8/1960). The two Communal Chambers, which acted as a Lower Parliament, had jurisdiction over all religious, educational, cultural and other affairs of communal nature (Article 87). With the end of Turkish Cypriot representation in the common state in 1963 and the self-dissolution of the Greek Communal Chamber in 1965, it was decided to transfer the executive powers of the Greek Communal Chamber to the newly formed Ministry of Education and its legislative powers to the House of Representatives (Law 12/1965). According to the Decision of the Council of Ministers 4.907/29–07–1965, it was decided that the three Representatives would provisionally continue to represent their communities in the House on issues pertaining to the jurisdiction of their Chamber and that the House was to request their opinion before legislating on pertinent matters (Law 12/1965). In order to approximate the tenure of the other MPs, the term of the three Representatives was annually extended (Law 45/1965, Law 49/1966, Law 50/1967, Law 87/1968 and Law 58/1969). The status of the three Representatives in the House of Representatives was confirmed with Law 58/1970 and furthermore specified with Law 38/1976, Law 41/1981 and Law 66(I)/2011. Since 1991, the elections for the three Representatives have been held simultaneously and in parallel with the general parliamentary elections and the Representatives' term is identical with that of the proper MPs (Law 70/1986). The Representatives act as liaisons between their communities and the state and they are par excellence competent to bring before the state all issues relating to their group. Their participation has a 5-year duration and a consultative character, as although they can express their views on matters relating to their group, they do not have the right to vote. Especially in the case of the Armenians, the Representative delivers a speech about the Armenian genocide during the plenary session of the House convened on or near 24 April each year. So far, six (6) Armenian Representatives have served: Berge Tilbian from Nicosia (1960–1970), Dr. Antranik L. Ashdjian from Nicosia (1970–1982), Aram Kalaydjian from Larnaca (1982–1995), Bedros Kalaydjian from Larnaca (1995–2005), Dr. Vahakn Atamyan from Nicosia (2005–2006) and Vartkes Mahdessian from Nicosia (2006–today). Since 1998, the elected Representative is ex officio member of the Diocesan Council (Թեմական Ժողով) of the Armenian Ethnarchy (Ազգային Իշխանութիւն). Elections The first elections for the Armenian member of the Greek Communal Chamber took place on 5 August 1960 between Vahram Levonian and Berge