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Three Bills - the Audit Bill 2017 (Private Member’s Bill), the Narcotic Drugs, Psychotropic  Substances and Substance Abuse (Amendment) Bill of Bhutan 2017 (Urgent Bill) and the Tourism Levy Exemption Bill of Bhutan 2017 (Money Bill) were tabled today for First and Second Readings.

The Hon’ble Speaker warmly welcomed Morocco’s Ambassador Mohamed Maliki to Bhutan and congratulated the Ambassador on taking up this esteemed post. The Speaker expressed that the two countries shared similar history of visionary monarchs and constitutional democracy among others.

Today, the Opening Ceremony of the 10th Session of the Second Parliament was kindly graced by His Majesty the Druk Gyalpo and received in a traditional Chipdrel ceremony.    The Ceremony was also graced by Her Majesty the Gyaltsuen, Members of the Royal Family, Foreign Dignitaries, Senior Government officials, students and public.

H.E. Mr. Gilad Cohen, Deputy Director General for Asia & Pacific Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Israel and delegation called on to the Hon’ble Speaker today.

Hon’ble Speaker, Members and Staff of the National Assembly visited Dechenphug Lhakhang and Tashichhodzong Dukhang this morning to offer prayers and seek blessing of guardian deities for the upcoming 10th Session of the Second Parliament scheduled from 15 November to 8 December, 2017.

On the request of the Economic & Private Sector Development Committee (EPSDC), the Department of Revenue & Customs under the Ministry of Finance made a presentation on Goods and Services Tax (GST) to the Members of National Assembly. 

National Assembly Secretariat organized an Interactive session between National Assembly Committees and registered Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) on 3rd November, 2017. The first ever such session was attended by around 31 participants from various CSOs. 

On the invitation of His Excellency Mr. Antonio Tajani, President of the European Parliament, Tshogpon Jigme Zangpo, Hon’ble Speaker of the National Assembly, led a parliamentary delegation comprising of members from both the National Assembly and the National Council on an official visit to the European Parliament in Brussels from 17 to 19 October 2017.

His Excellency Peter Taksoe-Jensen, Denmark’s Ambassador to Bhutan, called on to the Hon Speaker on 24th October, 2017. The Speaker warmly welcome the Ambassador and expressed his deep appreciation to the Government and People of Denmark for their developmental assistance and especially to the Parliament in the past.

A Preliminary meeting for the discussion and finalization of the Agenda for the 10^th Session of the Second Parliament was held today at the Gyelyong Tshogkhang Conference Hall.

A 5-member Parliamentary Delegation led by Tshogpon Jigme Zangpo is currently in Brussels, Belgium on the invitation of Mr. Antonia Tajani, President of European Parliament. The delegation met Mr. Siegfried Bracke, President of the House of Representatives of the Belgian Federal Parliament and discussed on areas of Parliamentary collaboration. 

A one-day consultation workshop is being held with the staff of the National Assembly Secretariat at the Le Meridien to review the current Strategic Development Plan and prepare a new Strategic Development Plan beyond 2018 for the National Assembly of Bhutan. 

H.E. Mr. Katsuyuki Kawai, Member, House of Representatives of Japan and Special Advisor to President of LDP of Japan called on Hon’ble Speaker of the National Assembly of Bhutan on 7^th September 2017 at the GyelyongTshokhang.

The Members of Parliament and Parliamentary Staff are attending a workshop on Review of Bills at Le Meridian today. The two day workshop held from 7-8th September, 2017. is organized by International IDEA (Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance) in collaboration with the Parliament of Bhutan.

The Hon’ble Members and the staff of the National Assembly, led by the Hon’ble Speaker offered Kusung Thukten Mendrel to His Holiness the Je Khenpo at Kuesenselphodrang today.