(1) Before the commencement of collecting signatures, a copy of signature-collecting sheets shall be submitted to the head of the local election office, or, regarding county, capital related matters, to the head of the regional election office, for authentication.
(2) The head of the local or regional election office shall authenticate the signature-collecting sheet that complies with legislative conditions in 15 days from submission. The authentication of the signature-collecting sheet shall be refused if
a) the question does not fall within the competence of the body of representatives, the general assembly,
b) local referendum on the question shall not be held,
c) a referendum on the same question has been held within one year,
d) the signature-collecting sheet does not comply with the requirements set forth in § 118.
(3) The decision of the local or regional election office regarding the authentication of the signature-collecting sheet shall be published the way it is locally customary.
(4) On the day when the term of legal remedy has passed without any result, or, in the event of legal remedy, on the day the court's confirmatory decision on the authentication resolution is delivered, the head of the local or regional election office shall apply an attestation clause to the specimen of the signature-collecting sheet. The collection of signatures may be commenced with a copy of the signature-collecting sheet with the attestation clause applied to it.
