SEIMAS OF THE REPUBLIC OF LITHUANIA

SEIMAS OF THE REPUBLIC OF LITHUANIA Official translation SEIMAS OF THE REPUBLIC OF LITHUANIA S T A T U T E ON THE AMENDMENT OF THE STATUTE 17 February 1994, No.I-399 Vilnius (New edition since 22 December 1998 No. VIII-1000) (As amended by 18 December 2001 No IX-666) Article 1. Revised Version of the Statute The Statute shall be amended to read as follows: “SEIMAS OF THE REPUBLIC OF LITHUANIA S T A T U T E PART I STATUS OF A SEIMAS MEMBER Chapter I Powers and the Oath of a Seimas Member Article 1. Mandate of a the Seimas Member 1. The main rights and duties of a member of the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania (hereinafter referred to as a Seimas Member) shall be defined by the Constitution of the Republic of Lithuania (hereinafter referred to as the Constitution) and this Statute, and his other rights and duties - by other laws of the Republic of Lithuania (hereinafter referred to as laws) as well. 2. In performing his duties, a Seimas Member shall act in compliance with the Constitution, interests of the State, his own conscience, and may not be restricted by any mandate. Article 2. Beginning of the Powers and Acquisition of the Rights of a Seimas Member 1. The powers of Seimas Members shall begin on the day that the newly elected Seimas convenes for the first time. The powers of the previously elected Seimas Members shall expire upon the commencement of the said sitting. 2. A Seimas Member elect shall acquire all of the rights of a representative of the Nation only upon taking the oath at a Seimas sitting to be loyal to the Republic of Lithuania. A Seimas Member who has not taken the oath shall not have the rights established in Chapter 2 of this Statute, shall not make use of the essentials provided for his activities, as well as guarantees of his activities specified in Chapter 3 of this Statute, and shall not receive the salary of a Seimas Member. Article 3. Text of the Oath of a Seimas Member 1. The text of the oath of a Seimas Member shall read as follows: “I (forename, surname) swear to be faithful to the Republic of Lithuania; swear to respect and observe its Constitution and laws, and to protect the integrity of its territory; swear to the best of my ability to strengthen the independence of Lithuania, to conscientiously serve my Homeland, democracy, and the well-being of the people of Lithuania. So help me God!” 2. The oath may be taken omitting the last sentence. Article 4. Procedure for Taking the Oath of a Seimas Member 1. The oath of a Seimas Member shall be administered by the Chairman of the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Lithuania (hereinafter referred to as the Constitutional Court), or, in his absence or in the event that the Chairman is temporarily unable to discharge the duties of his office, by the judge of the Constitutional Court, acting as the Chairman of the Constitutional Court. 2. A Seimas Member shall take the oath while standing in front of the person who administers the oath, and reading the oath, holding his hand on the Constitution. 3. Upon having read the oath, a Seimas Member shall sign the nominal oath sheet. 4. The text of the oath shall not be amended and changed; only the last sentence of the oath may be struck out. The Seimas Member who does not comply with this provision, who refuses to sign the nominal oath sheet or who signs the sheet with a stipulation, shall not be considered to have taken the oath. 5. Nominal oath sheets shall be handed over to the Chairman or the judge of the Constitutional Court, who has administered the oath, who shall check them and read the names of the Seimas Members who have acquired all of the rights of a representative of the nation. 6. A Seimas Member must take the oath anew, if, upon termination of his powers, he has again become a Seimas Member pursuant to the Constitution and laws. 7. A Seimas Member must take the oath not later than within a month from the first sitting attended by him. Article 5. Consequences in the Event to Take the Oath of Failure by a Seimas Member The Seimas Member who fails to take the oath in the manner prescribed by this Statute, or who takes a conditional oath, shall lose the mandate of a Seimas Member under Article 59 of the Constitution. The Seimas shall adopt a resolution thereon. Article 6. Compatibility of the Duties of a Seimas Member 1. The duties of a Seimas Member, with the exception of his duties in the Seimas, shall be incompatible with any other duties in State institutions and organisations, as well as with any job in business, commercial and other private institutions or enterprises. 2. For his term of office, a Seimas Member shall be exempt from the duty to perform national defence service. 3. A Seimas Member may be appointed only as Prime Minister or Minister. Article 7. A Certificate and Badge of a Seimas Member 1. A Seimas Member shall have a certificate of a Seimas Member and a badge of a Seimas Member which shall be used by him during his term of office. 2. The certificate shall be presented to a Seimas Member after the proclamation of election results, and the badge - after taking the oath. 3. A sample of the badge of a Seimas Member shall be approved by the Board of the Seimas. Article 8. Termination of the Powers of a Seimas Member The powers of a Seimas Member shall be terminated: 1) upon the expiration of his term of office, or when the Seimas elected in pre-term elections convenes for the first time; 2) upon his death; 3) upon his resignation by handing in his notice; 4) if he is declared legally incapable by the court; 5) if the Seimas revokes his mandate in accordance with impeachment proceedings; 6) if the elections are deemed invalid, or if the Law on Elections to the Seimas is grossly violated; 7) if he takes a job, or, within 3 months, does not resign from the job which is inconsistent with the requirements of Article 6 of this Statute; or 8) if he is deprived of citizenship of the Republic of Lithuania. Chapter II Activities of A Seimas Member Article 9. Rights of a Seimas Member A Seimas Member shall, in the manner prescribed by this Statute, have the right to: 1) vote on all issues being considered at sittings of the Seimas, committee or commission of which he is a member; 2) elect and be elected to any office in the Seimas; 3) participate in a discussion concerning all issues under consideration, and present his motions, observations, amendments, vocally or in writing; 4) submit the text of his speech, which has not been made, to the chairman of a sitting for the inclusion in the verbatim record of the sitting; 5) propose issues to the Seimas for consideration; 6) prepare and submit to the Seimas for consideration drafts of laws and other legislative acts, as well as to put motions relative to the laws which are to be debated in the Seimas; 7) pose questions to reporters and supplementary reporters during the Seimas sittings; 8) make statements and remarks, speak on voting motives, put motions relative to the conduct, procedure of a sitting; 9) obtain, directly or through an assistant, copies of the registered drafts of laws, as well as copies of laws and other acts passed by the Seimas, decisions and draft decisions of Chairman of the Seimas, the Board of the Seimas and the Assembly of Elders, drafts of the legislative acts prepared by the Government, resolutions passed by other State government and administration institutions, and legislative acts of public officers; 10) attend sittings of all Seimas committees and commissions, and Government sittings, and, when necessary, attend sittings of State government and administration institutions at which issues submitted by him are discussed, as well as, upon advance notice, other sittings at which the issues he is interested in are discussed, except the sittings concerning State secrets the procedure for the consideration whereof shall be established by law; 11) make inquiries to the Government members, the heads of other State institutions, submit questions to them and to the Seimas officers; and 12) together with other Seimas Members: a) submit a draft law on the amendment of the Constitution, b) initiate impeachment, c) start non-confidence, interpellation proceedings, d) convene an extraordinary Seimas session and an extraordinary sitting, e) appeal to the Constitutional Court, f) otherwise act in accordance with the provisions of this Statute. Article 10.   Participation of a Seimas Member in the Seimas Sittings and Work in the                      Committees 1. A Seimas Member must participate in the Seimas sittings during the voting which has been planned in advance. A voting for the passage of a law, which was officially announced at least one working day prior to the day of the voting shall be considered to have been planned in advance. 2. Each Seimas Member, with the exception of the Chairman of the Seimas and the Prime Minister, must serve as a member of a committee and must participate in the work thereof, and he must also serve as a substitute for another member of the committee. 3. Each Seimas Member may serve as a member of only one committee, except participation in the Committee on European Affairs. 4. The Chairman of the Seimas and the Prime Minister (if he is a Seimas Member) may not serve as members of a committee or a substitute for a committee member. 5. While participating in sittings of the Seimas, committees and commissions, a Seimas Member must adhere to this Statute. Article 11. Failure to Attend Sittings by Seimas Members, and Foreign Travel 1. The Secretariat of the Seimas sittings shall accept notices of the Seimas Members about their non-attendance of Seimas sittings, and the Secretariat of the Seimas committees and commissions - about non-attendance of sittings of the committees and commissions by the Seimas Members. Such information together with the documents justifying the non-attendance of a sitting, shall be furnished to the Commission of Ethics and Procedures at the end of each month. 2. Upon returning from a business trip abroad or foreign travel to which the Board of the Seimas has given its consent, a Seimas Member must, not later than within 10 days and in a prescribed manner, present a report to the Board of the Seimas concerning the fulfilment of assignments. Article 12. Work of a Seimas Member with Voters 1. A Seimas Member must regularly hold meetings with voters. He shall have the right to invite officers of State institutions and local authorities, as well as members of municipal councils to participate in the meetings. 2. A Seimas Member shall examine proposals, requests and complaints and, when necessary, shall refer them to State institutions for consideration. 3. Complaints of voters which fall within the competence of a Seimas ombudsman, may be referred to a Seimas ombudsman for investigation. They shall be addressed in accordance with the procedure established by the Law on Seimas ombudsmen. 4. All officers and heads of enterprises, institutions and organisations to whom an appeal of a Seimas Member is addressed or to whom proposals, requests and complaints of voters have been referred by a Seimas Member, must consider them and reply to a Seimas Member not later than within 20 days of the receipt thereof. Chapter III PROVISION OF conditions and Guarantees necessary for the activities of A Seimas Member Article 13.   Duties of Local Authorities to Provide Conditions for the Activities of Seimas                      Members 1. Local authorities and their executive bodies, as well as heads of State enterprises, institutions and organisations, must provide a Seimas Member with conditions enabling him to meet with voters, must announce of the time and place of such meetings, and must provide him with other necessary assistance and information. 2. Local authorities must allot and maintain permanent premises for Seimas Members elected in a single-candidate electoral areas to receive voters. 3. Local authorities must allot properly arranged premises for Seimas Members elected in multi-candidate electoral areas to receive voters and hold meetings. Article 14. Visits of Seimas Members to Enterprises, Institutions and Organisations 1. A Seimas Member shall have the right to demand to be received without delay at enterprises, institutions and organisations concerning issues which pertain to his activities, as well as the right to be provided with necessary information. 2. A Seimas Member shall have the right to unrestricted access of all enterprises, institutions and organisations. The visitation procedure for enterprises, institutions and organisations whose activities are associated with the protection of State secrets, as well as the procedure for the protection of the information considered a State secret, which has been acquired by a Seimas Member, shall be established by laws. Article 15. Salary of a Seimas Member 1. Compensation for the work of a Seimas Member, as well as the expenses related to his parliamentary activities, shall be covered from the State Budget. 2. The salary of a Seimas Member and the procedure for payment thereof shall be established by the Seimas. The law concerning changes in the amount of salaries of Seimas Members shall become effective only from the day that the next newly-elected Seimas convenes for the first time. 3. Seimas Members-officers and the leader of the Seimas Opposition shall be paid supplementary salaries, the amount of which shall be established by the law, for their work. 4. A Seimas Member may not receive any other payment, with the exception of payment for creative activities. Payments made to a Seimas Member for creative activities shall comprise royalties for the works of art and the performance thereof, for articles and books, for the material for radio and television programmes, as well as payment for pedagogical and scientific work performed not during the sittings of the Seimas, its committees and commissions. Article 16. Secretaries-Assistants of Seimas Members A Seimas Member shall be entitled to have personal or joint secretary-assistants with other members of his respective parliamentary group, whose salaries shall be paid from the State Budget, as well as he shall be also entitled to have assistants who work on a voluntary basis. Article 17. Liability for Preventing a Seimas Member from Exercising his Powers 1. Persons and officers who prevent a Seimas Member from exercising his powers, who encroach upon the life, health, honour, or dignity of a Seimas Member as a representative of the Nation, shall be held liable under law. 2. If the legitimate demands of a Seimas Member are not carried out, a disciplinary penalty may, according to the procedure established by laws, be imposed on the offending officer who is responsible, he may be removed from office. Chapter IV Discipline and Immunity of A Seimas Member. OBLIGATION OF A SEIMAS MEMBER TO AVOID THE CONFLICT OF INTERESTS Article 18. Obligation of a Seimas Member to Avoid the Conflict of Interests 1. It shall be prohibited to use the mandate of a Seimas Member for purposes other than the interests of the Nation, State and voters. A Seimas Member must respect and act in compliance with the Constitution and laws. 2. While executing the duties of a Seimas Member, each Seimas Member must avoid the conflict between the private interests of a Seimas Member and his duties to represent the interests of the public, he must not also act in such a way, that the public would entertain doubts about the existence of such conflict. In the event of the conflict of interests, a Seimas Member must act in compliance with this Statute and recommendations of the Ethics and Procedures Commission or the Chief Institutional Ethics Commission. A Seimas Member must do his utmost that his integrity should not raise doubts among the public and that the public be given a possibility to ascertain the integrity of the Seimas Member. 3. The Ethics and Procedures Commission or an investigation commission set up for this purpose must analyse the activities of a Seimas Member which violate the said provisions, and prepare findings for the Seimas. 4. Every year each Seimas Member shall, according to the Law on the Adjustment of Public and Private Interests in Public Service, submit to the Ethics and Procedures Commission an annual private interests declaration, as well as a declaration if new circumstances turn out. The said Commission shall keep private interests declarations of the candidates who have become Seimas Members. The declarations shall be kept in the Commission for the whole term of office of a Seimas Member, and later they shall be transferred to the Seimas Archives for keeping. 5. Upon having considered the private interests declarations of Seimas Members, the Ethics and Procedures Commission shall submit to Seimas Members written recommendations how to avoid the conflict of interests, which Seimas Members may make public at their own discretion. The said recommendations may be general - annual or intended to handle a specific situation. The latter generally shall be submitted at the request of a Seimas Member. 6. Before the consideration of an issue or during the consideration, a Seimas Member who has a private interest in such an issue, must inform the presiding officer of a sitting about a threat of the conflict of interests and must stay away from further consideration and voting. 7. If a Seimas Member has not carried out the requirements of paragraph 6 of this Article and such behaviour of a Seimas Member is contrary to the recommendation of the Ethics and Procedures Commission, which has been submitted to a Seimas Member in accordance with paragraph 5 of this Article, the Ethics and Procedures Commission shall immediately inform the Seimas about it. In this event, the consideration of an issue may, upon the decision of the Seimas, be started anew. 8. If it appears that during the passage of a Seimas law, the provisions of this Article concerning the avoidance of the conflict of interests have been violated, the provisions set forth in Article 160 of this Statute may be applied. Article 19. Assessment of the Absence of the Seimas Members from the Seimas Sittings 1. The Ethics and Procedures Commission shall analyse the reasons for which Seimas Members have not attended the Seimas sittings during the voting planned in advance, and shall decide whether such reasons are justifiable. 2. The salaries of an appropriate month may, according to the procedure established by the law, be decreased for the Seimas Members who have not participated in the voting planned in advance, and upon the decision of the Ethics and Procedures Commission, their names may be announced in the press. Article 20. Warning to a Seimas Member 1. If during a sitting a Seimas Member begins to argue with Seimas Members or other participants of the sitting, does not carry out the recommendation of the Ethics and Procedures Commission regarding the avoidance of the conflict of interests, the Seimas Member may be called to order by the presiding officer of the sitting. 2. If the said Seimas Member does not heed the warning of the presiding officer of the sitting, the warning may be recorded in the minutes of the sitting. Warnings to a Seimas Member for a public threat to colleagues, for an insult of a Seimas Member or a group thereof, for dishonest voting or for the refusal to carry out the recommendation of the Ethics and Procedures Commission regarding the avoidance of the conflict of interests shall be immediately recorded in the minutes. 3. The warning which is recorded in the minutes of the sitting shall be administered on the recommendation of the presiding officer of the Seimas sitting or the Ethics and Procedures Commission, without debate and by a simple majority of the Seimas Members participating in the voting. 4. A Seimas Member to whom administration of such warning is proposed, shall have the right to explain himself to the Seimas for a maximum of 3 minutes prior to the voting. Article 21. Removal of a Seimas Member from a Sitting 1. The Seimas may temporarily remove a Seimas Member from the chamber if he: 1) continues, after being called to order, to interrupt the work of the Seimas or does not carry out the recommendations of the Ethics and Procedures Commission regarding the avoidance of the conflict of interests; 2) during a sitting, calls for the use of the coercion or uses it personally; 3) publicly insults or threatens the President of the Republic, the Seimas, the Chairman of the Seimas, the Seimas Members, the Government, or the Prime Minister during a sitting; 4) disgraces the name of a Seimas Member with his actions. 2. Decisions concerning the removal of a Seimas Member from the chamber shall be adopted without debate by a simple majority of the Seimas Members participating in the voting, on the recommendation of the presiding officer of the meeting or the Ethics and Procedures Commission. 3. The term of a temporary removal from the chamber shall in each case be established by the Seimas, but may not be more than 10 plenary sittings. If the term is not indicated, it shall be assumed that the Seimas Member is removed until the end of the sitting. 4. During the period of the removal from the chamber, the Seimas Member may not participate in voting which is carried out during an adjournment of the sitting. 5. If a Seimas Member who has been temporarily removed from the sitting, refuses to heed the demand of the presiding officer of the sitting to leave the chamber, the sitting shall be temporarily interrupted and security officers shall escort the punished Seimas Member from the chamber. In this event, the term of removal from the chamber may, upon the decision of the presiding officer of the sitting, be extended for the period of up to 5 sittings. 6. The Seimas Member who is removed from the Seimas sittings shall not receive a salary for the days when the Seimas sittings from which he is removed are held. Article 22. Immunity of a Seimas Member 1. The person of a Seimas Member shall be inviolable. 2. A Seimas Member may not be persecuted for his voting or speeches in the Seimas, i.e. at the sittings of the Seimas, Seimas committees, commissions and parliamentary groups, however, he may, for personal insult or slander, be held liable in accordance with the general procedure. 3. Criminal proceedings may not be instituted against a Seimas Member, he may not be arrested, and may not be subjected to any other restrictions of personal freedom without the consent of the Seimas, except in cases when he is caught in the act of committing a crime (in flagrante delicto). In such cases the Prosecutor General must immediately notify the Seimas thereof. Article 23. Deprivation of the Inviolability of a Seimas Member 1. After the hearing of the report of the Prosecutor General concerning the crime committed by a Seimas Member, the Seimas sitting shall be adjourned for the period of not less than one hour and not more than two hours. After the adjournment the Seimas shall adopt one of the following decisions: 1) to form an investigation commission for the consent to institute criminal proceedings against a Seimas Member; or 2) to initiate preliminary actions of the impeachment proceedings - such decision shall be examined and adopted only in the event that the proposal of the subjects specified in paragraph 1 of Article 230 of this Statute exists. 2. If the Seimas decides to form an investigation commission for the consent to institute criminal proceedings against a Seimas Member, then the commission shall be formed according to the procedure provided for in Article 71 of this Statute. When investigating the issue concerning the deprivation of the inviolability of a Seimas Member, the commission must invite to a meeting of the commission the said Seimas Member whose issue is under consideration and hear him or other Seimas Member authorised by him, and a representative of the Prosecutor’s Office. If the invited Seimas Member or other Seimas Member authorised by him fails to come to the commission meeting without a valid reason or he refuses to provide explanations to the commission, the commission shall have the right to adopt a decision in the absence of the Seimas Member or other Seimas Member authorised by him. Valid reasons because of which the Seimas Member or other Seimas Member authorised by him does not come to the commission meeting shall be the reasons laid down in the norms of the Code of Criminal Procedure, prescribing compulsory appearance of the participants of the proceedings. 3. If the Seimas resolves to initiate preliminary actions of the impeachment proceedings, the said actions shall be carried out in accordance with the procedure established in Part VIII of this Statute. 4. If the Seimas has adopted the resolution regarding the consent to institute criminal proceedings against a Seimas Member, preliminary actions of the impeachment proceedings and the impeachment procedure may be initiated against a Seimas Member only upon having resolved the issue of criminal liability, i.e. provided that a conviction has been passed or an acquittal has become effective, or criminal proceedings have been terminated. 5. After the investigation commission has prepared and announced its note and the draft resolution, the issue concerning the deprivation of the inviolability of the person of a Seimas Member shall be included on the agenda of the next Seimas sitting. 6. Consideration of this issue, as well as in the submitted resolution, shall be limited only to the interpretation, assessment or definition of the facts provided for in the motion. The discussion concerning draft resolutions shall be attended by the reporter of the commission, the concerned Seimas Member or another Seimas Member authorised by him, and no more than two Seimas Members who speak out “in favour” and two members who speak out “against” the draft resolution. If the draft resolution provides for the satisfaction of the motion of the Prosecutor General, it may be adopted if more than half of the Seimas Members vote in favour of the draft. Upon the receipt of the consent of the Seimas to take criminal action against a Seimas Member, said Seimas Member may not be arrested within the house of the Seimas. PART II STRUCTURE OF THE SEIMAS Chapter V General Issues of Structure Article 24. Heads of the Seimas 1. Sittings of the Seimas shall be presided over by the Chairman of the Seimas or his deputy. 2. There shall not be more than five Deputy Chairmen of the Seimas; one of them shall be delegated by the Seimas Opposition. 3. The competence of the Seimas Chairman and Deputy Chairmen shall be defined by the Constitution and this Statute. 4. On the recommendation of the Seimas Chairman, one of the Deputy Chairmen of the Seimas shall be appointed the first Deputy Chairman of the Seimas. 5. The Seimas Member who is elected Seimas Chairman or temporarily acting as Seimas Chairman must suspend his activities in a parliamentary group of the Seimas Members. Article 25. Committees and Commissions of the Seimas 1. The Seimas shall form committees from among its members for the consideration of draft laws and other issues assigned to its competence by the Constitution. The list of the committees shall be established by this Statute. 2. The Ethics and Procedures Commission, the Petitions Commission and other standing commissions shall be formed in the Seimas. 3. For resolving short-term issues or issues of narrower scope, and for carrying out concrete assignments, the Seimas may, from among its members, form investigation, control, auditing, preparatory, drafting and other ad hoc commissions. 4. The Board of the Seimas may also form preparatory, drafting ad hoc commissions, and the Assembly of Elders - co-ordination commissions. 5. The work of the committees and commissions shall be directed by the respective chairmen thereof. Article 26. Parliamentary Groups, Mixed and Interim Groups of the Seimas Members 1. Seimas Members may form parliamentary groups according to the procedure established by this Statute for implementing their political goals. This Statute shall establish the rights of the parliamentary groups of the Seimas members. 2. A parliamentary group of the Seimas Members shall be headed and represented in the Seimas by its Elder or Deputy Elder; each Seimas Member authorised by a parliamentary group may speak out on behalf of the parliamentary group. 3. The Seimas Members who have not been registered in parliamentary groups shall be considered as members of one mixed group of the Seimas Members. The mixed group of the Seimas Members shall be granted all of the rights of a parliamentary group provided for in this Statute. 4. The Seimas Members may form interim groups in the procedure established by this Statute. Article 27. Board of the Seimas 1. The Board of the Seimas shall function in the Seimas, the principle task whereof shall be to settle organisational issues of the work of the Seimas and give advice to the Chairman of the Seimas, if he requests so. 2. The Board of the Seimas shall consist of the Chairman of the Seimas, Deputy Chairmen of the Seimas and the Leader of the Opposition in the Seimas. The composition of the Board of the Seimas shall be approved by the resolution of the Seimas. Article 28. Assembly of Elders 1. The Seimas shall have an Assembly of Elders comprising the members of the Board of the Seimas and the representatives of the parliamentary groups. 2. Each parliamentary group shall appoint one representative for every ten members of the group to the Assembly of Elders. 3. In addition, each parliamentary group shall appoint to the Assembly of Elders one representative for the remaining segment of fewer than ten members of the parliamentary group, provided that the said segment of fewer than ten members shall comprise more than five Seimas Members. 4. Parliamentary groups consisting of fewer than ten members shall each appoint one representative to the Assembly of Elders. 5. The principal task of the Assembly of Elders shall be to consider and approve work programmes of the Seimas session and agendas of sittings, to co-ordinate issues concerning the organisation of the work of the committees and parliamentary groups of the Seimas, and to submit drafts of the decisions on said issues to the Seimas and the Board, and give advice to the Chairman of the Seimas. Chapter VI CHAIRMAN OF THE SEIMAS, Deputy CHAIRMEN OF THE SEIMAS and Board OF THE SEIMAS Article 29. Powers of the Chairman of the Seimas The Chairman of the Seimas shall: 1) direct the work of the Seimas and represent the Seimas; 2) within 10 days following the passage, certify with his signature the authenticity of the text of the law passed by the Seimas and refer it to the President of the Republic to sign, within 10 days sign the Statute of the Seimas and amendments thereto, within 3 days sign the laws which are not signed by the President of the Republic and not returned to the Seimas for repeat consideration within 10 days from the submission thereof, as well as proclaim them; 3) within 10 days from the passage, sign the resolutions of the Seimas and other acts passed by the Seimas; 4) within 24 hours sign the minutes of Seimas sittings, as well as the decisions of the Board of the Seimas, provided he has presided over them; 5) temporarily act as President of the Republic or temporarily deputise for President of the Republic in the cases specified in Article 89 of the Constitution; 6) propose to the Seimas candidatures to the posts of Deputy Chairmen of the Seimas; 7) propose to the Seimas candidatures to Constitutional Court judges in accordance with the procedure established by the Constitution; 8) propose to the Seimas the candidatures of the Seimas ombudsmen and the head of the Seimas ombudsmen’s office for appointment and dismissal; 9) propose candidatures to the Seimas for appointment and dismissal to the posts of heads and deputy heads of State institutions in the cases provided by the Constitution and laws; 10) preside over the sittings of the Seimas and the Board of the Seimas or charge one of his Deputies to carry out this function; 11) submit drafts of the work programmes of a session and draft agendas of week- or day-long sittings to the Assembly of Elders or charge one of his Deputies to carry out this function; 12) submit draft agendas of meetings of the Board of the Seimas or charge one of his Deputies to carry out this function; and 13) exercise other powers provided for in this Statute. 2. While exercising his powers, the Chairman of the Seimas shall issue directives. 3. The Chairman of the Seimas and, in his absence, his Deputy may, provided he is not presiding over a sitting, voice out of turn his own opinion or the opinion of the Board of the Seimas on any issue under consideration at the Seimas sittings. 4. During a session of the Seimas, the Chairman of the Seimas, his Deputies shall, at least once a month, answer the questions concerning their activities, which are beforehand submitted in writing by the Seimas Members. Article 30. Powers of the Deputy Chairmen of the Seimas 1. The Deputy Chairmen of the Seimas shall carry out the functions assigned to them by the Chairman of the Seimas. 2. The Deputy Chairmen of the Seimas shall within 24 hours sign the minutes of Seimas sittings, as well as the decision of the Board of the Seimas, provided they have presided over those sittings upon the Chairman’s of the Seimas charge. 3. In the event that the Chairman of the Seimas is temporarily away or has been taken ill and is unable because of that to execute his duties, the first Deputy Chairman of the Seimas or another Deputy Chairman of the Seimas, at the behest of the Seimas, shall deputise for him during such period. 4. If, in the cases specified in Article 89 of the Constitution, the Chairman of the Seimas temporarily acts as President of the Republic, and as a result thereof has lost his powers in the Seimas, his Deputy shall temporarily act as Chairman of the Seimas at the behest of the Seimas. 5. The resolution (preliminary or adopted for a concrete case) concerning the temporary performance of the duties of the Chairman of the Seimas or deputising for him shall be adopted by the Seimas on the motion of the Chairman of the Seimas. Article 31. Chancellor of the Seimas 1. The Chancellor of the Seimas shall be a public servant - head of the institution who shall be responsible and accountable to the Seimas and the Board of the Seimas. 2. The Chancellor of the Seimas shall be the head of the Office of the Seimas. The Chancellor of the Seimas shall, in the manner prescribed by law, be appointed to office for the period of 5 years, and dismissed from office by the Seimas on the recommendation of the Chairman of the Seimas. 3. A Seimas member may not be Seimas Chancellor. 4. The position of Seimas Chancellor shall be incompatible with participation in the activities of political parties or political organisations. 5. The Chancellor of the Seimas shall: 1) supervise the drafting of documents of the Seimas and the Board of the Seimas; 2) supervise the consideration of issues, inquiries and interpellations submitted to the Government members and heads of other State institutions and furnish related information to Seimas Members; 3) consider the issues raised by the Seimas Members concerning the functioning of the Office of the Seimas; ensure the implementation of the decisions of the Board of the Seimas; 4) ensure the preparation of a draft work programme of a session, draft agendas for week- and day-long sittings, draft agendas of the Assembly of Elders and the material related to all the issues subject to consideration, which are prepared by the Chairman of the Seimas and his Deputies; 5) endorse official documents prior to their being submitted to the Chairman of the Seimas for signing and, within the limits of his competence, sign official documents; 6) be responsible for the use and keeping of the Seimas Seals bearing the State Emblem; 7) regularly submit to the Seimas summarised data concerning proposals, wishes and letters addressed by voters to the Seimas; 8) together with the representatives of the parliamentary groups, arrange the seats in the chamber for the members of the parliamentary groups and for those members of the Seimas who do not belong to any parliamentary group and allocate premises for meetings of the parliamentary groups; 9) in the manner prescribed by law, appoint to office and dismiss public servants of the Office of the Seimas; 10) approve regulations, job rules, workers’ job descriptions and instructions for clerical work of the divisions of the Office of the Seimas; 11) carry out the functions of the manager of budgetary appropriations for the Office of the Seimas; 12) carry out other functions laid down in this Statute and the Regulations of the Office of the Seimas. Article 32. Powers of the Board of the Seimas The Board of the Seimas shall: 1) approve and submit to the Ministry of Finance draft estimates of programmes and expenditures of the Office of the Seimas; 2) by the advice of the committees, consider and send the Seimas Members on business trips with written tasks of the Seimas, the Board, and committees; approve reports on such trips; 3) by the advice of the committees or parliamentary groups, consider and approve of trips of the Seimas Members during a session, which are not financed from the funds of the Seimas; 4) when necessary, consider draft work programmes of a Seimas session and draft agendas of week- or day-long sittings, and submit conclusions to the Assembly of Elders or the Seimas; 5) call extraordinary sittings of the Seimas, fix a time for such sittings; 6) approve a preliminary schedule of sittings of a Seimas session; 7) when necessary, establish to which institutions or persons the principal committee must refer a draft law for conclusions; 8) when necessary, adopt a decision to relieve the principal committee of the obligations set forth in Article 147 of this Statute; 9) when necessary, form working groups for drafting laws and carrying out the assignments of the Seimas or the Board of the Seimas; 10) assist in organising the joint work of the committees on issues which fall within the competence of several committees; 11) approve the structure of the Office of the Seimas, draw up a list of the staff of the Office of the Seimas, and fix the salaries thereof; 12) approve the regulations and rules of procedure of the Office of the Seimas; and 13) settle other issues related to the organisation of the activities of the Seimas which are not ascribed to other institutions or officers of the Seimas by virtue of this Statute. Article 33. Meetings of the Board of the Seimas 1. Meetings of the Board of the Seimas shall be convened and presided over by the Chairman of the Seimas or by the Deputy Chairman of the Seimas, empowered by him. 2. Other members of the Seimas, as well as permanent representatives of the President of the Republic and the Government, may participate in the meetings of the Board of the Seimas as observers. Other individuals may also be invited to meetings of the Board of the Seimas. 3. Issues for consideration may be submitted to the Board by the Board members, committees, commissions, parliamentary groups, and the Chancellor of the Seimas. 4. Draft documents of the Board of the Seimas which are submitted for consideration shall be signed by their initiators and handed over to the Chairman of the Seimas or a Deputy Chairman of the Seimas, empowered by him, who shall prepare the agenda of a meeting, based thereon. Article 34. Decisions of the Board of the Seimas 1. Decisions of the Board of the Seimas shall be adopted by open vote and simple majority of those in attendance, provided that a meeting of the Board of the Seimas is attended by at least half of the Board members. A tie vote shall be decided by the vote of the Chairman of the Seimas or, in his absence, of the Deputy Chairman of the Seimas who is presiding over the meeting. 2. The members of the Seimas shall be informed of the decisions of the Board of the Seimas through the committees and parliamentary groups within three working days from the day on which the decision was adopted during a session or within a week of the beginning of the next session. 3. Committees and parliamentary groups may appeal against the decisions of the Board of the Seimas to the Seimas, if it is considered that the said decisions violate or restrict the rights of a Seimas Member, a parliamentary group or a committee, or have been adopted exceeding the powers assigned to the Board. Such complaints shall be considered and resolved by the Seimas, upon hearing the conclusions of the Ethics and Procedures Commission. Chapter VII Assembly of ELDERS OF THE Seimas Article 35. Meetings of the Assembly of Elders of the Seimas 1. During a session, meetings of the Assembly of Elders of the Seimas (hereinafter referred to as the Assembly of Elders) shall be held regularly at a time specially allocated for this purpose. 2. Extraordinary meetings of the Assembly of Elders shall be convened at the request of the Chairman of the Seimas, the Board of the Seimas, the elder of the Assembly of Elders, or at least 1/3 of the members of the Assembly of Elders. The members of the Assembly of Elders shall be given notice of the time and agenda of extraordinary meetings at least 6 hours prior to the beginning thereof. 3. Meetings of the Assembly of Elders shall be presided over by the elder whose duties, according to the schedule approved by the Assembly of Elders, shall be executed in turn by the elders of each parliamentary group for one week. An opening meeting of the Assembly of Elders held during the first session shall be presided over by the most senior parliamentary group elder. 4. Issues for consideration by the Assembly of Elders, which are within its competence, may be proposed and submitted to the Chairman of the Seimas or a Deputy Chairman of the Seimas empowered by him, by the members of the Assembly of Elders, the Government, as well as by other Seimas Members who submit draft laws. A draft agenda of the Assembly of Elders shall be drawn up according to these proposals by the Chairman of the Seimas or a Deputy Chairman of the Seimas empowered by him. 5. Other Seimas Members, permanent representatives of the President of the Republic and the Government may attend meetings of the Assembly of Elders as observers. 6. Meetings of the Assembly of Elders shall be open for representatives of the mass media. Article 36. Powers of the Assembly of Elders During its meetings, the Assembly of Elders shall: 1) consider draft estimates of programmes and expenditures of the Office of the Seimas and, together with its own proposals and remarks, submit them to the Board of the Seimas; 2) consider and co-ordinate rising differences related to the work programme of a Seimas session; 3) consider and approve the drafts of agendas of week- or day-long sittings; 4) consider and co-ordinate proposals regarding the appointment of a principal committee or additional appointment of committees for consideration of a draft law, as well as setting of a preliminary date of consideration of a draft law at a Seimas sitting; 5) consider and co-ordinate rising differences concerning other issues of the organisation of the work of the Seimas; 6) hear the proposals of the chairmen of the committees and elders of the parliamentary groups on mutual relations between the committees and parliamentary groups, and submit proposals thereon to the Seimas or the Board; 7) submit recommendations to the Board of the Seimas concerning the resolution of issues which are ascribed to its competence; 8) perform the function of a co-ordinating (conciliatory) committee in the event of principal disagreements concerning key issues considered in the Seimas; 9) when necessary, establish to which institutions or persons the principal committee must refer a draft law for conclusions; and 10) when necessary, adopt a decision to relieve the principal committee of the duties set forth in Article 147 of this Statute. Article 37. Decisions of the Assembly of Elders 1. With the exception of decisions concerning the agendas of week- or day-long sittings and the decisions specified in subparagraphs 8 and 9 of Article 36 of this Statute, the decisions of the Assembly of Elders shall be consultative with regard to the Seimas and the Board of the Seimas. 2. Consultative decisions of the Assembly of Elders, as well as the decisions concerning the organisation of the work of the Assembly itself shall be adopted by simple majority vote of the members of the Assembly of Elders of the Seimas taking part in the meeting. 3. Decisions concerning drafts of the work programme of a Seimas session, agendas of week- or day- long sittings shall be adopted provided that they are opposed by no more than 1/3 of the members of the Assembly of Elders participating in the meeting of the Assembly of Elders. 4. If any item of the agenda is adopted by majority vote, but is opposed by more than 1/3 of the members of the Assembly of Elders, they shall be submitted to the Seimas as recommendations. 5. Decisions of the Assembly of Elders shall be recorded in the minutes of the meetings, which shall be signed by the chairman of the meeting of the Assembly of Elders. Chapter VIII Parliamentary Groups and Interim Groups of the Seimas Article 38.   Right to Form Parliamentary Groups and Working Procedure                      of the Parliamentary Groups 1. The Seimas Members shall form parliamentary groups voluntarily, not restricted by any mandates. Parliamentary groups may not be established on the basis of professional or local interests. 2. A parliamentary group shall consist of at least 7 Seimas Members. Each Seimas Member may be a member of only one parliamentary group. 3. The elder of a parliamentary group, his deputy or the member of a parliamentary group authorised by it shall have the right to represent in the Seimas such a part of the Seimas Members, established by this Statute, which their parliamentary group forms in the Seimas. 4. Parliamentary groups shall establish their own working procedure, provided that it does not contradict this Statute. 5. Parliamentary groups may join into coalitions which may act as one parliamentary group. Article 39. Announcement of the Establishment of Parliamentary Groups 1. The Seimas Members who formed a parliamentary group shall present an application signed by them to the Chairman of the Seimas during the session. The name of a parliamentary group, as well as the names of the elder and deputy elders must be stated in this application. 2. If a parliamentary group formed by the Seimas Members complies with the requirements of this Statute, the Chairman of the Seimas must within one week announce the establishment of this parliamentary group at a Seimas sitting. 3. The Chairman of the Seimas shall be notified in writing of any changes in the name, composition or leadership of a parliamentary group, the termination of the activities of a parliamentary group or its break-up, as well as the formation of a coalition of the parliamentary groups no later than on the following working day. The Chairman of the Seimas shall announce such information at the next Seimas sitting. Article 40. The Majority and Minority of the Seimas 1. The parliamentary groups of the Seimas whose total number of the members is more than half of the Seimas Members and which have signed a joint action declaration or coalition Government agreement shall be considered the majority of the Seimas. 2. Opposition and other parliamentary groups which do not belong to the majority of the Seimas, as well as a mixed group of the Seimas Members shall be considered the minority of the Seimas. Article 41. Opposition Parliamentary Groups 1. Parliamentary groups of the Seimas Members or their coalitions which disagree with the Government programme may declare themselves Opposition parliamentary groups. 2. The parliamentary groups or their coalitions which proclaim in the Seimas the political declarations wherein the provisions distinguishing them from the majority of the Seimas are laid down, shall be considered Opposition parliamentary groups. 3. Opposition parliamentary groups or their coalitions shall announce alternative Government programmes. 4. Opposition parliamentary groups and their coalitions shall be guaranteed all the rights of parliamentary groups and coalitions which are provided for in the Statute of the Seimas. No reason may provide for the restriction of such rights. 5. If an Opposition parliamentary group or their coalition has more than ½ of the Seimas Members belonging to the minority of the Seimas, the elder of such parliamentary group or the head of the coalition shall be named the leader of the Seimas Opposition. The Opposition leader shall enjoy additional rights of an Opposition leader provided for in this Statute. 6. Proposals of the parliamentary groups for State institutions shall be consultative. State institutions, except courts, must discuss them and reply in writing. Article 42. Interim Groups 1. Seimas Members may form interim groups for the implementation of common interests concerning a concrete matter. 2. Such group shall be considered to be formed when an application is submitted to the Chairman of the Seimas, signed by no less than 5 Seimas Members. 3. When considering this concrete matter, the interim group of the Seimas Members shall make use of the rights of a parliamentary group, which are specified in Articles 104, 108, and 109 of this Statute. PART III COMMITTEES AND COMMISSIONS OF THE SEIMAS Chapter IX Procedure for the APPOINTMENT Of THE COMMITTEES OF the Seimas Article 43. List of the Committees of the Seimas The following committees shall be appointed in the Seimas: 1) Environmental Protection; 2) the Budget and Finance; 3) Economics; 4) European Affairs; 5) the Development of Information Society; 6) Rural Affairs; 7) National Security and Defence; 8) Social Affairs and Labour; 9) Health Affairs; 10) Education, Science and Culture; 11) Legal Affairs; 12) Foreign Affairs; 13) State Administration and Local Authorities; and 14) Human Rights. Article 44. Appointment of the Committees of the Seimas 1. Seimas committees shall be formed during the first session, except for the case specified in paragraph 2 of this Article. 2. Upon receipt of a draft resolution submitted by the Chairman of the Seimas, at each next regular session changes in the composition of the committees shall be approved by adhering to the principle of proportional representation of the parliamentary groups, a new committee shall be set up or committees shall be set up anew. 3. Committees shall be made up of no less than 7 and no more than 17 Seimas Members (with the exception of the Committee on European Affairs) according to the proportional principle of representation of the parliamentary groups. The exact number of members of each committee shall be determined by a decision of the Seimas. 4. Then the Assembly of Elders shall approve the norms of representation of the parliamentary groups and the mixed group of the Seimas Members in all committees in compliance with the principle of their proportional representation. 5. The parliamentary groups and the mixed group of the Seimas Members shall distribute among themselves seats in the committees, according to the number of seats approved by the Assembly of Elders. 6. Parliamentary groups, taking into consideration the requests and competence of their members, shall recommend to the committees as many members as they are accorded seats. In the event that the wish of a Seimas Member to become a member of a particular committee, expressed in his application, does not comply with the principle of proportional representation of parliamentary groups, the Seimas may adopt a resolution to appoint a Seimas Member to a committee other than the one indicated in his application. Applications of the parliamentary groups bearing the signatures of the recommended Seimas Members shall be submitted to the Chairman of the Seimas who must, within 2 weeks, present the composition of committees to the Seimas for approval. 7. The Committee on European Affairs shall be made up of no less than 15 members according to the proportional principle of representation of the parliamentary groups. The Seimas Members who are on the other committees, and members of the Board of the Seimas may be members of the Committee on European Affairs. 8. The number of substitutes for committee members shall not be restricted. Each parliamentary group shall submit their candidatures, having registered them in numerical order. 9. The composition of the committees and substitutes for committee members shall be approved by the Seimas by voting for the entire list of the committee members and the substitutes for the committee members. In the event of failure to approve the said list, the entire procedure shall begin anew. Article 45. Powers of a Substitute for a Seimas Committee Member 1. When a committee member does not participate in a meeting of the committee, all of the said member’s rights shall be given to the substitute for the committee members of the same parliamentary group, who attends that meeting and is the first in the established list of substitutes. 2. While substituting for a member of his parliamentary group in a given committee, the Seimas Member may not serve as the chairman or deputy chairman of that committee. Article 46. Elections of the Chairman and Deputy Chairman of a Seimas Committee 1. The committee shall elect its chairman and deputy chairman. 2. The Assembly of Elders of the Seimas shall approve proposals for the Seimas committees the representatives of which parliamentary groups should be elected chairman and deputy chairman of a Seimas committee. 3. The committee chairman and deputy chairman shall be elected from the representatives of different parliamentary groups, and the total number of chairmen and deputy chairmen of the committees accorded to the Seimas parliamentary groups must be in proportion to the number of the Seimas Members belonging to them. 4. The committee chairman and deputy chairman shall be approved by the Seimas. If the Seimas does not approve the presented candidate, the committee must select another candidate. 5. A member of the Board of the Seimas (except the case of the Committee on European Affairs), Seimas Member - Government member, the chairman or deputy chairman of a Seimas commission may not serve as a committee chairman and deputy chairman. 6. The chairman of the Committee on European Affairs shall be elected from among the members of the Board of the Seimas. The chairman of the Committee on European Affairs shall have deputies, one of which is the chairman of the Committee on Foreign Affairs. The number of deputy chairmen shall be established by the Seimas. 7. A representative of the Opposition parliamentary group or their coalition which has more than ½ of the Seimas Members belonging to the minority of the Seimas, shall be elected chairman or deputy chairman of the Committee on the Budget and Finance. The chairman of the Committee on the Budget and Finance shall have two deputies. 8. The chairman and deputy chairman of a committee shall be re-elected when the committee is formed anew. 9. A committee may re-elect the chairman or deputy chairman at any other time, at the same time applying to the Seimas for approval of the new chairman or deputy chairman. In the event that the Seimas does not approve the new chairman or deputy chairman, the former chairman or deputy chairman shall remain, and the committee may apply to the Seimas concerning the same issue only during the next regular session. Article 47. Seimas Subcommittees 1. For the execution of the main trends of activities, committees may form subcommittees from their members. 2. A subcommittee must comprise at least 5 members. 3. A sub-committee chairman shall be elected by the committee and approved by the Seimas. 4. The number of chairmen of sub-committees accorded to the Seimas parliamentary groups must be in proportion to the number of the Seimas Members belonging to them. 5. The regulations of the subcommittees shall be approved by the committees. Chapter X Powers and Working Procedure of the Seimas Committees Article 48. Working Procedure of the Seimas Committees 1. The trends of activities of the Seimas committees, as well as their powers and working procedure shall be established by this Statute and other laws. 2. Seimas committees shall be responsible and accountable to the Seimas. Reports on the work done by the committees may be heard at the beginning of each next regular session. 3. Committees must during the set time discuss and present conclusions on the matters referred to them for consideration, perform other tasks assigned to them by the Seimas. 4. Committees shall be responsible for the timely establishment of necessity of appropriate laws and other legal acts, initiation, according to their trends of activities and competence, of the preparation thereof, and the request of the comprehensive opinion, relative to the drafts thereof. 5. Seimas committees shall work in accordance with the plans approved by the committees themselves, which must be co-ordinated with the work programme of a Seimas session. Such plans shall state the persons responsible for the implementation and time limits of the implementation. Work plans of the committees and agendas of meetings shall be publicly announced. 6. The activities of the committees shall be co-ordinated by the Chairman of the Seimas, the Board of the Seimas in accordance with the work programmes of Seimas sessions and work plans of the committees. 7. Committees may themselves approve the rules of working procedure, which must be in compliance with this Statute. 8. In order to prepare issues which are subject to consideration, committees may form from among their members preparatory working groups. The said groups may include other Seimas Members upon their consent, as well as representatives of State institutions, parties and public organisations, experts and scientists. Funds for the experts of such groups shall be allocated in accordance with the approved estimate of expenditures of the committee. Article 49. Powers of Seimas Committees The main powers of the committees with respect to issues within their competence shall be: 1) to debate draft laws, prepare conclusions, and discuss issues referred to the committee for consideration; 2) on their own initiative or under the instruction of the Seimas, to prepare drafts of laws and other legal acts subject to enactment by the Seimas, and to analyse the necessity of new laws or the amendments to laws in effect; 3) to prepare and submit to the Seimas drafts regarding the harmonisation, supplementing or elimination of contradictions in laws; 4) to consider the Government programme; on their own initiative or under the instruction of the Seimas, to consider programmes of activities of the Government or other State institutions, each within its specific field, and to submit their conclusions to the Seimas; 5) to consider, within the limits of their competence, ca …