Parliamentary procedureThe chambers of the National Assembly are convened to two regular sessions every year:
— the first session opens October 2 and its duration cannot be more than 80 days;
— the second session opens April 2 and does not last more than 90 days.
In extraordinary cases and following a decree of the President of the Republic of Belarus, the House of Representatives and the Council of the Republic may be convened to an extraordinary session. Extraordinary sessions are convened under a particular agenda upon an initiative of the President of the country or upon a request of at least two-thirds majority of the full membership of each of the chambers.
Meetings of the chambers, as a rule, are open. The chambers, if interests of the state so require, may take a decision, by a majority of their full membership, to hold an in-camera sitting. A sitting of each chamber is considered valid provided it is attended by at least two thirds of deputies of the House of Representatives or members of the Council of the Republic of the full membership of each chamber.
The voting in the Council of the Republic is open and is done personally by a member of the Council of the Republic casting his or her vote «for» or «against». The vote by secret ballot is held only when staff regulation issues arise. The Rules of the chamber envisage a possibility for members of the Council of the Republic to hold a roll-call vote, the outcome of which would be given in verbatim records of the Council of the Republic sessions and may be published in mass media. Council of the Republic’s decisions are adopted in the form of resolutions. |
