new parliamentary groups.

Article 14. (1) Each Parliamentary Group shall submit to the Chairperson of the National Assembly a resolution on its establishment and a list of its leadership and members signed by all members thereof.

(2) The Chairperson of the National Assembly shall announce the Parliamentary Groups so registered and their leaderships at a sitting of the full House.

(3) The Parliamentary Groups, their leaderships and any changes therein shall be recorded in a special register of the National Assembly. Every change in the composition of a Parliamentary Group shall be announced by the Chairperson of the National Assembly at a sitting of the full House.

(4) Any permanent assistants to a Parliamentary Group shall be appointed on the Assembly’s staff. On the advice of every Parliamentary Group concerned, the number of such staff shall be approved by the Chairperson of the National Assembly in proportion of 1:10 to the number of its members, but not less than 2 for each parliamentary group.

Article 15. The name of a parliamentary group repeats the name of the party or coalition with which it was already registered with the Central Elections Commission for the 41st National Assembly.

Article 16. (1) No Member of the National Assembly may be member of more than one Parliamentary Group.

(2) The terms of group membership, the commencement and termination thereof, and the rights and duties of group members, as well as internal Parliamentary Group rules ensuring observation of the provision of Article 56, paragraph 3, shall be established by the Parliamentary Group concerned and in accordance with the provisions of these Rules.

(3) A Member of the National Assembly may resign from his/her Parliamentary Group by addressing his/her resignation in writing to the leader of the Group and to the Chairperson of the National Assembly, which shall be announced at the plenary room.

(4) On resignation from the Parliamentary Group or on dismissal from it the Member shall lose his/her seat in Standing Committees as a representative of the respective Parliamentary Group, in National Assembly delegations and other elected offices at the National Assembly.

(5) A parliamentary group member who has quit or has been expelled shall become an independent Member of the National Assembly and shall have no right to become member of another parliamentary group.

(6) The members of the European Parliament may also participate in the work of the Parliamentary Groups in a non-voting capacity and in compliance with article 13, paragraph 1

Article 17. Independent Members of the National Assembly may not form parliamentary groups. The existing parliamentary groups in the National Assembly may not merge or break up.


Article 18. (amended, SG No 60/30.07.2009) (1) The National Assembly shall elect from among its Members Standing and Select Committees.

(2) The National Assembly Standing Committees shall be the following:

1. Economic Policy, Energy and Tourism Committee;

2. Budget and Finance Committee;

3. Legal Affairs Committee;

4. Regional Policy and Local Self - Government Committee;

5. Foreign Policy and Defense Committee;

6. Internal Security and Public Order Committee;

7. Agriculture and Forests Committee;

8. Labour and Social Policy Committee;

9. Education, Science, Children, Youths and Sports Committee;

10. Healthcare Committee;

11. Environment and Water Committee;

12. Transport, Information Technologies and Communications Committee;

13. Culture, Civil Society and Media Committee;

14. Human Rights , Religion, Citizens’ Complaints and Petitions Committee;

15. Anti-Corruption, Conflict of Interests and Parliamentary Ethics Committee;

16. Control of the State Agency for National Security Committee;

17. Committee on European Affairs and Oversight of the European Funds;

(3) The European Affairs and Control of European Funds Committee shall report to the National Assembly on the performance of duties assigned to the Council of Ministers to provide preliminary information about its involvement in the development and adoption of EU acts. The European Affairs and Control of the European Funds Committee shall draw up reports also on other acts of the European Union institutions.

(4) The Human Rights , Religion, Citizens’ Complaints and Petitions Committee shall submit an annual report to the National Assembly

(5) The Committee on Control of the State Agency for National Security shall be established at a parity principle - one member from each parliamentary group. In the course of two consecutive sessions, it shall be presided over, on the principle of rotation, by an MP from a parliamentary group other than the largest one.

(6) The Committee for control of the State Agency for National Security shall:

1. exercise parliamentary control over the activities of the State Agency for National Security;

2. decide on and propose to the National Assembly the budget of the State Agency for National Security;

3. decide with majority the control measures on operations of the Agency that have been completed;

4. hold meetings open to its members only;

5. adopt its internal rules of operation within two weeks after its election and submit them to the National Assembly for approval.

(7) The National Assembly may alter the type, number and composition of the Standing Committees.

Article 19. (1) A Member of the National Assembly may be elected to two standing committees at most.

(2) A Member of the National Assembly may be elected to the leadership of one Standing Committee only.

Article 20. (1) The composition of the Standing Committees shall be based on the principle of proportional representation of the Parliamentary Groups, with the exception of the standing committees under art. 18, paragraph 2, items 15 and 16.

(2) (Amended, SG No 33/2011)  The Anti-Corruption, Conflict of Interest and Parliamentary Ethics Committee shall be established on a parity principle - one member of each parliamentary group. In the course of three consecutive sessions, it shall be presided over, on the principle of rotation, by an MP from a parliamentary group other than the largest one.

(3) The leadership of each Standing Committee shall comprise a Chairperson and up to three Deputy Chairpersons. The leadership of each Standing Committee shall organise its business on the basis of the information coming to the Committee.

(4) The leaderships and the members of the Standing Committees shall be elected on the motion of Parliamentary Groups or private motions by an open vote en bloc, unless objections are raised against any of the nominees.

(5) The Chairperson shall chair meetings and maintain contacts with the Chairpersons of other committees and with the National Assembly Chairperson.

(6) The Chairperson shall authorise one of his/her Deputies to chair the Committee’s meetings in his/her absence. If such authorisation has not been done the Deputy from the biggest Parliamentary Group shall act for the Chairperson.

Article 21. The meetings of the Parliamentary Committees may be attended also by the members of the European Parliament from the Republic of Bulgaria with voting capacity.

Article 22. (1) The Chairperson, Deputy Chairpersons and members of a Standing Committee may be discharged from their duties before the end of their term on:

1. a request of their own;

2. a motion of more than half of the Committee members – when they are objectively incapable of fulfilling their duties for a period of six months, or when they are systematically abusing their authority, or systematically fail to fulfil their duties.

(2) Standing Committee Chairpersons and Deputy Chairpersons shall be discharged before the expiry of their term when they discontinue their membership in the Parliamentary Group on whose quota they have been elected to the Committee following a proposal submitted by the Parliamentary Group and after being given the right to be heard.

(3) In the cases under item 1 of paragraph 1 and item 1 of paragraph 2 the discharge shall be accepted without a debate or vote, and under item 2 of paragraph 1 with a decision of the National Assembly.

(4) In the cases under item 2 of paragraph 1 the Committee shall decide on the motion with a majority of more than one half of its members.

Article 23. (1) The Standing Committees may adopt their Standing Orders in accordance with these Rules.

(2) The necessary expenses of Standing Committees of the National Assembly shall be approved by the Chairperson of the National Assembly on the advice of Committee leaderships.

Article 24. (1) Standing Committees may form from within their membership subcommittees and working groups.

(2) A standing Public Sector Accountability Subcommittee shall be established with the Budget and Finance Committee.

(3) A standing subcommittee shall be established with the European Affairs and Defense Committee which shall execute parliamentary control over the National Intelligence Service, the National Service for Protection and the Military Information Service of the Ministry of Defense. The subcommittee shall consist of six members of parliament, one from each parliamentary group. The subcommittee shall hold meetings with its members only and according to its internal rules, taking care of protecting classified information and carrying an effective control.

Article 24a. Article 24a. (New, SG No. 100/2009) (1) (Amended, SG No 43/2010) As part of the Legal Affairs Committee shall be established a Standing Subcommittee to implement the parliamentary oversight and monitoring, stipulated in art. 34b of the Special Intelligence Means Act and art. 261b of the Electronic Communications Act on:
1. the procedures regarding the granting of permissions, the implementation and the use of special intelligence means, the safekeeping and destruction of the information obtained through their use, as well as for the protection of the citizens’ rights and freedoms against the unlawful use of such means;
2. the procedures regarding the granting of permissions and the access to the data described in art. 250a, para. 1 of the Electronic Communications Act, as well as for the protection of the citizens’ rights against the unlawful access to such data;

(2) (Amended, SG No 43/2010) The National Assembly elects the members of the subcommittee from among the members of the Legal Affairs Committee on a parity principle, i.e. one representative of each parliamentary group. Every parliamentary group’s representative will take over the chairmanship of the subcommittee on a rotational principle, for the duration of two consecutive sessions of the parliament. The subcommittee shall sit with its members only, following its own internal rules, approved by the National Assembly.

(3) (Amended, SG No 43/2010) For the execution of their duties, the members of the Subcommittee shall be assisted by employees of the specialized administration of the National Assembly. The Uniform Schedule of Positions of the National Assembly administration and the Internal Rules of the subcommittee shall determine the needed number of parliamentary employees, the positions’ titles, the minimum educational level, the minimal rank and/or professional experience, as well as the other specific requirements for the positions in the subcommittee. The Chair of the Subcommittee shall direct and oversee the activities of its members with regards to the execution of their competencies under paragraph 1 of this article.

(4) (Amended, SG No 43/2010) Every year, until March 30th, the Standing Subcommittee shall submit to the Legal Affairs Committee reports on the activities performed under para 1, containing summarized data:
1. with regards to the permissions granted, the implementation and use of special intelligence means, the safekeeping and destruction of the information obtained through their use, the protection of the rights and freedoms of the citizens against unlawful use of such means.
2. with regards to the checks held and proposals for improvement of the procedures for safekeeping and management of the data, stipulated in art. 250a, para 1 of the Electronic Communications Act.

(5) (New, SG No 43/2010) The Legal Affairs Committee shall examine the reports under para 4 and shall submit it for consideration to the National Assembly until the 31st of May.

Article 25. (1) In relation to the activities of the Public Sector Accountability Subcommittee and on request by the Chairperson of the Budget and Finance Committee the first level spending units shall draw up reports on the implementation of certain budgets and programmes which shall be submitted to the subcommittee within time-frames specified in the request. Reports on the implementation of extrabudgetary accounts and funds may also be debated under this procedure.

(2) The first level spending unit, the Head of the National Audit Office and the Minister of Finance or their deputies, shall take part in the subcommittee meetings as well as other persons invited by the Subcommittee Chairperson.

(3) After the report has been debated the Subcommittee Chairperson shall draw up a report with an evaluation of the budget implementation which shall than be submitted to the Budget and Finance Committee and to the Members of the National Assembly.

Article 26. (Supplemented, SG No. 100/2009) (1) The Standing Committees shall consider bills, the Annual Programme under article 103 and draft resolutions, declarations and addresses as may be assigned to them by the Chairperson of the National Assembly, and shall prepare reports, make recommendations and give opinions thereon. The Standing Committees shall give opinions on the expected consequences that may arise for the State Budget of a future Act’s or resolution’s enactment.

(2) Standing Committee shall proceed at an assessment of the implementation and effectiveness of the Acts of the National Assembly.

(3) The standing committees shall, in compliance with their competence, exercise periodic control on the degree of absorption and on the purposeful and legal spending of the resources from the European Union programmes and funds.

(4) Government authorities, officials from the government and municipal administration and members of the public shall be obliged to make available on request any information and documents required for the work of the Standing Committees.

(5) The Chairperson shall be obliged, on the motion of one third of the Committee members, to address forthwith a request to the government authorities and the officials from the government and municipal administration to attend Committee meetings. The persons so invited shall be obliged to appear before the Committee and to present the requested information as well as to answer the questions they are asked, within 7 days after the sending of the invitation or at the first regular meeting if it is after the expiry of the said 7 days.

(6) (New, SG No. 100/2009) The state and municipal bodies shall be obliged to assist in full the Member of Parliament in the execution of his powers. The member of parliament has the right to visit all state and municipal bodies, ministries, institutions and organizations.

Article 27. (1) Standing Committee meetings shall be regular and extraordinary.

(2) The Committees shall decide on the agenda, regularity and duration of their meetings.

(3) Standing Committees shall be convened by their Chairperson or on the request of not less than one third of its members, or by the Chair of the National Assembly.

Article 28. (1) The meetings of Standing Committees shall be open. Members of the public may attend Committee meetings in compliance with the admission arrangements to the National Assembly.

(2) Any member of the leadership of a Standing Committee may invite individuals or representatives of legal entities, concerned with the issues considered by the Committee, to attend its meeting.

(3) Representatives of civil, trade unions, professional and industries’ associations, on their request, shall attend the meetings, submit written opinions and participate in the Standing Committees’ deliberations on draft legislation concerning their activities and issues of interest, in compliance with the rules of access to the premises of the National Assembly.

(4) Standing Committees may decide that particular meetings be closed.

(5) The meetings of the Committees on Foreign Affairs and Defense and on Internal Security and Public Order as well as of their subcommittees shall be closed. Certain meetings of these Committees may be open, which is to be decided by the respective Committee.

(6) The participation of Members of the National Assembly in closed meetings of a committee of which they are not members, the documents and the issues they have become familiar with shall be recorded in a special report on proceedings and shall be signed by them.

(7) Members of the National Assembly, may attend any meeting of a Standing Committee of which they are not members in a non-voting capacity.

(8) The participants in Committee meetings shall comply with requirements pertaining to the protection of classified information and of information under the Personal Data Protection Act, as well as of data relating to personal privacy and the good reputation of citizens.

(9) The mover of a bill or any other matter under consideration by a Committee shall be entitled to a hearing, in person or by proxy, at the relevant Committee meetings.

Article 29. By way of exception Standing Committees may hold open meetings outside the Capital City.

Article 30. (1) Standing Committee Chairpersons shall deliver notice of the agenda, time and venue of meetings by posting such notice at special points on the premises of the Assembly or in person to Committee members concerned, to be acknowledged by signature. The agenda shall be announced not later than one day prior to the meeting. In the case of an extraordinary meeting, the agenda shall be announced at the same time with an announcement setting the date for such meeting.

(2) A Standing Committee’s meeting shall only be in order if more than one half of the Committee’s members are in attendance.

(3) Standing Committee decisions shall be made by a majority vote of the members present.

Article 31. (1) Committees may hold joint meetings to discuss common issues. Such meetings shall be presided by one of the Committee Chairpersons designated by mutual consent.

(2) In joint meetings, each Committee shall make a separate decision on the matter at hand. In the case of dissent, each Committee shall submit a separate report to the National Assembly.

Article 32. (1) Standing Committees’ reports to the National Assembly shall be delivered by Committee Chairpersons or by Rapporteurs appointed by the Committees.

(2) The report shall set out the decision adopted by the Committee, the different views on the matter and the majority in support of each.

(3) Standing Committees reports from the open meetings shall be public and available under the standing procedures as well as on the National Assembly Web page.

Article 33. (1) Summary minutes shall be drawn up at the meetings of Standing Committees, setting out all the decisions made.

(2) Shorthand records shall be drawn up of the meetings of reportings Committee. They shall be signed by the Committee Chairperson and the stenographer and shall be published on the National Assembly web page within ten days after the meeting.

(3) The records of Standing Committees closed meetings shall be subject to a special procedure for safe-keeping, accounting and access in compliance with requirements of the Classified Information Protection Act.

Article 34. (1) Select Committees shall be appointed ad hoc to investigate particular matters and to conduct inquiries.

(2) Select Committees shall be elected by the National Assembly on the motion of the Chairperson or not less than one tenth of the Members.

(3) The terms of reference, number, composition and term of office of the Select Committees shall be established by the National Assembly.

(4) The rules relating to Standing Committees shall apply also to Select Committees.

(5) Select Committees shall be dissolved as their term of office expires or earlier, by resolution of the Assembly.

Article 35. (1) The National Assembly shall elect from among its Members the Assembly’s standing delegations to international organisations.

(2) The composition of the National Assembly’s standing delegations to international organisations shall be based on the principle of proportional representation of Parliamentary Groups.

(3) Where a parliamentary group ceases to exist its representative in the standing delegations of the National Assembly shall be dismissed.

(4) The standing delegations shall report on their activities to the Chairperson of the National Assembly.


Article 36. (1) The National Assembly shall sit in three sessions per annum.

(2) The National Assembly shall be in recess from 22nd December to 10th January, for 10 days during the Easter Holidays, and from 1st to 31st August, each year.

(3) As an exception, the National Assembly may set other dates than the above.

(4) During periods of recess the time limits under these Rules shall be suspended.

Article 37. (1) The National Assembly shall be convened to a session by the Chairperson of the National Assembly.

(2) In the cases under Article 78, items 2, 3 and 4 of the Constitution the Chairperson shall appoint a sitting not later than seven days following the date of the request, irrespective of whether the National Assembly is in recess or not.

(3) The authors of the request under Article 78 of the Constitution shall be obligated to specify the agenda for the sitting.

Article 38. (1) The regular plenary sittings of the National Assembly shall be on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Sittings may be extended, if the Assembly so decides.

(2) The National Assembly may change the hours of regular sittings.

(3) The National Assembly may decide to hold unscheduled sittings, the agenda to be announced in advance, during a session but outside the days under paragraph 1. Extraordinary meetings may be held at any time in case of emergency.

Article 39. (1) The sittings of the National Assembly shall be open.

(2) A person who is not a Member of the National Assembly or a Government Minister may attend sittings, should the National Assembly decide so, and under the relevant rules established by the Chair, taking specially assigned seats. They must observe the established order and may take the floor only by invitation of the Chairperson.

(3) Should there occur disorder among the audience, the Chairperson shall restore order through the tellers and may direct some or all members of the public to be removed.

Article 40. (1) The sittings of the National Assembly shall be closed when:

1. important interests of the state so require;

2. documents are discussed that are classified by virtue of the Classified Information Protection Act.

(2) A motion on a closed sitting may be brought forward by the Chairperson of the National Assembly, one tenth of the Members, or the Council of Ministers.

(3) When such motion is brought forward, the Chairman shall invite the audience to leave the plenary room and the galleries as well as that live broadcasting through the media is stopped. Having heard the mover’s motives, the Assembly shall debate and take a vote on the motion. The sitting shall proceed as open or closed depending on the result of the vote.

(4) The deliberations and the records of closed sittings shall constitute classified information with the relevant obligations binding all Members of the National Assembly and any other persons allowed access thereto.

(5) Resolutions adopted at closed sittings shall be made public.

Article 41. (1) The open sittings of the National Assembly shall be broadcast live by the Bulgarian National Radio on a special frequency covering the entire national territory, and shall be covered also by television reports. The open sittings of the National Assembly shall be broadcast in real time through its web-site.

(2) Live radio and television coverage of sittings shall be subject in each case to a resolution of the Assembly.

(3) The accredited and other journalists who have been provided with access may attend the open sittings of the National Assembly’s standing committees.

(4) Plenary sittings dedicated to parliamentary control shall be broadcast live by the Bulgarian National Radio and the Bulgarian National TV.

(5) (Supplemented, SG No 43/2010) Shorthand records from the plenary sittings, which are not closed and the voting records of the computerized system , shall be published within 7 days on the web-site of the National Assembly.

Article 42. (1) The Chairman shall open a sitting if more than one half of the Members of the National Assembly are in attendance.

(2) The availability of a quorum shall be ascertained through the computerised voting system before the opening of the sitting and before the beginning of voting under article 56.

(3) The Chairperson may in connection with an impending vote, at his/her initiative or up to twice per sitting on the request by a parliamentary group, check the availability of a quorum through a roll call or through a count of the Members of the National Assembly by the National Assembly Secretaries.

(4) The Chairperson shall adjourn or suspend the sitting if there is no quorum in the Plenary room. In cases of suspension, the Chairperson may resume the sitting no later than one hour, within business hours, where the required quorum is present following a new inspection.

Article 43. (1) On the motion of the Chairperson and after the consultations pursuant to Article 10, paragraph 2, item 1 the National Assembly shall adopt a weekly or fortnightly programme of business. In drafting of such programmes, and in other matters relating to parliamentary proceedings, the Chairperson of the National Assembly shall be assisted by the Deputy Chairpersons.

(2) At the end of each sitting, the Chairperson shall announce the date and hour of the next sitting and its agenda according to the adopted weekly or fortnightly programme.

(3) Parliamentary Group or private motions to include items in the programme to be adopted may be brought forward in writing before the Chairperson of the National Assembly not later than 4:00 p.m. on the day preceding the sitting at which the programme is to be put to the vote. Any Member of the National Assembly shall be entitled to propose one item on the agenda in the event of a weekly programme and up to two items in the event of a fortnightly programme. Bills and other draft acts of the National Assembly on which no reports have been submitted but the deadlines under article 68, paragraph 2 and article 78, paragraph 3 have expired may also be moved as items on the forthcoming programme.

(4) The draft programme under paragraph 1 above proposed by the Chairperson, and any motions under paragraph 3 above, shall be put to the vote, without a debate, before any other business on the agenda, at the plenary sitting where a weekly or fortnightly programme is to be adopted. No spoken motions shall be allowed.

(5) In exceptional cases, the Chairperson may move an amendment to the agenda at the beginning of a sitting.

(6) Matters not on the agenda shall not be debated.

(7) The bills and draft resolutions to be included in the agenda of the scheduled sitting held on the first Wednesday of every month shall be proposed by Parliamentary Groups other than the largest one. Proposals shall be brought before the Chairperson of the National Assembly not later than 4:00 p.m. on the previous day. Each Parliamentary Group shall have the right to propose one item of the agenda. The items shall be arranged on the agenda according to the Parliamentary Group size. Each subsequent month, the items shall be arranged on a rotation basis. The National Assembly must consider the substance of the proposals brought forward. If no proposals have been brought by any Parliamentary Group, the Assembly shall proceed with the adopted programme.

Article 44. (1) The Chairperson shall preside at sittings and recognise the speakers.

(2) No Member of the National Assembly shall speak unless and until recognised by the Chairperson.

(3) Any Member of the National Assembly may request to be recognised by raising a hand, while remaining seated, or by addressing an advance written request to the Chairperson.

(4) The Chairperson shall compile a list of speakers and shall determine the speaking each in the order:

1. proposed by the leadership of the Parliamentary Group on which behalf the speakers wish to be recognised, and alternating between representatives of different Parliamentary Groups;

2. of requests.

(5) The Chairperson shall recognise the Leaders of Parliamentary Groups or, in their absence, their deputies or duly authorised substitutes, upon request during the debate on the matter at hand and within the time limit allotted to each Group.

(6) Once in each sitting the Chairperson shall recognise the Leaders of Parliamentary Groups, their substitutes or a Member of the National Assembly authorised by them upon request to speak on any matter outside the agenda under debate for a maximum of 10 minutes.

Article 45. (1) Members of the National Assembly raising a point of order shall be recognised immediately, unless preceded by any request for a reply, rejoinder or explanation of a negative vote.

(2) Points of order are objections to a particular breach of the order of business, provided by these Rules, or motions to amend the adopted course of proceedings, including such as:

1. to adjourn the sitting;

2. to suspend the sitting;

3. to close a debate;

4. to suspend a debate;

5. to postpone a vote.

(3) The speaker on a point of order shall speak for not more than two minutes, and not in any case on the substance of the matter at hand.

Article 46. (1) Members of the National Assembly shall only speak from the rostrum.

(2) In case where members of the National Assembly have physical disabilities, preventing them from gaining access of the rostrum, they shall speak from their sitting location, all necessary technical facilities being immediately made available to them.

Article 47. (1) Should a speaker digress from the matter at hand, the Chairperson shall call him to order, and if the speaker persists, the Chairperson shall rule him out of order.

(2) No Member of the National Assembly may speak twice on the substance of the same matter.

Article 48. (1) The Chairperson shall set the time limit for debate on each item on the agenda and the date and hour of the vote thereon. The time for debate shall be distributed among the Parliamentary Groups in proportion to their size, but not less than 15 minutes for the smallest and no less than 30 minutes for the largest Parliamentary Group. The total time limit for speeches of independent Members of the National Assembly shall be up to 15 minutes, whereas the time limit for individual independent Members of the National Assembly shall be up to 5 minutes.

(2) Any Parliamentary Group may request an extension of its speaking time under paragraph 1 above but by no more than one third thereof. The other Parliamentary Groups shall have the right to a proportionate extension of the time allotted to them respectively.

(3) The Parliamentary Group time under paragraph 1 above shall comprise:

1. the total taken up by speakers from the Group;

2. time taken up by Leaders of the Group;

3. time taken up by speakers from the Group for replies and points of order, except for matters referring to the manner of conducting proceedings.

(4) Up to three Members of the National Assembly may be recognised to express opinions dissenting from those of the Parliamentary Group to which they belong. The speaking time of a Member of the National Assembly shall be not more than 3 minutes.

(5) If a speaker exceeds the time allotted in pursuance of the above paragraphs, the Chairperson, having called him to order, shall rule such speaker out of order.

(6) The procedure laid down in the above paragraphs shall not apply to debates on bills prior to the second vote.

Article 49. (1) Members of the National Assembly shall have the right of reply.

(2) A reply is a short objection to the substance of a preceding speech. It shall be made immediately after the speech in question and shall be limited to two minutes.

(3) Not more than three replies may be made to the same speech.

(4) The speaker who has been replied to shall have the right of rejoinder, limited to three minutes, after all replies have been made.

Article 50. (1) Members of the National Assembly shall have the right of personal explanation, limited to 2 minutes, where a Member is concerned, personally or by name, in another’s speech. Personal explanations shall be made at the end of the sitting.

(2) Members of the National Assembly shall have the right to explanation of a negative vote, limited to two minutes, immediately after the vote.

(3) The right to explanation of a negative vote shall be restricted to Members of the National Assembly who have not expressed the same negative position, or have not spoken at all, during the debate.

(4) No more than three Members of the National Assembly may be recognised to explain their negative votes.

(5) No explanations of negative vote shall be allowed after a secret ballot or a vote on a point of order.

Article 51. After the list of speakers has been exhausted or representatives of all Parliamentary Groups have spoken according to the time allotment under Article 48, and no requests have been made for time extension, the Chairperson shall close the debate.

Article 52. (1) On a motion concerning a point of order one Member of the National Assembly shall be recognised to raise an objection. Thereafter, the motion shall be put to a vote immediately without a debate.

(2) The right under paragraph 1 may not prejudice rights of Parliamentary Groups under Article 48, paragraph 1.

Article 53. (1) A sitting may be adjourned or suspended by a decision of the National Assembly on the motion of the Chairperson or of a Parliamentary Group.

(2) Where a motion is brought forward to adjourn the sitting and another, to suspend the sitting, the motion to adjourn shall be put to the vote first.

Article 54. (1) Where the transaction of business is disrupted by noise or disorder, or where dictated by other important reasons, the Chairperson may suspend the sitting.

(2) Any Parliamentary Group may request, once per sitting, that a sitting be suspended for not longer than thirty minutes. The Chairperson shall grant such request immediately and set the duration of the suspension, which may not be less than 15 minutes. No such requests shall be allowed within one hour from the opening of a sitting, or within one hour before the closing thereof as scheduled. The interval between two successive interruptions may not be shorter than one hour.

Article 55. Members of the Council of Ministers shall be entitled to attend the sittings of the National Assembly. They shall be recognised to speak whenever they so request. The Chairperson of the National Assembly may set the speaking time Ministers use for a specific issue.

Article 56. (1) Voting shall be in person. Votes may be ‘for’, ‘against’, or abstention. Voting shall be open. On the motion of a Parliamentary Group the National Assembly may decide a certain vote to be secret.

(2) Open votes shall be taken by any of the following:

1. the computerised voting system;

2. show of hands;

3. roll-call, calling the names of Members of the National Assembly with replies of ‘yes’, ‘no’ and ‘abstained’;

4. signatures; or

5. roll-call, using the electronic system whereby the Members’ names and votes are shown on screen through the computerized voting system.

(3) The computerized voting system uses the biometric data of every individual Member of the National Assembly or is activated by the biometric data of every individual Member of the National Assembly.

(4) Secret votes shall be taken by ballot papers.

Article 57. Any Parliamentary Group or not less than one tenth of all Members of the National Assembly may propose the vote to be performed under Article 56, paragraph 2, items 3, 4 and 5 or to be secret. Such motion shall be put to the vote without a debate. One Member of each Parliamentary Groups objecting to such a motion shall be recognised.

Article 58. (1) Before taking the vote the Chairperson shall invite Members to take their seats. Voting time for the purposes of Article 56, paragraph 2, item3,4 and 5 shall be limited to one minute, but not less than 15 seconds.

(2) From the announcement of the vote until its completion, no Member of the National Assembly may be recognised to speak.

Article 59 (1) Matters shall be put to the vote in the following order:

1. motions to reject;

2. motions to defer to a subsequent sitting;

3. motions to substitute;

4. motions to amend;

5. text under debate, including amendments already passed;

6. motions to supplement;

7. the original proposal.

(2) Any two or more motions of the same nature shall be put to the vote in the order of their submission.

Article 60. (1) A motion shall be deemed carried if more than one half of the Members of the National Assembly in attendance have voted for it, unless otherwise provided by the Constitution.

(2) If the votes are tied, the motion shall be deemed rejected.

Article 61. (1) The result of the vote shall be announced by the Chairperson immediately.

(2) Should the voting procedure or the result thereof be disputed by a Parliamentary Group immediately after the vote, the Chairperson may order the vote to be repeated. The result of such second vote shall be final.

(3) Where a vote is taken by the computerised voting system, printouts of the results may be made available to Parliamentary Group leaderships on request.

Article 62. The Chairperson shall announce at the end of the plenary sitting the date and time for the vote on bills and other draft acts of the National Assembly included on the agenda on which the debates have been concluded.

Article 63. (1) Full shorthand records shall be drawn up of the sittings of the National Assembly on the day of the sitting or on the following day at the latest. Each record shall be signed by the stenographers, by the two Secretaries on duty and by the Chairperson not later than the week following its production.

(2) Attached to the shorthand record shall be the explanatory memorandum and text of bills, resolutions, and other enactments of the National Assembly, and any proposed amendments thereto, whether read out or not on the floor, and the printouts of voting results from the computerised system.

Article 64. Any Member of the National Assembly may review the shorthand record of his speeches and demand the rectification of errors therein within three days following the drawing up of the record. Any related dispute shall be settled by the Chairperson on the report of the Secretaries on duty and the stenographer concerned in the presence of the Member concerned.

Article 65. (1) Any errors of fact in the enactments of the National Assembly shall be amended on the instructions of the Chairperson of the National Assembly prior to the signing of the relevant shorthand record subject to the advice of the mover and the Rapporteur of the Committee concerned.

(2) (Suppl., SG No 33/2011) The Chairperson of the National Assembly shall announce the corrections pursuant to paragraph 1 above at the first plenary sitting, following the amendments.

(3) (New, SG No 33/2011) Corrections of errors of fact in promulgated acts of the National Assembly shall be made solely on the instructions of  the Chairperson of the National Assembly with a written request forwarded to the State Gazette.

(4) (New, SG No 33/2011) The Chairperson of the National Assembly shall announce the above corrections of errors at the first plenary sitting, following their detection.

(5) (New, SG No 33/2011) When the correction of error (paragraph 3 above) concerns a promulgated law the Chairperson of the National Assembly informs also the President of the Republic of Bulgaria.


Article 66. (1) Bills and explanatory memorandum thereto shall be addressed to the Chairperson of the National Assembly and shall be entered forthwith in a special public register “Bills”.

(2) In the explanatory memorandum the mover of the bill shall state his opinion about the expected consequences of the bill’s implementation, including financial ones.

(3) Explanatory memoranda for bills pertaining to the membership of the Republic of Bulgaria in the European Union shall specify the relevant parts of EU law requiring the respective regulation to be introduced.

Article 67. (1) The Chairperson of the National Assembly shall assign the bills among the Standing Committees within three days following their submission.

(2) The Chairperson of the National Assembly shall designate one Standing Committee to be the main Rapporteur on each bill.

(3) Each week, at the first sitting, the Chairperson shall announce the newly submitted bills, if any, and their movers and the Committees they have been assigned to.

(4) Objections to the Committee assignments may be raised with the Chairperson of the National Assembly by the bill’s mover and the Standing Committees concerned within one week of the announcement in pursuance of paragraph 3 above. The Chairperson shall rule on such objections within two days.

Article 68. (1) Standing Committees shall consider bills not earlier than 24 hours after the receipt thereof by Committee members. Standing Committees shall submit to the Chairman of the National Assembly and to the Chairperson of the main Rapporteur Committee substantiated opinions on the bills within such time limits as required by the Assembly’s legislative programme or the current weekly or fortnightly programme of business.

(2) Reports on the bills introduced by the Council of Ministers shall be presented to the National Assembly by the main Rapporteur Committees for the purposes of the first vote not later than three months following their submission.

(3) (Revoked, SG No 43/2010)

(4) (Revoked, SG No 43/2010)

Article 69. (1) The bills, accompanied by the explanatory memorandum thereto and the report of the main Rapporteur Committee, shall be made available to the Members of the National Assembly not later than 24 hours before the commencement of the sitting at which the bills are to be considered. The same term shall apply to the consideration of the bill at second reading, unless the National Assembly decides otherwise.

(2) The Chairperson of the main Rapporteur Committee may request, in respect of private bills introduced by Members, the opinion of the Council of Ministers or the Minister of the respective sector. The Council of Ministers or the respective Minister shall offer opinion within two weeks of the request.

(3) The Chairperson of the main Rapporteur Committee may request the opinion of the National Council for Tripartite Cooperation in respect of bills regulating labor or social relations.

(4) The lack of opinion under the preceding paragraph 2 and 3 may not prevent the bill’s consideration.

(5) The report of the main Rapporteur Committee for the first reading shall contain also a summary of the proposals received from interested non-governmental organisations and a summary opinion of the Committee.

Article 70. (1) Bills shall be put to the vote twice at two separate sittings.

(2) As an exception, the National Assembly may decide to take both votes at the same sitting. This provision shall be applicable only if during the bill’s consideration no amendments or supplements to the bill have been made.

(3) A bill shall be considered at first reading after the National Assembly has heard the report of the main Rapporteur Committee, the mover’s opinion lasting 10 minutes, and the reports, if any, of any other Standing Committees to which the bill has been assigned.

(4) For the purposes of the first vote the bill shall be debated in principle and in its entirety. The Members of the National Assembly shall debate on the bills' main provisions.

Article 71. (1) Standing Committees shall consider simultaneously all bills, concerning the substance of the same matter, introduced before the National Assembly by the date on which the main Rapporteur Committee shall initiate the debate thereon. The Assembly shall consider all such bills simultaneously and each shall be put to the vote separately.

(2) Where more than one bill concerning the substance of the same matter has passed the first vote, the main Rapporteur Committee shall, within fourteen days, consolidate such bills into a single bill to be introduced before the Chairperson of the National Assembly and the Members for proposals in writing.

Article 72. A bill which has been rejected at the first reading may be re-introduced only following substantial amendments to its main provisions, which shall be reflected in the background papers thereof and not earlier than 3 months after its rejection.

Article 73. (1) Members of the National Assembly may propose amendments and addenda in writing to a bill that has past the first vote or to the new bill dressed, pursuant to Article 71, paragraph 2, within seven days of passing the bill or its introduction before the Chairperson of the National Assembly, respectively. Such proposals shall be brought forward through the Chairperson of the National Assembly, before the Chairperson of the main Rapporteur Committee. As a matter of exception, the Assembly may resolve to extend the above period by not more than three weeks or to reduce it, but to no less than three days.

(2) (New, SG No 33/2011) The draft report for the second reading of a bill shall be published on the Internet site of the National Assembly not later than 3 days after the expiration of the term set in paragraph 1 above.

(3) (New, SG No 33/2011) The Chairperson of the Rapporteur Committee may ask for the opinion of the Council of Ministers or the respective Minister concerning the proposals moved by the members of the parliament.

(4) (previous paragraph 2 - SG No 33/2011) Within fourteen days following the expiry of the period under the paragraph 1, the main Rapporteur Committee shall introduce before the Assembly a substantiated report setting out:

1. any written proposals made within the period under paragraph 1, together with the Committee’s opinion thereon;

2. the Committee’s proposals concerning the bill under consideration, where the Committee had adopted such proposals upon a motion by any of its members during a sitting of the Committee.

Article 74. (1) For the purposes of the second vote the National Assembly shall debate on bills chapter-by-chapter, title-by-title or paragraph-by-paragraph. Where no written proposals or objections have been made, the texts shall not be read out in the plenary room. Texts shall in this case be appended to the shorthand record and shall form part thereof.

(2) For the purposes of the second vote only proposals brought forward by Members in writing in pursuance of Article 73 shall be considered, together with any proposals by the main Rapporteur Committee included in its report. Drafting amendments shall be allowed as well. No proposals inconsistent with the principles of the bill as first voted and passed shall be considered or put to the vote.

(3) Any Member may substantiate proposals before the House, within a time limit of five minutes for each such proposal.

(4) The vote shall be taken during the time set out in article 59. No speeches and new motions shall be admissible during voting. Only motions of Members of the National Assembly submitted under the procedure of article 73, motions by the leading committee, drafting amendments made in the course of the debate as well as motions on deleting or postponing a text shall be voted on.

Article 75. The mover of a bill may withdraw it before the commencement of the first vote or, subject to the decision of the National Assembly, thereafter.

Article 76. (1) The Chairperson shall announce, at the first sitting, the receipt of any presidential decree pursuant to Article 101 of the Constitution whereby an Act of the National Assembly is returned for further consideration.

(2) Within three days of the receipt of such a decree, the Chairperson of the National Assembly shall direct the original main Rapporteur Committee to report on the decree and the background thereto before the Members.

(3) Any Act returned for further consideration shall be placed on the agenda of the National Assembly within fifteen days of the receipt of the decree.

(4) The Act so returned shall pass again by the majority vote of all the Members of the National Assembly.

(5) If the Act so returned does not receive the required majority and has been contested in principle, it shall be subject to a new consideration under the procedure for considering and adopting bills.

(6) If the Act so returned does not receive the required majority and has only been contested in terms of particular provisions, the procedure laid down in Article 74 shall apply and such contested provisions shall only be put to the vote.

Article 77. In the case of any ratification bill of an international treaty, the text of such treaty may not be amended. Reservations to a multilateral treaty may only be made where admissible by the said treaty.

Article 78. (1) Draft resolutions, declarations and addresses may be introduced by any Member or any Parliamentary Group.

(2) Draft resolutions, declarations and addresses shall be assigned by the Chairperson of the National Assembly among Standing Committees within three days of entry and he/she shall notify Members thereof under the procedure in Article 67, paragraph 3.

(3) The Standing Committees shall consider the drafts under paragraph 1 not later than fifteen days following their assignment and shall submit their positions on such drafts to the Chairperson of the National Assembly.

(4) Resolutions, declarations and addresses shall be passed by a single vote.

(5) Any draft resolution, declaration and address may be withdrawn by the mover thereof before it is put to the vote at a sitting of the National Assembly.

Article 79. Draft resolutions on procedural, organisational and technical matters shall not be distributed to standing committees unless the Chairperson of the National Assembly decides otherwise.

Article 80. (1) The reports under article 84, items 16 and 17 of the Constitution of the Republic of Bulgaria shall be distributed by the Chairperson of the National Assembly to the respective standing committee within three days after their receipt of which he/she shall notify the Members of the National Assembly under the procedure of article 67, paragraph 3.

(2) The standing committee shall debate the report under paragraph 1 within 15 days after the distribution and shall present its opinion to the Chairperson of the National Assembly proposing also a draft resolution on the report. The draft resolution may also contain recommendations to the body whose activity has been put to debate.

(3) The report under paragraph 1 shall be included in the National Assembly agenda within one month after its submission.

(4) The report under paragraph 1 shall be debated after the National Assembly has heard the opinion of the committee and the statement of the mover each delivered within ten minutes time. The debate shall continue with speeches by Members of the National Assembly which may contain also questions to the mover who shall be obliged to respond to them.

(5) In the course of the debate of the report under paragraph 1 the Members of the National Assembly may move amendments and supplements to the draft resolution proposed by the committee. Motions shall be voted upon under the procedure of article 59. A resolution shall be adopted on the report.

Article 81. (1) Where the Constitutional Court rules the National Assembly a party to a constitutional case brought against an Act or resolution thereof, the Chairperson of the National Assembly shall notify the main Rapporteur Committee concerned forthwith.

(2) Within 14 days of such notice the said Committee may adopt an opinion to the Constitutional Court. In this case the opinion shall mandatorily set out the grounds on which the Assembly has passed the act that has been contested before the Constitutional Court.

(3) The Chairperson of the National Assembly shall sign such opinion and shall send it to the Constitutional Court.

(4) Where the Constitutional Court proclaims a separate Act of the National Assembly or part thereof as unconstitutional, the National Assembly shall settle for any legal effects that have occurred in the meantime within two months of the entry into force of the judgement.


Article 82. (1) Members of the National Assembly may address to the Prime Minister, any of the Deputy Prime Ministers or any of the Ministers questions of topical nature and public interest and falling within their respective province of executive powers or pertaining to the operations of the administration they are heading.

(2) The Prime Minister shall be addressed with questions that concern the activities of the Government.

Article 83. (1) Such questions shall be addressed in writing through the Chairperson of the National Assembly not later than 48 hours before the commencement of the sitting at which the Ministers shall be called upon to answer. Questions need to be precisely and clearly formulated, exclude personal invectives and insulting statements and be signed by the interpellant Member. Answers may be spoken or written. Answers shall be provided in writing only if the Member of the National Assembly has so expressly desired. Written answers shall be provided within seven days. A Member of the National Assembly who has addressed a question with an oral answer may request in writing a change of the type of reply into a written one before the commencement of the sitting at which the answer is due. The time-limit for the written answer shall be seven days after the request for change and shall not be postponed by the Minister.

(2) The Chairperson of the National Assembly shall notify immediately the Council of Ministers, the Deputy Prime Ministers or the Ministers respectively, of any such questions and of the date and time of the sitting at which an answer shall be due.

(3) The Prime Minister, the Deputy Prime Minister or the Minister concerned, may request that the answer be postponed but by no more than seven days following the term specified in paragraph 1.

(4) Where the Member who has addressed the question is not present at the sitting due to valid reasons, the answer shall be postponed.

(5) When a written answer is received to a question, the Chairman shall announce the fact at the next sitting of the Assembly following such receipt and shall deliver a copy of such answer to the Member concerned. Questions for written answer as well as the written answers themselves shall be attached to the shorthand record of the sitting.

(6) Members of the National Assembly may withdraw their questions in writing prior to the sitting on parliamentary control. The Chairperson of the National Assembly shall notify the Minister concerned accordingly.

(7) Where the parliamentary groups have exercised their right under art.44, paragraph 6 the time on parliamentary control shall be extended by the same (equal) time limit.

Article 84. (1) No Member of the National Assembly may address more than two questions at any sitting.

(2) The presentation of any single question shall be limited to 2 minutes.

(3) The answer given by the Prime Minister, the Deputy Prime Minister or the Minister concerned shall be limited to 3 minutes. The Member who has asked a question shall have the right of reply within up to 2 minutes time, and the Prime Minister, the Deputy Prime Minister or the Minister shall have the right of rejoinder, also within 2 minutes.

Article 85. (1) Members of the National Assembly shall have the right to address enquiries to the Prime Minister, any of the Deputy Prime Ministers or any of the Ministers.

(2) Such enquiries must relate to the main aspects of activity of the Prime Minister, the Deputy Prime Ministers, Ministers, or the administrations of which they are in charge.

(3) The Prime Minister shall be addressed with enquiries that concern the general policies of the Government.

Article 86. (1) Enquiries shall be answered within fourteen days of receipt. The answer may be spoken or written. A written answer must be provided if the Member of the National Assembly addressing the enquiry has expressly wished so. A Member of the National Assembly who has addressed an enquiry with an oral answer may request in writing a change of the type of reply into a written one before the commencement of the sitting at which the answer is due. The time-limit for the written answer shall be seven days after the request for change and shall not be postponed by the Minister.

(2) The Prime Minister, the Deputy Prime Minister or the Minister concerned, may request an extension of the above period, but by no more than seven days following the term specified in paragraph 1.

(3) The Prime Minister, any Deputy Prime Minister or Minister who fails to answer an enquiry within the statutory period, shall be obliged within ten days to appear before the National Assembly in person for an explanation about the failure to discharge his/her obligation.

Article 87. Enquiries shall be addressed in writing, and signed by the Member concerned, through the Chairperson of the National Assembly. Enquiries must be formulated clearly and accurately, and must not contain any personal invectives and insulting statements.

Article 88. (1) The Chairperson shall announce submitted enquiries at each sitting dedicated to parliamentary control.

(2) The Chairperson of the National Assembly shall give due notice of such enquiries to the Prime Minister, the respective Deputy Prime Minister or Minister, and of the date and hour of the sitting at which they shall be called upon to answer.

(3) The Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister or Minister concerned shall give the answers in person.

(4) The reply to an enquiry shall be postponed if the Member of the National Assembly addressing it is absent from the sitting due to valid reasons.

Article 89. Members of the National Assembly may withdraw their enquiries in writing prior to the respective answers, whereof the Chairperson shall notify the National Assembly and the Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister or Minister concerned.

Article 90. (1) When the National Assembly proceeds to considering an enquiry, the enquiring Member of the National Assembly may elaborate such enquiry from the platform within a time limit of 3 minutes. The reply to the enquiry shall be limited to 5 minutes.

(2) After the answer, the enquiring Member of the National Assembly shall have the right of seeking further clarification by not more than two supplementary questions presented within a total time limit of 2 minutes, and the Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister or Minister shall answer within 3 minutes. Where the answer is provided in writing, no such further questions shall be allowed.

(3) No debate shall be held and no replies shall be allowed in the course of answering an enquiry. The enquiring Member shall have the right to express his opinion on the answer within a time limit of 2 minutes. Replies on part of the enquired Minister shall not be allowed on any grounds.

Article 91. (1) Where a written answer to an enquiry has been received, the Chairman shall announce the fact at the following sitting of the National Assembly dedicated to parliamentary control and shall hand a copy of such answer to the enquiring Member.

(2) Enquiries requiring a written answer and the written answers thereto shall be attached to the shorthand records.

Article 92. (1) On the motion of not less than one fifth of the Members of the National Assembly, a debate shall be opened on an enquiry and a resolution shall be voted. Such motions for debate together with a draft resolution shall be brought before the Chairperson of the National Assembly until completion of the plenary sitting.

(2) The debate shall be scheduled for the following sitting dedicated to parliamentary control. After the Chairperson has scheduled the debate the Members of the National Assembly shall not be entitled to withdraw their signatures from the motion. The debate shall be held in the presence of the Minister concerned, following the order laid down in Chapter Six herein and shall be limited to one hour. The time for debate shall be distributed among Parliamentary Groups in relation to their membership number, being 5 minutes for the smallest and up to 5 minutes total for all independent Members of the National Assembly.

(3) Such drafts resolution may be proposed also by any individual Member. Where more than one draft is proposed, proposals shall be put to the vote in the order of entry, and will be considered as the movers original proposal within the meaning of Article 59, paragraph 1, item 7.

Article 93. (1) The National Assembly shall hear questions, enquiries, and answers thereto during the last three hours of each Friday sitting, except if it decides otherwise.

(2) The Prime Minister shall be the first to answer, followed by the Deputy Prime Ministers or the Ministers and while answering the Deputy Prime Ministers or Ministers shall be subject to rotation.

(3) The questions and enquiries to the Prime Minister, the Deputy Prime Ministers or the Ministers shall be asked in the order of their entry.

Article 94. (1) Members may not address a question or enquiry to which an answer has already been provided.

(2) Where a question and enquiry do not conform to these Rules or are not addressed to the member of the Council of Ministers under whose responsibility the subject matter of such question or enquiry belongs, the Chairperson shall notify the Member of the Assembly concerned to remove such inconsistencies within three days.

Article 95. (1) The Council of Ministers may request the National Assembly to take a vote of confidence in it on the Council’s overall policy or on a specific issue.

(2) The debate shall commence at the sitting immediately following such request.

(3) After the closing of the debate, a relevant resolution of the Assembly shall be put to the vote, at the same sitting.

(4) The resolution shall pass if more than one half of the Members of the National Assembly in attendance vote for it.

Article 96. One fifth of the Members of the National Assembly may move a vote of no confidence in the Council of Ministers or the Prime Minister by introducing a substantiated draft resolution.

Article 97. (1) The debate on a draft no-confidence resolution shall commence not earlier than three days and not later than seven days after the submission of the motion.

(2) During the debate no amendments or addenda to the draft resolution shall be allowed.

(3) The resolution may not be put to the vote before the expiry of 24 hours after the closing of the debate thereon.

(4) The resolution shall pass if more than one half of all the Members of the National Assembly vote for it.

Article 98. (Declared unconstitutional with respect to the words: “has received a vote of confidence, or” by CCD(Constitutional Court Decision)No 6/2011-(SG No 39/2011). Once the Council of Ministers has received a vote of confidence, or a motion of no-confidence has been rejected, no new motion of no-confidence on the same grounds may be made within the following six months.
The text after the CCD therefore should read as follows: Once a motion of no-confidence in the Council of Ministers has been rejected, no new motion of no-confidence on the same grounds may be tabled within the following six months.


Article 99. (1) The National Assembly, or its elected Committees, may conduct investigations, inquiries and hearings on matters concerning state or public interests.

(2) When the National Assembly proceeds with a hearing the mover of the proposal shall present the issues within ten minutes. The person that is being heard shall inform the National Assembly on the issues that are the subject of the hearing. Two Members of the National Assembly from each parliamentary group and one independent Member of the National Assembly, may ask each additional questions, within two minutes time limit. The person that is being heard shall respond to all questions after all additional questions have been posed.

(3) Parliamentary Committees may require that Ministers appear before their meetings and answer their questions. Within seven days after holding the hearing the respective committee shall submit to the Chairperson of the National Assembly a report of the hearing which shall be distributed to the Members of the National Assembly

Article 100. (Declared unconstitutional with respect to the words: “judicial” by CCD(Constitutional Court Decision)No 9/2011-(SG No 80/2011). All government bodies, officials of the government and municipal administration and members of the public, shall have the duty to make available the required information and documents relating to the investigations, inquiries and hearings, even where the information constitutes state, official or judicial secret.

Article 101. The form in which such information shall be made available shall be determined by the National Assembly or the Committee concerned.

Article 102. (1) Officials and members of the public, if invited, shall be bound to appear before the Committees of the National Assembly and to provide any requested information and papers.

(2) The summons for such appearance shall be served by offices of the National Assembly.


Article 103. (1) The Council of Ministers shall submit to the National Assembly the Annual Programme for the Participation of the Republic of Bulgaria in the European Union decision-making process adopted by it within one week after its adoption.

(2) (Supplemented, SG No 43/2010) The Chairperson of the National Assembly shall refer the Annual Programme under paragraph 1 to the Committee on European Affairs and Oversight of the European Funds and to the other standing committees. The standing committees shall prepare their proposals for the Annual Programme within three weeks.

(3) (Supplemented, SG No 43/2010) The Committee on European Affairs and Oversight of the European Funds shall, taking into consideration also the proposals of the other standing committees, propose a draft Annual Working Programme of the National Assembly on issues of the European Union within two weeks after the expiration of the term envisaged in para 2 . The Annual Working Programme shall contain a list of the draft acts of the European Union institutions over which the National Assembly shall exercise monitoring and control. The draft Annual Working Programme shall be debated and adopted by the National Assembly.

(4) The Chairperson of the National Assembly shall send the Council of Ministers the adopted Annual Working Programme according to the preceding paragraph.

(5) In case of newly emerging circumstances the Committee on European Affairs and Control of the European Funds may propose on its own initiative or on proposal by other standing committees additions to the Annual Working Programme of the National Assembly on European Union issues which shall be adopted following the procedure of paragraph 3.

Article 104. (1) The draft acts of the European Union institutions included in the Annual Working Programme under article 103, paragraph 3 shall be submitted by the Council of Ministers to the National Assembly within three weeks after their receipt.

(2) The draft acts under paragraph 1 shall be accompanied by a short description of the act, an initial position on the basis of an assessment of the country’s interests and the impact of the act on them, information on the adoption procedure and the dates of debating the draft by the institutions of the European Union and other relevant information.

(3) In case circumstances occur requiring amendments to the initial Bulgarian position the Council of Ministers shall duly inform the National Assembly of these circumstances and of the amendment of the position.

Article 105. (1) (Previous art. 105, SG No 43/2010) Within the time-limit under article 67, paragraph 1, the Chairperson of the National Assembly shall refer to the Committee on European Affairs and Oversight of the European Funds and to other standing committees of the National Assembly the draft acts of the institutions of the European Union received from the Council of Ministers and accompanied by its position. When the acts concern foreign policy or defence issues the Chairperson of the National Assembly must refer them to the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee.

(2) (New, SG 43/2010) The Committee on European Affairs and Oversight of the European Funds may, on its own or on the initiative of a standing committee, impose a reservation on behalf of the National Assembly on draft acts of the European Union, included in the Annual Working Programme under art. 103, para 3.. The reservation of the National Assembly implies the Council of Ministers’ obligation not to take a stand before the European Council until the National Assembly makes final decision.

Article 106. (Previous art 106, SG No 43/2010) The European Affairs and Oversight of the European Funds Committee shall debate the draft acts of the institutions of the European Union and the positions on them after the arrival of the reports of the other standing committees.

(2) (New, SG 43/2010) The National Assembly shall decide on whether the principle of subsidiarity has been applied in the draft acts of the European Union institutions, included for consideration in its Annual Working Programme.

(3) (New, SG 43/2010) When the National Assembly rules that a draft act of the European Union’s Institutions does not comply with the principle of subsidiarity, it shall send its detailed position to the presidents of the European Parliament, the European Council and the European Commission. The position of the National Assembly should contain the arguments why it considers the said act to be in breach of the principle of subsidiarity.

(4) (New, SG 43/2010) The Council of Ministers, at the request of the National Assembly, shall set an action in the Court of the European Union against an act (of the European Union Institutions) which does not comply with the principle of subsidiarity.

Article 107. The Committee on European Affairs and Control of European Funds shall draw up a report and shall present it to the Chairperson of the National Assembly who shall send it to the Council of Ministers.

Article 108. (1) When a draft act of the institutions of the European Union relates to foreign policy issues the European Affairs Committee shall hold a joint sitting with the Foreign Policy and Defense Committee.

(2) In case joint sittings are held joint reports of the two committees shall be drawn up.

Article 108a. (New, SG 43/2010) (1) The National Assembly shall take part in the mechanisms for evaluation of the policies of the European Union within the Area for Freedom, Security and Justice, in the political control over Europol and the evaluation of the activities of Eurojust.

(2) The National Assembly shall take part in the procedures regarding the renegotiation of Treaties.

(3) The National Assembly shall consider the applications of countries willing to join the European Union.

(4) The National Assembly shall take an active part in the inter-parliamentary cooperation of the EU member countries.

Article 109. The Council of Ministers in compliance with article 105, paragraph 4 of the Constitution shall present to the National Assembly a report on its actions related to the adoption of European Union acts. The report shall specify also issues on which differences have occurred with the adopted position of the Bulgarian side when the act is adopted finally by the European Union institutions.

Article 110. (1) The European Affairs and Control of the European Funds Committee shall hold hearings for candidates for positions in the European Union institutions proposed by the Council of Ministers.

(2) The candidates under paragraph 1 shall be obliged to appear before the European Affairs and Control of the European Funds Committee and answer questions posed by its members.

Article 111. (1) The Council of Ministers shall present to the National Assembly on a regular basis information on draft acts of the European Union relating to obligations of the Republic of Bulgaria resulting from its European Union membership as well as on draft acts in the drafting of which it participates.

(2) Every two weeks the National Assembly and the Council of Ministers shall exchange information on the acts under paragraph 1 and the Council of Ministers shall present the positions developed on these acts on a regular basis.

Article 112. The National Assembly shall establish and maintain a database on draft acts and other documents of the institutions of the European Union as well as on the positions of the Bulgarian side sent to the National Assembly pursuant to article 104, paragraph 2.

Article 113. (1) The National Assembly shall hear a report by the Prime Minister at the beginning of every six-month period of the presidency of the European Union on the participation of the Republic of Bulgaria in the European Union during the preceding presidency and on the tasks of the Republic of Bulgaria during the current presidency.

(2) The National Assembly may hold hearings of the Prime Minister on the position of the Republic of Bulgaria at impending meetings of the European Council.

(3) The members of the European Parliament from the Republic of Bulgaria may participate in a non-voting capacity in the sittings of the National Assembly under paragraphs 1 and 2.


Article 114. Every Member of the National Assembly may be elected to the bodies of the National Assembly. He shall have the duty to participate in such bodies’ work.

Article 115. (1) Members of the National Assembly shall retain their positions in the government and municipal bodies and organisations by obtaining an unpaid leave of absence until the termination of their powers. This shall also apply to persons who have a contract to manage commercial companies with a more than 50 per cent government or municipal stake, but for not longer than the term of the contract.

(2) Where the reinstatement is subject to an act of a government authority, the authority concerned shall issue such act.

Article 116. The time during which Members of the National Assembly perform their duties shall be recognised as length of service in the position occupied before their election to the National Assembly.

Article 117. (1) Members of the National Assembly may not receive any other remuneration in respect of employment.

(2) Members of the National Assembly may receive fees or remuneration as independent contractors.

Article 118. (1) Members of the National Assembly may not occupy any other position in a government authority or carry out any activities, which is incompatible with the status of a Member of the National Assembly under the law.

(2) Members of the National Assembly may not participate in the management or supervisory bodies of commercial companies or co-operatives.

(3) Members of the National Assembly may continue their participation in collective management and academic bodies of the higher education establishments and the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences with the exception of individual managerial positions.

(4) Members of the National Assembly shall not have the right to consent to or make use of their official status for commercial advertising.

Article 119. When submitting a bill or speaking in Plenary or in Committee sittings Members with a direct financial interest in the issue under consideration shall be obliged to reveal this interest.

Article 120. (1)Members of the National Assembly shall have the right to a paid annual leave coinciding with the recesses of the National Assembly.

(2) Members of the National Assembly shall have no right to an unpaid leave.

Article 121. (1) Members of the National Assembly shall have the duty to attend the sittings of the National Assembly and those of the Committees to which they are elected.

(2) Any Member of the National Assembly, who has a reason to withdraw from a sitting before the completion of business, or to come late to a sitting, shall notify the Secretaries on duty or the leadership of the Committee, as the case may be.

Article 122. For matters unsettled by these Rules, the Labour Code and the Social Insurance Code shall be applied, as long as they do not contradict or are not incompatible with the status of being a Member of the National Assembly.

Article 123. (1)Members of the National Assembly may not be taken into custody and shall not be liable to criminal prosecution, save for a committed crime of a general nature and, then, by consent of the National Assembly or, when the Assembly is not in session (Article 36, paragraph 2), of the Chairperson of the National Assembly.

(2) Permission to initiate criminal proceedings shall not be required in case there is agreement in writing by the Member of the National Assembly. The Member of the National Assembly shall submit his/her agreement to the Chairperson of the National Assembly in person who shall notify forthwith the Chief Prosecutor and inform the National Assembly at the first sitting following the submission of the agreement. Once given by a Member of the National Assembly the agreement cannot be withdrawn.

(3) No consent to custody shall be required when the Member concerned is caught in the act of committing a grave crime, in which case the National Assembly, or, when the Assembly is not in session (Article 36, paragraph 2), its Chairperson, shall be notified immediately.

(4) Where there is sufficient data to the effect that a Member of the National Assembly has committed a crime of a general nature, the Chief Prosecutor shall direct a substantiated request to the National Assembly or, when the Assembly is not in session, to its Chairperson, for permission to institute criminal proceedings. Sufficient data shall be enclosed with such request.

(5) The request of the Chief Prosecutor and the data therewith shall be considered by the National Assembly, which shall rule thereon not earlier than 14 days after the receipt of the request. If so requested, and if the Member concerned appears before it, the National Assembly shall hear the Member concerned.

(6) When the National Assembly is not in session (Article 36, paragraph 2), the permission to institute criminal proceedings against a Member shall be issued by the Chairperson of the National Assembly. Such permission so issued shall be tabled for approval by the Members of the National Assembly at the first sitting of the Assembly.

(7) Where the criminal proceedings conclude with a prison sentence for a premeditated crime or the execution of the prison sentence for any other crime is not suspended, the National Assembly shall adopt a resolution to terminate the powers of the Member concerned before the end of his term.

(8) Where the Chief Prosecutor has requested that the Member concerned be taken into custody, the National Assembly shall pass a separate resolution on such request following the procedure laid down herein. The Assembly may rescind a permission already given.

(9) The provisions of Article 70 of the Constitution of the Republic of Bulgaria shall apply, also, where criminal proceedings against a Member of the National Assembly had been instituted prior to his election.

Article 124. Members of the National Assembly shall be exempt from mobilisation and reserve service.

Article 125. (1) Any Member of the National Assembly elected as a Member of the Council of Ministers shall be substituted, for the duration of his office, by the next candidate on the party ballot list.

(2) When such Member of the National Assembly is relieved of his ministerial post, his/her powers as National Assembly Member shall be reinstated, whereas those of his/her substitute shall be terminated. When more than one substitution has been made in one election list, the powers of the last on the list, who has assumed them as a substitute, shall be terminated when the powers of a Member of The National Assembly are being restored.


Article 126. Members of the National Assembly shall not have the right to interrupt the speaker, address personal attacks, use offensive language, gestures or threats against any person, divulge information concerning the private life or compromising the good standing of any citizen, behave in any unproper manner or such as causes disorder at sittings.

Article 127. The following disciplinary measures may be applied against Members of the National Assembly:

1. Call to order.

2. Reprimand.

3. Censure.

4. Rule out of order.

5. Suspension from one sitting.

6. Suspension for up to three sittings.

Article 128. The Chairperson shall call to order any speaker who does not keep to the matter at hand or disturbs the order of the sitting in any other way.

Article 129. (1) The Chairperson shall reprimand any Member of the National Assembly whom he has already called to order at the same sitting but who persists in his disorderly conduct.

(2) The Chairperson shall likewise reprimand any Member of the National Assembly who, in addressing another Member or other Members, uses offensive language, gestures or threats.

Article 130. The Chairperson shall censure any Member of the National Assembly who, having been called to order or reprimanded, persists in disturbing the order of the sitting or causes disorder in the Plenary room.

Article 131. The Chairperson shall rule any Member of the National Assembly out of order:

1. whom the Chairperson has already disciplined twice during his speech in pursuance of Article 127, items 1-3; or

2. who continues his speech beyond the time limit notwithstanding the Chairperson's invitation to conclude his speech.

Article 132. The Chairperson may suspend from the sitting in progress any Member of the National Assembly who:

1. disputes a disciplinary measure in a rude and unappropriate manner;

2. continuously or repeatedly disrupts the normal progress of business in the Plenary room;

3. votes with another Member’s card.

Article 133. (1) The Chairman may suspend for more than one sitting, but for not more than three sittings, any Member of the National Assembly who:

1. insults the National Assembly or the Head of State;

2. calls to violence in the Plenary room or on the premises of the National Assembly;

3. repeatedly votes with another Member’s card.

(2) Any Member of the National Assembly suspended in pursuance of paragraph 1 and Article 132 shall not be remunerated for the sittings from which he is suspended.

(3) Any Member shall have the right to contest the imposed disciplinary measure before the Chairperson of the National Assembly within three days after it was imposed. The Chairperson may confirm, repeal or amend the disciplinary measure.

Article. 134. Every month the web site of the National Assembly shall publish information regarding the undue absences of Members of the National Assembly from the sittings of the Assembly and the Committees. The information shall be published not later than 7 days after the end of the month.


§ 1. (1) These Rules of Organisation and Procedure of the National Assembly may be amended on the motion of the Chairperson of the National Assembly or the motion of any individual Member of the National Assembly.

(2) Such motion shall be examined by the Legal Affairs Committee within 14 days.

(3) The opinion of the Committee shall be sent to the Chairperson of the National Assembly who shall circulate it in writing among all Members of the National Assembly.

§ 2. The National Assembly shall settle by resolution any matter not provided for in these Rules.

§ 3. For the purposes of these Rules, Chairperson shall mean the occupant of the Chair at any sitting of the National Assembly.

§ 4. For the purposes of a secret ballot, ‘in attendance’ shall mean all the Members of the National Assembly who have cast ballots. For the purpose of an open vote, ‘in attendance’ shall mean the number of Members of the National Assembly who have registered before the start of the vote.

§ 5. (1) For the execution of its powers the National Assembly is helped by an administration.

(2) The employees in the administration of the National Assembly are considered parliamentary employees. Their status shall be regulated by the Rules under art. 9, paragraph 1, item 13 of the Rules of Organization and Procedure of the National Assembly.

(3) The number of parliamentary employees in the National Assembly, the title of the positions, the minimal educational requirements, the minimum rank and/or professional experience required for each position, the type of employment as well as the other requirements for the particular position and the remuneration for each one are determined within the Uniform Schedule of Positions in the Administration at the National Assembly.

(4) Where the term of the National Assembly has ended or the National Assembly has been dissolved earlier the Secretary General of the National Assembly shall exercise urgent administrative functions of the Chairperson of the National Assembly in conformity with these Rules and with the Law in the period until the nomination of a new Chairperson.


§ 6. The provisions of art.56, paragraph 3 shall be applied from the moment when such system is introduced, but not later than January 1st, 2010

§ 7. These Rules are enacted in pursuance of Article 73 of the Constitution of the Republic of Bulgaria.

§ 8. These Rules shall enter into force on the date of promulgation in the State Gazette.

These Rules of Organization and Procedure were adopted by the 41st National Assembly and sealed with its official seal on July 23rd 2009.


§ 4. The mandate of the current Anti-Corruption, Conflict of Interest and Parliamentary Ethics Committee Chairperson ends in compliance with the newly set rules.

§ 5. The decision enters into force on the date of its promulgation in the State Gazette.


Article 1. (1) The separate budget of the National Assembly is part of the State budget of the Republic of Bulgaria.

(2) The budget of the Economic and Social Council is part of the budget of the National Assembly.

(3) The budget of the National Assembly shall include all the revenues from the operations of its second level spending units, all administrative and business expenditures, the financial support expenses provided to Parliamentary groups and Standing Committees and the expenses for its international activities and inter-parliamentary organizations.

(4) Funds from the budget of the National Assembly may be used to finance specific projects and programs aimed at the establishment of democratic civic values, leadership skills and democratic practices of decision making, and for special training courses for members of parliament and leaders of all the political forces represented in parliament in regards with the membership of the Republic of Bulgaria in the European Union.

(5) The second level spending units of the National Assembly’s budget, represented by the heads of the Economic and Social Council, the State Gazette, the National Center for Public Opinion Surveys, the Regional Secretariat for Parliamentary Cooperation in South East Europe to the National Assembly of the Republic of Bulgaria, the Sanatorium and Recreational Facility of the National Assembly in the town of Velingrad, the Publishing Center and the Catering Department are authorized to manage their separate budgets.

(6) Every year the National Assembly shall allocate from its budget funds to finance the program titled "National Assembly’s Student Internships for Legislative Research".

Article 2. (1) The Chairperson of the National Assembly or a person authorized by him determines the order and the terms for elaboration of a draft medium – term budget forecast and a draft budget of the National Assembly on the basis of decision taken by the Council of Ministers to start a procedure for the elaboration of a three-year budget forecast and a draft state budget for the corresponding year.

(2) The Parliamentary Budget and Finance Directorate coordinates and prepares the draft budget of the National Assembly and the draft report to it. The summary draft budget is prepared on the basis of the first and second level spending units draft budgets .The Public Sector Accountability Subcommittee with the Budget and Finance Committee deliberates and delivers opinion on the draft budget. The draft budget, the draft report and the opinion of the Subcommittee are submitted to the Chairperson of the National Assembly.

Article. 3. The use of reserves from the National Assembly’s budget for urgent unforeseen expenses is undertaken by order of the National Assembly Chairperson.

Article.4 (1) The Parliamentary Budget and Finance Directorate prepares the annual cash report for the implementation of the National Assembly’s budget based on the first and second level spending units’ reports and presents it to the National Assembly Chairperson, who then submits it to The Public Sector Accountability Subcommittee with the Budget and Finance Committee for opinion.

(2) The financial report for the implementation of the budget is presented by the National Assembly Chairperson and adopted by the National Assembly not later than six months after the end of the fiscal year.

Article 5. Members of the National Assembly shall receive base monthly remuneration equivalent to three average monthly salaries in the economy according to data supplied by the National Statistics Institute. Such base monthly remuneration shall be adjusted quarterly on the basis of the average monthly salary for the last month of the preceding quarter.

Article 6. (1) The Chairperson of the National Assembly shall receive remuneration greater by 55 per cent than the base monthly remuneration under Article 5 above; Deputy Chairpersons of the National Assembly shall receive remuneration greater by 45 per cent; Standing Committee Chairpersons and Parliamentary Groups Chairpersons under Article 10 shall receive remuneration greater by 35 per cent; Deputy Chairpersons of Committees shall receive remuneration greater by 25 per cent; Members of Standing committees shall receive remuneration greater by15 per cent; Parliamentary Secretaries shall receive remuneration greater by 10 per cent.

(2) Where a parliamentary group is co-chaired by two persons, a single only remuneration is due.

(3) Where a Member of the National Assembly holds more than one leading positions in the bodies of the Assembly he shall be paid only for the one with the highest remuneration.

(4) Members of Parliament receive remuneration in proportion of the time spent on work, but not less than 5 per cent of their base monthly remuneration for their participation in subcommittees, ad hoc committees and working groups, designated by the Standing Committees. It is decided in each case whether an additional remuneration shall be granted to those who take part in ad hoc committees and working groups, when their term of office is extended.

Article 7. (1) Base monthly remuneration under Articles 3 and 4 shall be adjusted upward by monthly allowances for length of service (class) and professional experience - 1 per cent for each year served, and for academic degree ‘Doctor’ - 10 per cent, and ‘Doctor of Sciences’ - 15 per cent of the base monthly salary of member of parliament.

(2) Members of the National Assembly may receive additional remunerations for their contributions to the fulfillment of priority tasks of the country.

(3) The remunerations as calculated shall be adjusted downwards by deductions set by the Natural Persons Income Tax, as well as insurance contributions under the Social Security Code, the Health Insurance Act, and other deductions such as may be stipulated by law which are at the expense of the insured persons.

Article 8. Members of the National Assembly shall be covered by full insurance with premium rates for third category of labour as defined in the Labor Code, and also for the risks covered by life insurance.

Article 9. All additional expenses incurred by any Member of the National Assembly for assistant or nursing care due to disability shall be covered from the Budget of the National Assembly.

Article 10. No Member of the National Assembly may, in such capacity, receive any gifts equivalent to more than one fifth of his base monthly remuneration for the current month. Any gifts exceeding such value shall be transferred to the National Assembly.

Article 11. (1) Members of the National Assembly shall have the right to free travel by state-owned or municipal city transport, the railways, inter-city road transport and sea transport, at first class and sleeping compartment rates, within Bulgaria.

(2) Members of the National Assembly may claim expenses for travel, in connection with their proper work, by private bus services.

(3) Members of the National Assembly whose constituencies fall within an airline service area and are situated at distances exceeding 250 km from Sofia may claim expenses for travel, in connection with their proper work, by air, but limited to 40 return air tickets annually. All other Members may claim in connection with their proper work up to 12 return air tickets annually.

(4) Members of the National Assembly who do not own a family home in the Greater Sofia Municipality shall be provided, free of charge, with housing in Sofia from the National Assembly housing fund for their term of office. Any expenses for housing repairs, standard furniture, security through signalling security equipment or otherwise, taxes and fees under the Local Taxes and Charges Act shall be at the expense of the National Assembly budget.

(5) Members of the National Assembly shall have the right to accommodation and per diem allowances when visiting their constituencies. The accommodation and travel allowances when the Member concerned uses his own car shall be fixed by the Chairperson of the National Assembly. This matter shall be regulated with an internal act issued by the Chairperson of the National Assembly.

(6) Members of the National Assembly shall have the right to individual office space in Sofia, provided by the National Assembly and equipped with the necessary technical and communication facilities and shall have the right to a personal Web page in Internet of up to 15 MB supported by the server of the National Assembly.

(7) The National Assembly shall provide Members of the European Parliament from the Republic of Bulgaria with office space in Sofia equipped with the necessary technical and communication facilities, the maintenance costs of such office space and equipment being for account of the respective Member of the European Parliament.

Article 12. The National Assembly shall cover additional expenses incurred by Members and Parliamentary Groups in connection with their proper work, limited to two thirds of the base monthly remuneration under Article 5. For this purpose a gross amount of money shall be disbursed to Parliamentary Groups and independent Members, who shall determine the manner of its allocation. Such sums are intended for expenses for assistance, consultations, expert opinions, offices and such others connected with the Members’ work in the Assembly and in their respective constituencies.

Article 13. The Budget of the National Assembly shall include entertainment expenses of the Chairperson and Deputy Chairpersons of the National Assembly, the Chairpersons of Parliamentary Groups and Standing Committees, and welcoming expenses for invitees of the Assembly.

Article 14. (1) If any Member of the National Assembly fails, for no valid reason, to attend a plenary sitting his daily remuneration shall be withheld.

(2) In case of unjustified absence from a Committee, Subcommittee or Working group sitting , an amount equal to the surplus payment for participation in the respective Committee, Subcommittee or Working group sitting shall be withheld from the Member of the National Assembly.

(3) Where a Member of the National Assembly fails to attend without valid reason 3 consecutive and in total 5 monthly sittings two thirds of his monthly remuneration shall be withheld.

(4) The data on the deductions under paragraphs 1 ,2 and 3 shall be based on the registration and voting printouts reports from the Standing and Subcommittees’ or Working groups’ Chairpersons and the shorthand records.

Article 15. Any amount withheld in pursuance of Article 12 shall be credited as expenses saved to the Budget of the National Assembly.

Article 16. (1)Remunerations under Articles 3 and 7 shall accrue from Election day, and for Members of the National Assembly subsequently assuming office – from the date on which the Member of the National Assembly has been declared elected by the Central Elections Committee. Remunerations under Article 6 shall accrue from the date of election of the Members of the National Assembly to the respective posts as Committee members.

(2) Ministers elected as Members of Parliament in a consecutive National Assembly declare where they will receive their remuneration from, for the period until the new Council of Ministers is nominated.

Article 17. (1) Every parliamentary employee working under the provisions of the Labor Code, who has reached the length of service and age required for retirement is entitled to one time compensation equal to as many monthly remunerations as the number of years served in the National Assembly, but not more than 10, when his/her employment is terminated.

(2) Parliamentary employees are entitled to a yearly allowance for professional attire to the amount of two average monthly remunerations in the public sector of the economy.

Article 18. This Annex, concerning the Financial Regulations to the National Assembly Budget shall be updated on an annual basis, as appropriate.