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Belgrade, June 30, 2005
At its session of June 30, 2005 held in Belgrade, and based on Articles 15 and 16 of the Law on the Association of Citizens in Associations, Social Organisations and Political Organisations Founded on the Territory of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (“Official Gazette of SFRY” No.42/90) and Article 18, line 1 of the Statutes of the Center for Antiwar Action, the Assembly of the Center for Antiwar Action adopted the following
STATUTES
OF THE CENTER FOR PEACE AND DEMOCRACY DEVELOPMENT
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I GENERAL PROVISIONS
Article 1
The Center for Peace and Democracy Development (hereinafter referred to as the Center) is a voluntary association of citizens in which the citizens shall associate for the purpose of achieving goals set by these Statutes.
Article 2
These Statutes shall regulate the joint objectives, mutual rights, duties and responsibilities of members and bodies, as well as other issues of importance for the work of the Center.
Article 3
The name of the association shall be: The Center for Peace and Democracy Development.
The abbreviated name of the Center shall be: MIR (the Peace).
The headquarters of the Center shall be in Belgrade.
The Center shall carry out its activities on the territory of Serbia and Montenegro.
Article 4
The Center shall have the capacity of a legal person.
Article 5
The Center has been founded at the Founding Conference held on December 2, 1991 in Belgrade.
Article 6
The Center shall have a round seal, 3 cm in diameter, with the following circular inscription in Latin alphabet: "The Center for Peace and Democracy Development - Belgrade" and the word "MIR" (Peace) written horizontally in Cyrillic and Latin alphabets in the centre.
II TASKS AND OBJECTIVES
Article 7
The most important objectives of the Center shall be to:
a. contribute to the establishment of stability and peace, especially in the Balkans;
b. work for the punishment of all perpetrators of war crimes, for the reconciliation of the conflicted parties and for the development of the culture of non-violence;
c. promote civil rights and freedoms, the rule of law, non-discrimination and responsible authorities;
d. promote participatory democracy, decentralisation and development of civic activism at the local level;
e. help achieve relevant social capital and protection of public goods and interests.
In an effort to achieve its tasks the Center shall also carry out the following tasks:
a. work on the establishment of regional cooperation and mutual respect of differences between people and cultures;
b. develop value orientations, practices and the institutionalisation of an open, multi-ethnic, tolerant, rational and democratic society;
c. organise and link activities of non-governmental organisations for the purpose of coming to terms with the past and initiating reconciliation, as well as creating a vision of a joint future;
d. work on the promotion of knowledge and skills of responsible leadership, dialogue and consensus-based decision making, constructive conflict resolution, strategic planning, lobbying and advocating civil initiatives;
e. spread the awareness of citizens on the need to participate in decision-making for the purpose of protecting their legitimate interests and public goods at the local level, as well as on the control of local authorities, and
f. cooperate with the national, foreign and international organisations, private sector and competent authorities for the purpose of implementing the above stated objectives.
For the purpose of achieving its tasks the Center shall also carry out the following activities:
a. organise, carry out and support research in the fields of peace, respect for civil rights, participatory democracy, local development and management;
b. cooperate with other non-governmental organisations, national, regional and international in facing the past, reconciliation and overcoming nationalism, extremism and all types of intolerance;
c. organise and support the holding of expert and popular lectures, seminars and courses, panels and other forms of education;
d. organise lobbying for legal initiatives and monitoring of the work of authorities, especially local, plan citizens’ actions, their cooperation and alliance at the local and regional level;
e. publish and support the publishing of publications, etc. in accordance with the Law;
f. study and support peace, democratic, minority and vulnerable groups and movements;
g. encourage activism of the young and their leadership at the local level; and
h. study and propose the improvement of the internal political and legal system, and the rule of law.
III TRANSPARENCY OF WORK
Article 8
The work of the Center and its bodies shall be public.
The public shall be informed of the work of the Center and its bodies through its web site, as well as electronic and printed media.
IV CENTER’S RELATIONS WITH OTHER ORGANISATIONS
Article 9
The Center shall cooperate with related organisations, groups and individuals in the country and abroad which accept such cooperation.
Article 10
The Center can apply for membership in related organisations and associations both in the country and abroad, in accordance with the Law.
The Governing Board shall decide on the Center’s membership in organisations and associations mentioned herein.
V MEMBERSHIP IN THE CENTER
Article 11
Any physical or legal person who accepts the Center’s objectives may apply for membership.
The Center may establish branch offices in places where there is an expressed interest for that.
Article 12
The Governing Board shall decide on admitting new members, as well as on the establishment of branch offices.
Appeals against decisions of the Governing Board may be filed with the Assembly, which shall bring final decision on admission to membership, and/or the establishment of a branch office.
Article 13
Members of the Center shall have a right to:
- take part in the work and activities of the Center and its bodies;
- elect and be elected to the bodies of the Center;
- be informed of the Center’s work and activities, and,
- launch initiatives for the work of the Center and its bodies, give proposals and opinions and raise objections to the work of the Center and be informed of the stand taken thereon.
Article 14
Members of the Center shall have the duty to:
- work for the achievement of the objectives of the Center;
- protect and enhance the Center’s reputation;
- pay the membership fee.
Article 15
The membership in the Center shall cease with member's withdrawal or expulsion.
Any member working against the Center's objectives shall be expulsed from it.
The Governing Board shall decide on expulsions.
A member, to whom the Governing Board’s decision on expulsion relates, shall have a right to appeal against such a decision.
The Assembly shall decide on appeals.
Decisions of the Assembly shall be final.
VI BODIES OF THE CENTER
Article 16
Bodies of the Center shall be the Assembly, the Governing Board and the Advisory Board.
The Assembly shall be the highest body of the Center.
A. THE ASSEMBLY
Article 17
The Assembly shall:
- adopt and amend the Statutes of the Center;
- elect and relieve of office members of the Governing Board of the Center;
- decide in the second instance on expulsions from the Center’s membership;
- decide in the second instance on appeals and complaints regarding work, i.e. decisions of the Center’s Governing Board; and
- perform other tasks as envisaged by the Law and these Statutes.
Article 18
The Assembly shall consist of all members of the Center.
Article 19
The Assembly shall work in sessions.
Sessions of the Assembly shall be convened by the Governing Board, as required.
Article 20
The decisions of the Assembly shall be valid if the majority of the Center’s members are present at the session.
The decisions shall be brought by the majority of votes of the Assembly members present.
Voting at the session shall be open, unless the Assembly decides differently by an open vote.
Article 21
The Assembly, i.e. the Governing Board may establish permanent or provisional working bodies (councils, sections, boards, commissions, etc.) to carry out specific work and tasks from within their authority.
B. THE GOVERNING BOARD
Article 22
The Governing Board shall have five (5) members, who will be elected by the Assembly.
The Governing Board shall elect the President of the Governing Board from among its members.
The President and members of the Governing Board shall be elected for a two-year term of office, with the possibility of re-election.
Article 23
The Governing Board shall:
- prepare draft Statutes;
- adopt, change and amend other general enactments to be adopted by the Assembly, except for the Statues;
- ensure the enforcement and implementation of the Assembly decisions and conclusions
- call and prepare the Assembly sessions;
- manage the Center’s property;
- decide on the admission to and expulsion from membership in the first instance;
- specify detailed conditions for and decide on the establishment of branch offices;
- review and adopt Center’s work report and work plan;
- appoint and relieve of duty members of the Advisory Board;
- approve submission of projects and monitor their implementation;
- appoint project coordinators and associates;
- follow, plan and answer for the use of Center’s financial funds;
- carry out other tasks as envisaged by these Statutes and other general enactments of the Center.
Article 24
Sessions of the Governing Board shall be convened by the Governing Board President, as required.
The Governing Board shall work in sessions, which shall be presided by the President of the Governing Board or, in case he/she is unable to, other member of the Governing Board to be appointed by the Governing Board.
The Governing Board shall bring valid decisions when at least three (3) members of the Governing Board are present.
The Governing Board shall bring decisions by the majority of votes of members present.
If votes in “favour” and “against” are equally divided, the vote of the presiding member shall decide.
Article 25
The President of the Center shall be the President of the Governing Board.
The President of the Governing Board shall represent and act on behalf of the Center, and in case he/she is unable to, a person appointed by the Governing Board.
The President of the Governing Board shall supervise the implementation of the Center’s projects and use of the Centre’s financial funds, participate in the appointment of project coordinators and associates, chair the sessions of the Assembly and Governing Board, supervise the work of the Administrative Service of the Center and decide matters regarding the work, hiring and firing of this Service staff and carry out such other tasks as authorised by the Assembly and the Governing Board.
Article 26
The Center shall have an Executive Director.
The Governing Board shall appoint the Director for a two-year term, with a possibility of re-election, and shall relieve him/her of office.
The Director shall operatively manage the work of the Center’s Administrative Service, appoint persons to manage or coordinate the work on projects and directly cooperate with them, coordinate work on the preparation of documents for the Assembly and Governing Board sessions, coordinate work on the implementation of Assembly and Governing Board decisions, propose to the Governing Board President the adoption of decisions on hiring and firing personnel of the Center’s Administrative Service and discharge such other tasks as instructed by the Assembly, Governing Board and Governing Board President.
C. ADVISORY BOARD
Article 27
The Center shall have an Advisory Board.
The Advisory Board shall have 15 members who will be appointed and relieved of office by the Governing Board.
The Advisory Board shall elect a President of the Advisory Board from among its members.
At the request of the Governing Board, the Advisory Board shall take a stand on issues from the field of work of the Governing Board.
At the request of the President, the Advisory Board shall give opinions and suggestions on issues from the President’s field of competence.
Even when not requested the Advisory Board may take a stand and give suggestions on specific issues within the framework of the Centre’s field of activity.
VII MATERIAL-FINANCIAL OPERATIONS OF THE CENTER
Article 28
For the implementation of its objectives the Center shall, in accordance with the Law, secure funds from the following sources:
- membership fees;
- gifts and legacies;
- subsidies;
- voluntary contributions; and
- in other legally envisaged ways.
Article 29
The Governing Board shall determine the amount of the membership fee for each calendar year.
VIII THE ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICE OF THE CENTER
Article 30
Employees shall constitute the Centre’s Administrative Service.
Article 31
The President of the Governing Board shall decide on all issues regarding work and labour relations of the employees of the Center’s Administrative Service.
The Governing Board shall adopt more detailed regulations on the organisation and work of the Center’s Administrative Service.
IX PROJECTS OF THE CENTER
Article 32
Project coordinator shall organise the work on projects.
Project coordinator shall inform the Governing Board, President of the Center and Executive Director of the Center in a timely manner on the implementation of project activities, his/her work and work of project associates and propose the undertaking of adequate measures
X TERMINATION OF THE WORK OF THE CENTER
Article 33
The Center shall terminate its work if conditions stipulated under the Law so require or if so decided by the Assembly.
Article 34
The decision on the termination of the work shall also regulate the disposal of the Center's property.
In case of termination of the work of the Center, and in the absence of a decision from par. 1 hereof, the entire property of the Center shall go to the Red Cross of Serbia.
XI TRANSITIONAL AND FINAL PROVISIONS
Article 35
These Statutes shall come into force as of the date of their adoption.
With entry into force of these Statutes, the Statutes of the Center for Antiwar Action adopted at the session of December 3, 2003 shall cease to be valid.
President of the Assembly
Vesna Pešić
