The National Assembly (Parliament)
According to the NKR legislation, the National Assembly is the highest legislative and representative body of the Republic. The National Assembly adopts laws, decrees, resolutions, statements and appeals. The President enacts the laws adopted by the National Assembly. At the recommendation of the President, the parliament announces amnesties; ratifies, revokes or suspends international agreements of the NKR; and adopts resolutions declaring war or proclaiming peace.
The Law “On the National Assembly of the NKR” regulates the powers of the country’s legislature, which is a unicameral body. It organizes its work in sessions, standing and ad-hoc committees and through its Members.
Elections for the NKR Supreme Soviet were held on December 28, 1991. This later became a National Assembly, a 33-seat Parliament, the Members of which are elected for a five-year term. Since 2020 [U1] they are elected by a proportional representational system. Parliamentary elections took place in 1995, 2000, 2005, 2010, 2015 and 2020.
The President of the Republic and the one fourth of its Members have the right to convene extraordinary sessions of the National Assembly. An extraordinary session or sitting of the National Assembly can be convened by the Chairperson of the National Assembly upon the initiative of at least one fourth of the total number of Deputies, or that of the President of the Republic.
The National Assembly consists of the Chairperson, his/her Deputy, Members of Parliament (or Deputies) and Standing Committees. Deputies make up factions and groups. The Chairperson of the National Assembly and the Deputy Chairperson are elected by the majority of votes of the total number of Deputies.
The current NKR parliament has 7 Standing Committees:
Parliament’s Standing Committees prepare and discuss bills, acts and issues, which fall under the authority of the National Assembly. They also oversee their implementation.
The regular sessions of the National Assembly are convened twice a year: in September-December and February-June. As a rule, regular meetings of the National Assembly take place on Wednesdays and are open to the public.
