King Hassan II to open parliament fall session on Friday

King Hassan II will inaugurate on Friday the fall session of the Moroccan parliament.

The Moroccan constitution stipulates that the parliament's fall session shall commence on the second Friday of October.

The parliament closed its spring session last September 24 with the adoption of the 1998-99 appropriation bill.

Morocco's fiscal year runs from July to June and the appropriation bill is drawn in early summer, to enable the bill drafters take into account the state of the cereals harvest and agriculture in general.

Agriculture represents around 20 percent of the country's GDP and employs nearly half of an estimated 10-million workforce.

The Moroccan bi-cameral parliament comprises a 325-seat house of representatives (lower house/totally elected at the direct universal suffrage) and a 270-seat chamber of advisors (upper house/elected by electoral colleges).

The opening of the fall session will be attended by several foreign figures including Argentina's vice-president, Carlos F. Ruckauf, and Indian vice-speaker, G.M.C. Balayogi.