The National Council of the Judiciary is a constitutional organ appointed to safeguard the independence of courts and judges. It is a collective organ, composed of representatives of the judiciary (the First President of the Supreme Court, the President of the High Administrative Court and 15 representatives of the judiciary's self-governments appointed for a four-year term of office), the legislative (four Deputies and two Senators chosen for a four-year term of office) and the executive (the Minister of Justice and an individual appointed by the President of the Republic). The Council presents the President with motions concerning the appointment of judges; it deals with judiciary's staff matters, and expresses its opinions on the professional ethic of judges. It may also make an application to the Constitutional Tribunal to adjudicate on the constitutional conformity of normative acts to the extent to which they concern the independence of courts and judges.