SLOVENIA

National assembly

 

 

a)      The status of the Parliamentary administration: is it part of the civil service (or equivalent), or an independent and special administration, with its own rules on salaries, pensions, career development?

 

The status of the staff employed in the services of the National Assembly of the Republic of Slovenia is equal to the status of the staff employed in the public service and other state authorities (state administration, local communities administration, National Council, Constitutional Court, the Judiciary etc.).

 

For all persons employed in the public sector, employment relations are regulated by the Civil Servants Act that determines the basic provisions and principles, the provisions concerning the organisation, disciplinary and compensation liability, the beginning and termination of employment as well as positions and titles, appraisal of employees, promotions and recognitions, education and training, qualification exams, and the establishment of incapacity for work. The Civil Servants Act allows the possibility of different legal regulation for certain categories of officials or civil servants, if such is necessary due to the specific nature of their tasks (e.g. employment in deputy groups). The National Assembly adopts general acts to regulate the organisation and work of the services carrying out expert, administrative and other technical tasks necessary to provide the conditions for the work of the National Assembly, such as the Ordinaqnce on the Organisation and Work of the Services of the National Assembly and the Rules on the Organisation and Job Systemisation in the services of the National Assembly.

 

At the moment, wages of civil servants are still regulated by the Wage Ratios in Public Institutions, Government Bodies and Local Community Bodies Act which defines the basic wage structure, regulates the promotions and performance appraisal of civil servants and determines supplements to wages. In addition to the said Act, there 40 more regulations regarding wages in the public sector which altogether lead to a lack of transparency and impossibility of comparisons among wages in the public sector. In June 2002 a new act on the wage system in the public sector was adopted to come into force on 1 January 2004. The new act introduces a joint wage system for civil servants and senior officials and defines appropriate ratios between their wages, meaning that the wage system in the public sector will be more transparent and easy to monitor in terms of public finance.

 

As far as pension and disability insurance is concerned, civil servants are part of the national pension and disability insurance system. Since 1 August 2003 a collective supplementary pension insurance is being introduced for all civil servants.

 

Although the legal basis regulating the status of civil servants is the same for all employees in state authorities, it should be stressed that the National Assembly is absolutely autonomous in terms of human resources (selection of leading and other staff, number of posts, evaluation of posts, definition of working conditions etc.) and in terms of finance – as an independent recipient of budgetary funds, the National Assembly is independent in preparing its financial plans, including the funds intended for wages, and monitoring the use of such funds.   

 

 

 

b)    Relations between the political bodies and the Parliamentary administration

 

The basic relations between the National Assembly (hereinafter: NA) as a political body and the administration are determined in its Rules of Procedure. There are provisions on:

 

        the definition of the services of the NA:

» Rule 26

The services of the National Assembly perform specialised, administrative and other activities and technical tasks that provide the conditions for the work of the National Assembly.”

 

        the relations between the administration and the Secretary General:

“Rule 25

(1) The Secretary General of the National Assembly (hereinafter referred to as Secretary General) runs the services of the National Assembly and performs other tasks provided by regulations, these Rules of Procedure and other acts of the National Assembly.

(2) The Secretary General is appointed by the National Assembly at the proposal of the Bureau for the time until the end of the term of the National Assembly which appointed him.

(3) In his work, the Secretary General is accountable to the National Assembly...”.

 

        acts that determine the internal organisation and system of positions in the NA:

“Rule 287

The Act on Internal Organisation and System of Positions in the National Assembly is adopted within two months from the coming into force of these Rules of Procedure. Pending the adoption of such act, the Ordinance on the Organisation and Work of the Services of the National Assembly (Official Gazette of the Republic of Slovenia, Nos. 19/97 and 124/2000) and the Rules on the Organisation and System of Positions in the National Assembly apply, unless contrary to these Rules of Procedure.

 

 

The Secretary General, appointed by and accountable to the NA, heads the services of the NA. The Secretary General performs his/her duties autonomously in accordance with the provisions of the Rules of Procedure. The Secretary General is assisted by:

-          the Deputy Secretary General (Head of the Secretariat of the NA; the Secretariat of the NA carries out professional, organisational and administrative tasks relating to the work of the NA and its working bodies),

-          three Assistants to the Secretary General (Head of the Research Sector, Head of the Information and Documentation Sector, and Head of the Operational and Technical Sector),

-          Office of the Secretary General (includes: Finance and Accounting Department, Personnel Department, Protocol Department, Internal Auditor, Security Adviser, Legal  Adviser),

-          Head of the Legislative and Legal Service of the National Assembly.

 

With the exception of the Head of the Legislative and Legal Service, all the above persons are accountable to the Secretary General who chooses among the candidates and proposes their appointment to the Commission for Mandates and Elections (a special working body of the NA). The Commission for Mandates and Elections appoints them upon the recommendation of the Secretary General (such rule applies to all civil servants in the NA administration).

Considering the spirit of the new Civil Servants Act, the new Act on Internal Organisation and System of Positions in the National Assembly (Rule 287 of the Rules of Procedure) will modify the procedure of appointment of civil servants in the NA. Appointments will probably be left within the sole responsibility of the Secretary General.

 

The Legislative and Legal Service of the National Assembly has a special status within Parliamentary administration. The head of the service is a senior officer with limited term of office (corresponding to the term of the NA), appointed by the Bureau at the proposal of the President and accountable to the NA.

For details, see Article 27 of the Rules of Procedure:

“Rule 27

(1) The National Assembly comprises a Legislative and Legal Service which delivers opinions on the conformity of draft laws, other acts and amendments with the Constitution and the legal system, and on legislative and technical aspects of drafts (hereinafter referred to as Legislative and Legal Service).

(2) The Head of the Legislative and Legal Service is appointed by the Bureau at the proposal of the President of the National Assembly.”

 

 

The new Act on Internal Organisation and System of Positions in the National Assembly  (Article 287 of the Rules of Procedure) has not been adopted yet and at the moment the Ordinance on the organisation and work of services of the National Assembly of the Republic of Slovenia (Official Gazette of the Republic of Slovenia No. 19/1997) and the Act on the System of Positions (of 1997) apply. 

The National Assembly adopted the above ordinance at its plenary session in 1997. In the same year, the working body of the NA responsible for mandates, elections and administrative affairs gave its consent to the Act of the System of Positions.

 

According to the said ordinance, a special working body of the NA – the Commission for Mandates and Elections – appoints civil servants of higher ranks. Every Slovene citizen with adequate education and working experience may apply for the posts in Parliamentary administration. After the candidates have been chosen by the Secretary General on the basis of competition, they are appointed (and eventually discharged) by the Commission for Mandates and Elections (this rule applies for civil servants only and does not apply to technical and administrative posts).

 

Civil servants that work for deputy groups are chosen by deputy groups and – at their proposal – appointed by the Commission for Mandates and Elections. These civil servants must fulfil the conditions required by the posts for which they apply (provided by the Act on the System of Positions, e.g. education, working experience, special knowledge etc.) and are supposed to be of the same political affiliation as the deputy group for which they wish to work. They are usually appointed for a limited period of time: for one term of the NA.  They are accountable to the deputy group (its leader), but they must work and behave in accordance with the general rules applied in the NA (Civil Servants Act, Rules of Procedure, ordinances of the NA, rules determined by the Secretary General).

 

Until the expiry of the current term of the NA, each deputy group may recruit one administrative secretary or expert assistant per deputy (until October 2004).

 

The Speaker/President of the NA has a decisive word in choosing the Head of the President Office.

Civil servants who work for the working bodies – committees and commissions – must be experts on their specific fields. They are accountable to the Secretary General as head of Parliamentary administration as well as to the chairpersons of the working bodies, but not in a political sense. They must work and act in the interest of all members of the working bodies, although the major part of the work and activities is performed by the chairpersons of the working bodies who coordinate all the operations within the working bodies and maintain relations with other institutions. Civil servant must help them by providing information and organisational and administrative assistance in accordance with the Rules of Procedure.

 

 


Table 1: Number of persons employed in the services of the National Assembly

Organisational unit

 

No. of employees as of 30 Sept. 2003

The President Office

8

Office of the Secretary General

-        Finance and Accounting Department

-        Personnel Department

-        Protocol Department

6

9

6

4

Secretariat of the National Assembly

-        Department for Elections, Appointments and Administrative Affairs

-        International Relations Department

-        Department for Petitions

60

3

 

8

5

Research Sector

9

Legislative and Legal Service

14

Information and Documentation Sector

-        Documentation and Library Department

-        Department for the Development of the Information System

-        Dept. Dealing with Materials and Mail

-        Printing Service

-        Operator Service

2

15

12

 

19

10

8

Information Department

5

Operational and Technical Sector

-        Investment and Maintenance Department

-        Catering Department

-        Transport Department

-        Reception and Telephone Service Dept.

1

24

20

5

10

Deputy groups – Article 16*

 

Liberal Democracy of Slovenia

14

Slovene Democratic Party

7

United List of Social Democrats

6

Slovene People’s Party

6

New Slovenia

5

Democratic Party of Pensioners of Slovenia

4

Slovene National Party

4

Slovene Youth Party

4

Italian and Hungarian national communities

3

TOTAL

316

Note: * Article 16 of the Ordinance on the Organisation and Work of the Services of the National Assembly:

»To each deputy group, the National Assembly provides a secretary of the deputy group, two specialised staff members and an assistant, as well as one additional assistant per every eight deputies; to deputy groups consisting of more than eight deputies, the National Assembly provides an additional specialised staff member per every six deputies.«

The above posts are determined also in the Rules on the Organisation and System of Positions in the Services of the National Assembly and differ from those of other employees in the services of the National Assembly only in their duration – employment in deputy groups is temporary and terminates with the expiry of the parliamentary term.

 

Pursuant to Article 17 of the Ordinance on the Organisation and Work of the Services of the National Assembly, each deputy group is entitled to additional expert assistance. Additional expert assistance to deputy groups is provided with the funds the groups are granted for such purpose by recruiting specialised staff members on temporary employment contracts, by concluding work contracts with individuals or legal entities, by concluding copyright contracts or by hiring students. Until 2004, for each deputy, his/her deputy group will be granted - as funds for additional expert assistance - an amount corresponding to a monthly salary of an adviser to the National Assembly.

 

Pursuant to the Article 17, employment contracts are concluded for the time necessary to carry out the relevant work, yet no longer than until the cessation of the deputy group or termination of the deputies’ term of office.

The table below indicates the number of persons employed in deputy groups pursuant to Article 17.

 

Table 2: Number of persons pursuant to Article 17

Deputy groups

 

Liberal Democracy of Slovenia

2

Slovene Democratic Party

5

United List of Social Democrats

2

Slovene People’s Party

2

New Slovenia

7

Democratic Party of Pensioners of Slovenia

-

Slovene National Party

-

Slovene Youth Party

1

Italian and Hungarian national communities

-

 

The leader of the deputy group decides on the conclusion of employment contracts pursuant to Article 17 and on the selection of the applicants. Contracts are concluded by the Secretary General who represents the National Assembly (deputy groups are not legal entities).

If expert assistance is provided through work contracts, the work performed in such manner is reviewed and approved by the leader of the deputy group, which is also the basis for the issuing of the contractor’s bill and the payment thereof.

 

The funds intended for expert assistance are planned and approved in the budget of the National Assembly.

 

 

 

c)    Does the Secretary General have the chief responsibility and accountability for the administration? Or are these shared with other senior officers?

 

The Secretary General is responsible for the organisation and work of the administration and accountable to the NA. With regard to the Legislative and Legal Service of the National Assembly, both the Secretary General and the Head of the Service are responsible for the work of the Service. The Head of the Service is accountable to the NA..

 

The Deputy Secretary General and the three Assistants to the Secretary General (see above) are responsible for the work of their sectors/departments and are accountable to the Secretary General.

 

Civil servants who work for the working bodies – committees and commissions – must be experts on their specific field. They are accountable to the Secretary General. For their work, they are also accountable to the members and chairpersons of the working bodies, particularly with regard to the adequate application of the Rules of Procedure. Chairpersons can complain, with regard to their work, only to the Secretary General. The Secretary General is the sole person authorised to take disciplinary measures against them.

 

In accordance with the Act on the System of Positions, all civil servants (particularly those of higher ranks) are expected to act autonomously within their responsibilities and mandate. They are responsible for the adequate, proper and due carrying out of their duties. They are expected to perform all the activities within their powers which are necessary for a smooth performing of everyday activities in the NA, its working bodies, parts of the parliamentary administration. They are expected to coordinate their work between different offices when necessary.

 

For details see Organisation chart of the NA – Appendix 1

 

 

d)    The Parliamentary workload, and consequently the administration workload – statistical data

 

The National Assembly has 90 deputies – 88 are representatives of all Slovenian citizens, 2 are representatives of the Italian and Hungarian national communities (minorities).

The National Assembly meets in regular and extraordinary sessions. Regular sessions are called during regular annual terms of the National Assembly: during the spring term between 10 January and 15 July, and during the autumn term between 1 September and 20 December. (Rule 6 of the Rules of Procedure).

 

Table 3: Statistical data on the work of the National Assembly in 3rd parliamentary term (October 2000 – 15 July 2003) - sessions

Sessions of the National Assembly

 

2000

2001

2002

2003 (till 15 July)

         Regular sessions

1

10

10

7

Extraordinary sessions

3

9

14

6

Duration in days

9

91

87

33

Duration in hours and minutes

26:40:00

382:35:00

384:53:00

182:02:00

No. of items on the agenda

31

340

421

148

Source: - Reports on the National Assembly’s work in the parliamentary term 2000 – 2004 for 2000, 2001, 2002;

       - National Assembly database in Lotus Notes

 

 

Table 4a: Laws discussed by the National Assembly (October 2000 – year 2001)

Type of laws

2000

2001

Adopted

Rejected

Withdrawn

Adopted

Rejected

Withdrawn

Constitutional acts

 

 

 

 

 

 

Laws

2

3

5

41

4

12

Laws amending laws

5

7

6

63

13

14

Ratifications

6

 

 

58

 

5

Total

13

10

11

162

17

31

Source: - Reports on the National Assembly’s work in the parliamentary term 2000 – 2004 for 2000, 2001;

 


 

Table 4b: Laws discussed by the National Assembly (2002 – 2003 till 15 July)

Type of laws

2002

2003

Adopted

Rejected

Withdrawn

Adopted

Rejected

Withdrawn

Constitutional acts

 

 

 

1

 

 

Laws

53

3

21

19

4

12

Laws amending laws

63

9

17

34

13

14

Ratifications

58

 

1

21

 

5

Total

174

12

39

75

17

31

Source: - Report on the National Assembly’s work in the parliamentary term 2000 – 2004 for 2002;

- National Assembly database in Lotus Notes

 

 

Table 5: Other acts discussed by the National Assembly (October 2000 – 15 July 2003)

Other adopted acts

 

2000

 

2001

 

2002

2003 – 15 July

Obligatory interpretations

 

 

 

1

Rules of Procedure and amendments to the Rules of Procedure

 

3

 

2

 

1

National programmes

 

 

3

 

Budget

 

3

1

1

Supplementary budget

 

 

1

 

Annual accounts

 

 

3

1

Resolutions

 

1

2

 

Declarations

 

2

2

2

Decisions (pursuant to new Rules of Procedure)

 

 

     11

6

Official consolidated texts of laws (pursuant to new Rules of Procedure)

 

 

 

9

 

Ordinances

31

118

70

8

Calling of referendum

 

 

2

 

Others

 

 

 

1

Total

31

127

106

21

Source: - Reports on the National Assembly’s work in the parliamentary term

2000 – 2004 for 2000, 2001, 2002;

- National Assembly database in Lotus Notes

 

 

 

 

Table 6: Activity of the working bodies (sessions) in 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003*

       Working body    

Year

Sessions

Duration

Year

Sessions

Duration

Committee on the Economy

2000

1

1:35

2002

19

60:02

Committee on the Economy

2001

24

56:42

2003

10

12:25

Committee on Foreign Policy

2000

6

9:30

2002

50

82:14

Committee on Foreign Policy

2001

57

88:50

2003

26

43:45

Committee on Defence

2000

1

2:13

2002

7

12:34

Committee on Defence

2001

14

16:43

2003

4

8:25

Committee on Health, Labour, the Family, Social Policy and the Disabled

2000

3

6:25

2002

21

74:35

Committee on Health, Labour, the Family, Social Policy and the Disabled

2001

19

56:07

 

2003

 

9

 

19:01

Committee on Finance and Monetary Policy

2000

4

7:27

2002

34

64:21

Committee on Finance and Monetary Policy

2001

32

65:06

2003

15

24:56

Committee on Agriculture, Forestry and Food

2000

1

1:57

 

2002

21

54:48

Committee on Agriculture, Forestry and Food

2001

30

65:45

2003

10

32:24

Committee on Home Affairs

2000

3

8:30

2002

31

144:07

Committee on Home Affairs

2001

30

72:42

2003

8

26:08

Committee on Culture, Education, Youth, Science and Sport

2000

1

4:18

2002

10

33:53

Committee on Culture, Education, Youth, Science and Sport

2001

12

43:34

2003

5

15:09

Committee on Infrastructure and the Environment

2000

2

6:09

2002

25

74:31

Committee on Infrastructure and the Environment

2001

21

52:32

2003

10

27:42

Commission for Petitions

2000

 

 

2002

9

10:34

Commission for Petitions

2001

6

10:18

2003

5

9:19

Commission for the Rules of Procedure

2000

1

2:36

2002

7

11:41

Commission for the Rules of Procedure

2001

8

20:04

2003

5

4:33

Commission for European Affairs

2000

 

 

2002

14

16:28

Commission for European Affairs

2001

8

10:00

2003

6

12:00

Commission for Budgetary and Other Public Finance Control

2000

 

 

2002

8

28:03

Commission for Budgetary and Other Public Finance Control

2001

11

33:14

2003

7

16:52

Commission for Elections, Appointments and Administrative Affairs (from July 15th, 2002 it operates under name Commission for Mandates and Elections)

2000

5

12:11

 

 

2002

 

 

16

 

 

11:49

Commission for Elections, Appointments and Administrative Affairs – Commission for Mandates and Elections

2001

18

19:31

 

2003

 

8

 

3:47

Mandate and Immunity Commission (from July 15th, 2002 is part of Commission for Mandates and Elections)

2000

3

0:17

 

2002

 

8

 

1:12

Mandate and Immunity Commission (from July 15th, 2002 is part of Commission for Mandates and Elections)

2001

9

3:04

 

2003

 

 

Commission under the Incompatibility of Holding Public Office with Gainful Activity Act

2000

1

1:35

 

2002

 

6

 

2:26

Commission under the Incompatibility of Holding Public Office with Gainful Activity Act

2001

7

7:30

 

 

2003

 

5

 

1:45

Commission for Relations with Slovenes in Neighbouring and Other Countries

2000

 

 

 

2002

 

11

 

13:35

Commission for Relations with Slovenes in Neighbouring and Other Countries

2001

13

22:47

 

2003

 

8

 

10:38

Commission for Supervision of the Work of the Security and Intelligence Services

2000

 

 

 

2002

 

13

 

46:59

Commission for Supervision of the Work of the Security and Intelligence Services

2001

13

69:25

 

2003

8

7

(supervispry visits in institutions)

31:32

31:15

Commission for National Communities

2000

 

 

2002

5

7:19

Commission for National Communities

2001

7

9:59

2003

3

6:33

Constitutional Commission

2000

 

 

2002

9

21:45

Constitutional Commission

2001

2

2:50

2003

2

22:55

Slovene delegation to the  Joint Parliamentary Committee

2000

 

 

      2002

6

16:15

Slovene delegation to the  Joint Parliamentary Committee

2001

10

22:22

2003

 

 

TOTAL

 

 

 

2002

330

789:11

TOTAL

2000  2001

381

804:54:04

      2003

161

361:08

 

Source: Data provided by the secretaries of the working bodies, collected and sorted by the Research Sector

 

 Note: * - The year 2003 comprises data until 15 July.

 

 

The basic principles and duties of working bodies of the National Assembly are determined by the Rules of Procedure and by ordinances on the composition and election of working bodies of the NA. The activities of the working bodies are rather formalised (this applies to responsible standing committees, for commissions on inquiry, supervisory commissions).

 

The Rules of Procedure determine that “working bodies are established in the National Assembly to monitor the state of affairs in individual areas, to prepare policy decisions in such areas, to formulate positions on particular issues and to discuss draft laws and other acts of the National Assembly”. (Rule 32)

 

Further on, the Rules of Procedure determine in detail the tasks of the working body. “The working body responsible” must draw up a report concerning the discussion of a particular issue and must send it to the President of the National Assembly. Such report includes:

-                      “the subject matter of the debate and the proposals made during the debate,

-                      the positions adopted with regard to the opinions of the working bodies concerned, the Legislative and Legal Service, the National Council, the President of the Republic and the Government,

-                      the positions regarding the proposals given during the debate,

-                      the opinion delivered by the working body responsible, including the proposed decisions to be adopted by the National Assembly,

-                     separate opinions if so required by individual members.” (Rule 42)

 

Working bodies may request data and information:

“Rule 45

(1)     Within its scope of work, a working body may ask the Government and other state authorities as well as public institutes, public enterprises and public funds founded by the state, to provide explanations and information which it needs to perform its tasks.”

 

The working bodies (standing committees) responsible play an important role in the second reading of the legislative procedure:

In the second reading, individual articles or parts of the draft law are discussed and voted on.

The second reading is held first within the working body responsible.

Amendments to the draft law may be tabled by deputies, a deputy group, the working body concerned and the working body responsible for public finances, as well as the Government where it is not itself the proposer of the law.

Amendments are tabled in writing, in normative form, together with an explanation stating the reasons for the amendment, the implications for the state budget and other public finance resources, as well as other consequences that the adoption of the amendment might have.

The working body responsible may adopt its own amendment.

After the discussion of amendments and articles within the working body responsible, a new draft law is drawn up including the draft law ready for the second reading and all the adopted amendments. The new draft law is part of the report drawn up by the working body responsible for the second reading of the draft law. (Rules 125 - 133)

 

The Parliamentary administration provides working bodies with all the necessary services: secretarial work, advice on procedure, writing reports, additional documentation, research papers upon request, verbatim records, access to databases in the NA information system and to databases on the Internet, dictionaries etc.

 

 

 

e) Relations between the Parliamentary administration and the legislative process

 

All parts of the Parliamentary administration support the lawmaking process, some of them directly, some indirectly.

 

Secretary General of the National Assembly

The Secretary General organises and coordinates the work of the services in carrying out tasks for the National Assembly, its working bodies and deputies, ensures the uniform functioning of the services, ensures the development of the organisation and work and carries out other tasks in accordance with the Rules of Procedure of the National Assembly and other regulations and general acts.

Secretary General helps the President with legal advice in performing his/her tasks in the lawmaking process.

 

Source: Rules of Procedure, Ordinance on organisation and work of services of the National Assembly of the Republic of Slovenia

 

 

Office of the Secretary General

The Office of the General Secretary carries out professional and administrative tasks for the Secretary General. Civil servants in the office usually do not work directly for the NA in the lawmaking process but help the Secretary General in carrying out his/her tasks. The Office of the Secretary General comprises:

-          a financial and accounting department

-          a personnel department

-          a protocol department,

-          a security adviser,

-          an internal auditor,

-          a legal adviser.

 

Source: Ordinance on organisation and work of services of the National Assembly of the Republic of Slovenia, Act on the System of Positions

 

 

Secretariat of the National Assembly

The Secretariat is directly involved in the lawmaking process.

The Secretariat (secretaries of the working bodies and experts – all with university degree in law, political/social sciences, economics, etc; administrative secretaries) carries out professional, organisational and administrative tasks relating to the work of the National Assembly and its working bodies, examines problems and proposals of laws and other acts submitted for adoption by the National Assembly, delivers expert opinions and takes a position thereon, prepares reports, resolutions, analyses and information, prepares expert basis for the formulation of opinions or replies by the National Assembly to the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Slovenia in the procedures for the review of constitutionality and legality of acts, prepares expert basis for the decisions by the National Assembly in connection with the compulsory interpretation of laws and other acts of the National Assembly, formulates expert basis in connection with policy-making in a specific area and monitors its implementation, carries out administrative and secretarial work and provides deputies and other interested parties with information related to the work of the National Assembly and its working bodies. The secretariat organises the necessary contacts with the Government and individual ministers, other external bodies and authorities (also local government authorities where the Rules of Procedure require an opinion on draft laws from local government institutions), NGOs etc. Civil servants in the Secretariat prepare notes (and an expert opinion in most cases) and information available on issues connected with draft legislation. They must offer advice to the chairpersons and members of the working bodies about the provisions of the Rules of Procedure.

Civil servants in the Secretariat provide for the databases of the lawmaking process as well as for the databases of the working bodies’ sessions. They enter all the documents discussed in the lawmaking process into the databases of the NA information system in Lotus Notes environment.

The Head of the Secretariat of the NA is the Deputy Secretary General. He/she organises and coordinates the work of the Secretariat and, assisted by the secretaries of the working bodies, provides for the accuracy, correctness and timeliness of the documents in the lawmaking process.

 

Source: Rules of Procedure, Ordinance on organisation and work of services of the National Assembly of the Republic of Slovenia, Act on the System of Positions

 

 

Legislative and Legal Service

In accordance with the powers conferred to it by the Rules of Procedure of the NA, the Legislative and Legal Service examines – with a view to ensure conformity (consistence, compliance) with the Constitution and the legal system as well as a uniform expert and methodological approach in the procedure to adopt laws and other regulations in the National Assembly – all laws and other regulations that are submitted for adoption by the National Assembly and provides the Assembly and its working bodies with expert opinions thereon. It prepares the expert basis for the formulation of opinions or replies by the National Assembly to the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Slovenia in procedures for the review of constitutionality and legality of acts and prepares the expert basis for decisions by the National Assembly regarding the compulsory interpretation of laws and other acts of the National Assembly.

The Legislative and Legal Service consists of lawyers with university degree and state legal exam.

 

Source: Rules of Procedure, Decree/Ordinance on organisation and work of services of the National Assembly of the Republic of Slovenia, Act on the System of Positions

 

 

Research Sector

The Research Sector prepares expert analyses concerning issues relating to the work of the National Assembly, its working bodies and other services of the National Assembly, and in particular, comparative reviews in connection with specific legal solutions, provisions of the Rules of Procedure, the status of deputies and the functioning of the parliament.
Services are commissioned to the Research Sector by the National Assembly, its working bodies, the deputies and the Secretary General of the National Assembly.

The papers prepared by the Research Sector are mostly used in the lawmaking process as additional material. In most cases, when draft laws are forwarded by deputy/deputies and »a presentation of the regulation in other legal systems” (at least three legal systems of EU Member States) “and of the harmonisation of the proposed regulation with the acquis communnautaire” as provided by Rule 115 of the Rules of Procedure for draft laws is necessary, comparative overviews are prepared by the Research Sector on special request by deputies.

The Research Sector’s papers are often used in debates of the working bodies (as expert basis), too.

Civil servants employed in the Research Sector must have university degree or higher level (master, PhD.) of education – in law, social and political sciences, economics, environmental sciences, history etc. They all have foreign language skills (at least two).

 

Source: Rules of Procedure, Ordinance on organisation and work of services of the National Assembly of the Republic of Slovenia, Act on the System of Positions

 

 

Information and Documentation Sector

This sector heads and coordinates issues regarding the development of the information system, documentation and library tasks, and work with documents and mail.

They are indirectly involved in the lawmaking process: the Documentation and Library Department provides documents and publications upon request by deputies, working bodies, experts etc. The Department for the Development of the Information System provides for the computerisation of the legislative procedure within the Lotus Notes application (for documentary bases) and for the electronic voting system.

This sector provides for the webcasting of plenary sessions, produces audio and video signals from the plenary room and audio signals from the working bodies' meeting rooms and passes signals to broadcasters.

 

Source: /Ordinance on organisation and work of services of the National Assembly of the Republic of Slovenia, Act on the System of Positions



Technical Operations Sector

This sector heads and coordinates the maintenance of the building, receptionist and telephone services, transport and catering services. The Technical Operations Sector has the following departments: investment department, transport department, catering department and the department for receptionist and telephone services.

They have no special role in the lawmaking process.

 

Source: Ordinance on organisation and work of services of the National Assembly of the Republic of Slovenia, Act on the System of Positions

 

 

Office of the President of the National Assembly

The Office of the President carries out professional, organisational and administrative tasks for the President and the Vice-Presidents of the National Assembly.

No special tasks are envisaged in the lawmaking process.

 

Source: Ordinance on organisation and work of services of the National Assembly of the Republic of Slovenia, Act on the System of Positions

 

 

Information Department

Provides information to the public about the work of the National Assembly and its working bodies, ensures the conditions for representatives of the media to carry out their work within the Assembly, monitors media reporting on the work of the National Assembly and sees to the issue of the NA bulletin and other publications. In cooperation with the individual departments it prepares the necessary explanations in accordance with the regulations on the provision of information to the public and proposes or prepares information and reports which are of interest to the general public.

No special tasks are envisaged in the lawmaking process.

 

Source: Ordinance on organisation and work of services of the National Assembly of the Republic of Slovenia, Act on the System of Positions

 

 

Deputy Groups – services

Since 1997 every deputy group has had its own service to help deputies in their activities in the NA. Civil servants and other persons who work for deputy groups prepare political and expert documents, opinions, amendments, consultations for the group and for individual deputies.

 

 

 

f)     Latest changes in Parliamentary administration

 

Significant changes to the organisation and functioning of Parliamentary administration have been made or planned:

        since 1996 the working process (preparatory work, sessions, documents produced on sessions – of the plenary and of working bodies) has been entirely computerised. All documents are entered in the databases of the information system of the NA. Computerisation of the legislative procedure has become a compulsory framework for the production, entry and use of documents prepared during the legislative procedure. All documents should be accessible in a common and user-friendly environment enabling fast and simple insight into different registers, lists and reviews (in a network, not locally). The users of the information system also have access to the Internet and to special databases (Slovene and some other countries' legislation, dictionaries, databases of the Official Gazette of the Republic of Slovenia, Constitutional Court's databases etc.);

        in 1998 the Research Sector was established to help MPs with quality information in their everyday tasks as deputies and provide specific information for working bodies, the NA and the Secretary General;

       after 1995 the first discussions about the process of harmonisation of Slovene legislation with the acquis communautaire began. As legislator, the National Assembly played a decisive role in the process of harmonisation and Parliamentary administration thus had to adapt to the new situation. An extensive project of expert staff training was carried out so that the parliamentary services are now able to provide expert assistance to the political bodies of the National Assembly in the said process. In addition, the staff is continuously trained in EU matters and institutions, individual specific issues, foreign languages, personal development and computers;

       the NA established the Commission for European Affairs (23 July 1996) and the Slovene delegation to the EU-Slovenia Joint Parliamentary Committee;

        in the spring of 2003, the Slovene Constitution was amended to determine the role of the National Assembly and the relations between the National Assembly and the Slovene Government in the legislative process in EU institutions. Thus, Parliamentary administration is now in the process of adapting to new tasks and challenges (defining the adequate role of the NA);

        following the events of 11 September 2001, an adviser for security matters was employed;

       Parliamentary administration is also in the process of adapting to the challenges of greater openness to the citizens – broadcasting and webcasting the activities of the National Assembly, new forms of communication with the citizens and ensuring them to play an active role in the political process.