2004 Statutes of the Macedonian Cultural Centre in Northern Greece

STATUTES
Of The Association “HOME OF MACEDONIAN CULTURE”

June 19, 2003

ARTICLE 1
FOUNDING – TITLE – HEADQUARTERS

The association is founded with the name “HOME OF MACEDONIAN CULTURE”, based in Florina (Lerin).

ARTICLE 2
PURPOSE

The purpose of the association is:
a) The cultural, spiritual and artistic enrichment of the members of the association, and the development of a sense of spirit, cooperation, solidarity and affection amongst them.
b) The cultural decentralization and protection of the spiritual and artistic festivals and traditions and the monuments of its civilization, and in general the preservation and dissemination of Macedonian civilization. The preservation and cultivation of the Macedonian language – MACEDONCKI.
c) The protection of the natural and cultural environment of our region.

The above aims are achieved through all legal means, in particular:
a) Through lectures, publications, and activities of all types.
b) Through the establishment of a clubhouse, library, through the publication of a newspaper, magazine, books, by organizing lecture series, social, artistic and recreational events, by organizing excursions, film showings, theatrical performances, exhibitions of painting, sculpture and photography, by musical and literary presentations, etc.
c) Through the collaboration of the association with other associations that have common aims, with the local government and other qualified public or private agencies.
d) Through electronic media (radio/television programming).
e) By decision of the General Meeting, special groups (for dance, music, chess, football, youth, men, etc) may be formed in accordance, always, with the rules of the provisions.
These groups are open to all young people in the region, whether or not they join the association.
f) The collaboration with cultural societies of other countries to exchange cultural/political experiences within a framework of friendship amongst peoples.

ARTICLE 3
MEMBERS – RIGHTS – OBLIGATIONS

1. The minimum number of members in the association is fixed at twenty
(20). There is no limit to the number of members in the association. To become a member of the association, one must submit an application to the Board of Directors (Board), stating that s/he has fulfilled the conditions of article 9 paragraph 1 and that s/he accepts without reservation the statutes and aims of the association. If the Board does not approve the application, the prospective member may appeal at the association’s General Meeting (G.M.). This application is not required of the founding members.
2. The association’s members must pay a registration fee of €5.00
euro and annual membership dues of €6.00 euro. These amounts may be raised by decision of the Board.
3. In exceptional cases the title of honorary member may be awarded.
Honorary members of the association are those who, by decision of the G.M., taken by a majority of three fourths (3/4) of the present members, have decisively contributed to the achievement of the aims of the association.
4. The members have the obligation:
a) To uphold the statutes and decisions of the association’s G.M. and the Board.
b) To pay their monthly dues to the association in a timely fashion in the amount
determined by the Board.
c) To take part in the association’s activities, and in its efforts and endeavors to achieve its aims.
d) Anyone who resigns or is expelled from the association is not entitled to
reimbursement of moneys paid to the association, has no right to the assets of the association, and is obligated to pay any dues owed to the association in accordance with the law.
e) A member who has not paid his/her dues is not entitled to vote in elections or
to hold office.
f) Regular members of the association are entitled to participate in the G.M., to
express opinions on the topics under discussion, to propose and vote on various proposals, to elect and be elected to the Board and to other administrative bodies of the association, provided that their dues are in paid in full and that they have been registered members of the Association for two (2) months prior to the convening date of the General Meeting.
g) Honorary members may participate in the G.M. but do not have the right to
h) Any member of the association has the right to resign from the association
after submitting a written statement to the Board.
i) A regular member may be struck from the rolls of the association, by
decision of the Board, when his/her dues are six (6) months in arrears; by the absolute majority of the G.M. when s/he has violated the terms of the statutes or the decisions of the G.M.; and when his or her acts or omissions are detrimental to the aims of the association. A regular member who has been struck for reasons cited in the second item of this article may be reinstated by a decision at the next G.M. taken by a majority vote of three fourths (3/4) of the present members. A person struck for reasons cited in the first part of this article may be reinstated by a simple application to the Board after having remitted any past dues. The re-registration of a member who has resigned or been struck for reasons in the second item of the above article follows the normal registration procedure of a new member.
j) Membership in the association is not open to any person under the age of
eighteen (18).

ARTICLE 4
REVENUE AND PROPERTY OF THE ASSOCIATION

1. The association’s revenue comes from registration
fees, membership dues, and any other legal income (members’ contributions, profits from organized events, sales of its publications, etc) that do not conflict with the aims of the association.
2. The association’s moveable property is acquired and transferred by decision of the Board if in excess of €1000.00 euro. Transactions of less than €1000.00 euro require only the President’s approval to the association’s Treasurer. Immovable property is acquired and transferred by decision of the Board, which is ratified by the G.M.
3. The association is a non-profit organization.

ARTICLE 5
ADMINISTRATIVE BODIES OF THE ASSOCIATION

The association’s administrative bodies are:
1. The General Meeting
2. The Board of Directors
3. The Auditing Committee

ARTICLE 6
THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS (BOARD)

1. The association is administrated by a seven-member Board, consisting of the 1. President, 2. Vice-President, 3. General Secretary, 4. Special Secretary, 5. Treasurer, and two members. Every two years, the members of the Board and three alternate members are elected by secret ballot for a two-year term at a regular General Meeting. [The term of office is] from 15.09 to 15.10. Votes are cast on ballots stamped with the seal of the association. A three-member returns committee, which is selected by the G.M., counts the votes.
3. The Board of Directors (Board), at its first meeting, which convenes
no later than one week after elections, elects by secret ballot its President, Vice-President, General Secretary, Special Secretary, and Treasurer. The invitation to convene the Board as a body is the duty of the senior-most elected Director.

ARTICLE 7
REPLACING MEMBERS OF THE BOARD

Any member of the Board may be replaced by the first alternate member when:
a) s/he submits a resignation.
b) is unjustifiably absent from three consecutive Board meetings.
c) for any reason has lost his/her status as a member of the association.

ARTICLE 8
DUTIES OF THE BOARD

The duties of the Board are:
a) to faithfully uphold of the Articles and the decisions of the G.M. and, in
general, to see to achieving the aims of the association.
b) to manage the revenue of the association and to submit the financial
report and budget to the G.M.
c) to organize and implement the association’s scheduled events
d) to be responsible for all matters concerning the association.

ARTICLE 9
SESSIONS OF THE BOARD

The Board is convened by the President and meets regularly every month and in special sessions when necessary. A special session of the Board is convened upon the written request of three members of the Board and for specific matters. The Board has a quorum when at least five of its members are present. In the event of a tie vote, the President has the overriding vote. The Board consists of seven members and its term is suspended when only five members remain. The Board represents the association and the President represents the Board. By decision of the Board, representation may be assigned to a third person provided s/he is confirmed by the G.M. The offices of the members of the Board are honorary and are performed without remuneration. Any member of the association may attend the sessions of the BOARD but does not have the right to speak.

ARTICLE 10
DUTIES OF THE PRESIDENT

The President of the Board represents the association before the Court and all governmental agencies, natural persons or legal entities. S/he, together with the General Secretary, carries out the decisions of the G.M. and the Board and co-signs with the General Secretary all documents and minutes of the meetings. When the President is unable, absent or otherwise impeded from carrying out his or her duties, s/he is succeeded by the Vice-President, followed by the General Secretary.

ARTICLE 11
DUTIES OF THE VICE-PRESIDENT

The Vice-President succeeds the President when the latter is unable to carry out his or her duties.

ARTICLE 12
DUTIES OF THE GENERAL SECRETARY

The General Secretary manages the offices of the association, submits the items on the agenda, maintains the membership register and files, conducts correspondence, and takes the minutes at the sessions of the G.M.
S/he keeps the files and the association’s seal. S/he co-signs with the President all documents, payment orders, minutes of meetings, etc, and with the President represents the association in every authority.

ARTICLE 13
DUTIES OF THE SPECIAL SECRETARY

The Special Secretary succeeds the General Secretary when the latter is unable to perform his/her duties and takes the minutes of the G.M.

ARTICLE 14
DUTIES OF THE TREASURER

The Treasurer keeps association’s Treasury, records all collections in duplicate receipt, makes payments on the basis of orders that bear the signatures of the President and the General Secretary of the Board and the association’s seal, and makes deposits. He must have only €1000 euro at his disposal for the current needs of the association. The association’s income is deposited in an account in the association’s name in the Post Office Savings Bank or in one of the Banks of Florina. Every withdrawal of funds requires the decision of the Board. The Treasurer keeps the books of the Treasury, which are numbered and signed on the last page by the association’s President and the General Secretary. S/he prepares and submits to the Board, in a timely fashion, an account of the association’s income and expenses and a list of those members who are in arrears with their dues. When the Treasurer is absent or impeded s/he is succeeded by a member of the Board who s/he has designated as assistant.
The Treasurer collects the members’ dues and at every session reports the names of those members in good standing who are entitled to vote. S/he compiles the annual financial report and reads it at the General Meeting, which rules to confirm it.

ARTICLE 15
AUDITING COMMITTEE

At the same elections held for the Board, the G.M. also elects a three-member Auditing Committee with two alternate members, which has the right to audit the books of the Treasury and compile a relevant report that it submits every two years a regular General Meeting. The President of the Auditing Committee is designated by decision of its members.
The Auditing Committee (A.C.):
The Auditing Committee has three members and is elected along with the Board by the G.M. Its term expires together with that of the Board. The A.C. is organized in a body in the same manner as the Board and is convened by the president when there is a need and especially before a review session of the G.M., at which time it audits the association’s books and compiles the relevant report. It has a quorum with two members and in the event of a tie vote the president has the overriding vote.

ARTICLE 16
GENERAL MEETING

A. DIFFERENTIATION

The General Meeting is the highest body of the association and decides on all matters within its capacity, either by law or by the present statutes. It confirms the annual financial report of the Board of Directors and elects among its members those who will constitute the Board of Directors and the Auditing Committee. The General Meeting is differentiated as to Regular, Special and Statutory Meetings.
a. A Regular Meeting is convened once a year either for elections or
for the annual financial review.
b. A Special Meeting may be called at any time as prescribed by the
provisions of the statutes. The Present of the association may convene a Special General Meeting when: 1. S/he deems it necessary, 2. It is requested by 3 of the 5 members of the Board, or 3. It is requested by 2/5 of the association’s members.
c. A Statutory General Meeting, which is convened exclusively for the
purposes of amending the statutes, is convened by the Board or when requested by 2/5 of the members in good standing.
An invitation to convene a regular, special or statutory G.M. must contain: a) the place of the meeting, b) the time of the meeting, c) the topics on the agenda (a topic that is not listed may not be discussed, and any such discussion is null and void), and d) an alternate invitation including time and place if there is no quorum at the first meeting.

B. CAPACITIES

The association’s highest body is the General Meeting of its members, which also oversees the administration of the association. The General Meeting of the association’s members is convened as stated above at least once a year by the President of the Board or by decision of the Board. The association’s members are notified of the session of the G.M. either by an announcement published eight days beforehand in a Florina newspaper or by personal invitation to each member individually. Elections of the new Board and A.C. are held every two years. General Meetings can be convened specially when deemed necessary by the Board or when 1/5 of the association’s members in good standing request it in writing. In this event, the President of the Board is required to call the meeting within one month of the submission of such a request.
A session of the G.M. is considered to have a quorum when it is attended by half (1/2) plus one (1) of the members in good standing. In the event that there is no quorum, the G.M. will reconvene one week later on the same day and time and with the same agenda, at which time it will have a quorum regardless of how many members are present.
The G.M. is presided over by the chair, which consists of the President of the association, the Special Secretary and one other member of the Board, unless it is for the election of the Board. In that event, a three-member returns committee is selected for the sole purposes of conducting the elections.
The decisions of the G.M. are taken by a simple majority in an open ballot by those members present and by secret ballot when concerning the election to an organ of the association, a vote of confidence on the Board to confirm accountability, and general personal matters. A different form of majority is used when so designated by the provisions of the present statutes.
The decisions of the G.M. stand for internal rules and regulations, but they cannot be repealed or amended without the due legal process provided in the present statutes.
Any issue that is not regulated by the present statutes is regulated by the G.M as prescribed by law and constitutes an internal rule and regulation of the association.
The report of the proceedings of the year that passed is read at the Regular G.M. as is the financial report, which is then confirmed. The report of the A.C. is also read at the same session.
Topics of the annual General Meeting are:
a) Report of the proceedings of the Board and a discussion to confirm it.
b) Report of the A.C. on the financial position of the association.
c) Passing of the budget submitted by the Board.
d) Election of the Board and A.C.
e) Any other matter that the Board deems expedient or which is
requested by application duly submitted by 1/10 of the members in good standing. Elections are held immediately following the selection of the three-member returns committee and on the same day that the biennial Regular General Meeting is convened.

ARTICLE 17
PARTICIPATION IN SECONDARY AND TERTIARY
CULTURAL ORGANIZATIONS – GENERAL PROVISIONS

The association has the right to join and participate in secondary and tertiary cultural organizations (federations, etc). In addition, the association has the right to join and participate in other European or international unions.
The association is obligated to comply with the law and the Civil Code.

ARTICLE 18
ELECTIONS

1. Elections are conducted by secret ballot. Only those members in
good standing are eligible to vote. Eligibility to hold office is extended only those members who have been on the rolls of the association for two months preceding the General Meeting elections.
2. The Returns Committee accepts nominations for members of the
Board for one hour prior to the start of voting.
3. The first seven members of the Board are elected in order of number
of votes, the next three in line are elected as alternate members.
4. A single ballot is used, which contains the names of all nominees
for the Board in alphabetical order, with those for the Board of Directors duly indicated on the top and those nominees for the Auditing Committee marked accordingly on the lower portion of the ballot.

ARTICLE 19
DISSOLUTION OF THE ASSOCIATION

The association is dissolved: a) If the number of members falls below ten (10), b) If so decided by a General Meeting that has convened for this purpose and with the vote of three fourths (3/4) of its members in good standing. In the event of dissolution of the association, its property devolves to needy families of Florina as ruled on by the Board.

ARTICLE 20
AMENDMENT OF THE STATUTES

The Statutes may be amended by a decision of the G.M., which is taken with the majority of three fourths (3/4) of those members able to take part in the G.M. as such participation is defined in the statutes.

ARTICLE 21
SEAL OF THE ASSOCIATION

The association has its own seal. It is round in shape, with the words ΣΤΕΓΗ ΜΑΚΕΔΟΝΙΚΟΥ ΠΟΛΙΤΙΣΜΟΥ [HOME OF MACEDONIAN CULTURE] on its circumference and the words ΦΛΟΡΙΝΑ 1989 [FLORINA 1989] in the center.

ARTICLE 22
INTERPRETATION OF ARTICLES

All matters that are not regulated by the present statutes are regulated by the G.M. as prescribed by the law for associations. The G.M. has the authority in the event of question concerning the interpretation of the articles of the present statutes.

ARTICLE 23
BOOKS

The association is obligated to maintain the following books:
a) Register of Members
b) Minutes of the General Meetings
c) Minutes of the Sessions of the Board of Directors
d) Income – Expenses
e) Assets
f) File of incoming and outgoing documents.
The Prefect or other authorized agent validates the books before they are used.

ARTICLE 24
INTERNAL RULES AND REGULATIONS
AND INTERIM PROVISIONS

1. Internal Rules and Regulations
The Board may draft Internal Rules and Regulations that may be
implemented if approved by the G.M.
2. Interim Provisions
a. Once the legal personality and the legally required confirmation have been attained and the statutes published, the Provisional Board has six months during which it is obligated to call elections for the new Board.
b. The members that enroll within one month from the day of judicial
recognition are considered equal in rank to the founding members.

ARTICLE 25
CLOSING ARTICLE

The present statues containing twenty-five (25) articles, having been read at the statutory meeting of the members, which convened for this purpose in Florina, and will be valid from its publication in the public register of associations kept by the Florina Court of First Instance, was approved unanimously by article and as a whole and is signed by the following [94 founding members].

Florina 19.06.2003
(Signed)

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