Ad hoc committees and committees of inquiry

The National Assembly establishes ad hoc committees to deal with current affairs. For instance, in the parliamentary term of 2010 - 2014, these included preparing the national equestrian programme, promoting a programme to combat ragweed, monitoring the tendering procedure related to the broadcast and distribution of audio-visual content and the digital changeover, innovation and development, and laying the groundwork for the new constitution. One ad hoc committee was established for the nomination of members of the Constitutional Court during the following term (2014 – 2018). The fore mentioned ad hoc committee was established in the new parliamentary cycle (2018 – 2022) as well and another ad hoc committee was set up for the nomination of members of the Media Council of National Media and Infocommunications Authority.

Committees of inquiry are formed by Parliament to investigate a specific matter, with regard to which the liability of the government (or a minister) normally arises. This explains why opposition Members are more likely to recommend that a committee of inquiry be formed instead of Members from the governing majority. When a new government takes office, however, Members from the new governing majority (the former opposition) normally demand that committees investigate events that occurred during the previous government.

To remedy an omission that the Constitutional Court found in 2006, Parliament regulated the activities of committees of inquiry in (Secs. 24-27 of) the Act on the National Assembly.

A motion to form a committee of inquiry may be tabled by one-fifth of the Members, and Parliament then votes on the creation and organisation of such a committee.

The duties of ad hoc committees and committees of inquiry are laid down in the resolution adopted by Parliament on their formation. These committees are continuously established and dissolved in the course of a parliamentary term.

Only Members of Parliament can act as officers or members of a committee of inquiry. Ad hoc committees, on the other hand, may consist of members who are not Members of Parliament, but they do not enjoy the right to vote. However, the positions for chairperson and vice chairperson are limited to Members of Parliament. Additionally, these rules shall not apply to an ad hoc committee nominating  public officials elected by Parliament.

Committees of inquiry submit a report of their findings to Parliament, which discusses the report and votes on whether or not to accept it.