Article 61

The Assembly of the Republic of Macedonia is a representative body of the citizens and the legislative power of the Republic is vested in it. The organisation and functioning of the Assembly are regulated by the Constitution and by the Rules of Procedure.

Article 62

The Assembly of the Republic of Macedonia is composed of 120 to 140 Representatives.

The Representatives are elected at general, direct and free elections and by secret ballot.

The Representatives represents the citizens and makes decisions in the Assembly in accordance with his/her personal convictions.

A Representative's mandate cannot be revoked.

The mode and conditions of election of Representatives are regulated by a law adopted by a two-thirds majority vote of the total number of Representatives.

Article 63

The Representatives for the Assembly are elected for a term of four years. The mandate of Representatives is verified by the Assembly. The length of the mandate is reckoned from the constitutive meeting of the Assembly. Each newly-elected Assembly must hold a constitutive meeting 20 days at the latest after the election was held. The constitutive meeting is called by the President of the Assembly of the previous term.

If a constitutive meeting is not called within the time laid down, the Representatives assemble and constitute the Assembly themselves on the twenty-first day after the completion of the elections. Elections for Representatives to the Assembly are held within the last 90 days of the term of the current Assembly, or within 60 days from the day the dissolution of the Assembly.

The term of office of the Representatives to the Assembly can be extended only during states of war or emergency.

Cases where a citizen cannot be elected a Representative, owing to the incompatibility of this office with other public offices or professions already held, are defined by law. The Assembly is dissolved when more than half of the total number of Representatives vote for dissolution.

Article 64

Representatives enjoy immunity.

A Representative cannot be held to have committed a criminal offence or be detained owing to views he/she has expressed or to the way he/she has voted in the Assembly.

A Representative cannot be detained without the approval of the Assembly unless found committing a criminal offence for which a prison sentence of at least five years if prescribed. The Assembly can decide to invoke immunity for a Representative without his/her request, should it be necessary for the performance of the Representative's office.

Representatives may not be called up for duties in the Armed Forces during the course of their term of office.

A Representative is entitled to remuneration determined by law.

Article 65

A Representative may resign his/her mandate.

The Representative submits his/her resignation in person at a session of the Assembly.

The mandate of a Representative terminates if he/she is sentences for a criminal offence for which a prison sentence of at least five years is prescribed.

The Representative can have his/her mandate revoked for committing a criminal offence making him/her unfit to perform the office of a Representative, as well as for absence from the Assembly for longer than 6 months for no justifiable reason. Revocation of the mandate is determined by the Assembly by a two-thirds majority vote of all Representatives.

Article 66

The Assembly is in permanent session.

The Assembly works at meetings.

The meetings of the Assembly are called by the President of the Assembly.

The Assembly adopts the Rules of Procedure by a two-thirds majority vote of the total number of Representatives.

Article 67

The Assembly elects a President and one or more Vice-Presidents from the ranks of the Representatives by a majority vote of the total number of Representatives.

The President of the Assembly represents the Assembly, ensures the application of the Rules of Procedure and carries out other responsibilities determined by the Constitution and the Rules of Procedure of the Assembly.

The office of the President of the Assembly is incompatible with the performance of other public offices, professions or appointment in a political party.

The President of the Assembly issues notice to the election of Representatives and of the President of the Republic.

Article 68

The Assembly of the Republic of Macedonia

• adopts and changes the Constitution;
• adopts laws and gives the authentic interpretation of laws;
• determines public taxes and fees;
• adopts the budget and the balance of payments of the Republic;
• adopts the spatial plan of the Republic;
• ratifies international agreements;
• decides on war and peace;
• makes decisions concerning any changes in the borders of the Republic;
• makes decisions on association in the disassociation from any form of union or community with other states;
• issues notice of a referendum;
• makes decisions concerning the reserves of the Republic;
• sets up councils;
• elects the Government of the Republic of Macedonia;
• carries out elections and discharges judges;
• selects, appoints and dismisses other holders of public and other offices determined by the Constitution and law;
• carries out political monitoring and supervision of the Government and other holders of public office responsible to the Assembly;
• proclaims amnesties;
  and
• performs other activities determined by the Constitution.

Article 69

The Assembly may work if its meeting is attended by a majority of the total number of Representatives. The Assembly makes decisions by a majority vote of the Representatives attending, but no less than one-third of the total number of Representatives, in so far as the Constitution does not provide for a qualified majority.

Article 70

The meetings of the Assembly are open to the public.

The Assembly may decide to work without the presence of the public by a two-thirds majority vote of the total number of Representatives.

Article 71

The right to propose adoption of a law is given to every Representative of the Assembly, to the Government of the Republic and to a group of at least 10,000 voters.

The initiative for adopting a law may be given to the authorised instances by any citizen, group of citizens, institutions or associations.

Article 72

An interpellation may be made concerning the work of any public office-holder, the Government and any ot its members individually, as well as on issues concerning the performance of state bodies.

Interpellations may be made by a minimum of five Representatives.

All Representatives have the right to ask a Representative's question. The mode and procedure for submitting and debating on an interpellation and Representative's question are regulated by the Rules of Procedure.

Article 73

The Assembly decides on issuing notice of a referendum concerning specific matters within its sphere of competence by a majority vote of the total number of Representatives.

The decision of the majority of votes in a referendum is adopted on condition that more than half of the total number of voters voted. The Assembly is obliged to issue notice of a referendum if one is proposed by at least 150,000 voters.

The decision made in a referendum is binding.

Article 74

The Assembly makes decisions on any change in the borders of the Republic of Macedonia by a two-thirds majority vote of the total number of Representatives.

The decision on any change in the borders of the Republic is adopted by referendum, in so far as it is accepted by the majority of the total number of voters.

Article 75

Laws are declared by promulgation.

The promulgation declaring a law is signed by the President of the Republic and the President of the Assembly.

The President of the Republic may decide not to sign the promulgation declaring a law. The Assembly considers the President of the Republic is then obligated to sign the promulgation in so far as it is adopted by a majority vote of the total number of Representatives.

The President is obligated to sign a promulgation if the law has been adopted by a two-thirds majority vote of the total number of Representatives in accordance with the Constitution.

Article 76

The Assembly sets up permanent and temporary working bodies. The Assembly may set up survey commissions for any domain or any matter of public interest.

A proposal for setting up a survey of commission may be submitted by a minimum of 20 Representatives.

The Assembly sets u p a permanent survey commission for the protection of the freedoms and rights of citizens.

The findings of the survey commissions form the basis for the initiation of proceedings to ascertain the answerability of public office-holders.

Article 77

The Assembly elects the Public Attorney.

The Public Attorney protects the constitutional and legal rights of citizens when violated by bodies of state administration and by other bodies and organisations with public mandates.

The Public Attorney is elected for a term of eight years, with the right to one reelection.

The conditions for election and dismissal, the sphere of competence and the mode of work of the Public Attorney are regulated by law.

Article 78

The Assembly establishes a Council for Inter-Ethnic Relations. The Council consists of the President of the Assembly and two members each form the ranks of the Macedonians, Albanians, Turks, Vlachs and Romanies, as well as two members from the ranks of other nationalities in Macedonia.

The President of the Assembly is President of the Council. The Assembly elects the members of the Council.

The Council considers issues of inter-ethnic relations in the Republic and makes appraisals and proposals for their solution.

The Assembly is obliged to take into consideration the appraisals and proposals of the Council and to make decisions regarding them.