STATUTE OF THE BELARUSIAN CHRISTIAN DEMOCRACY PARTY
1. General Provisions
1.1. The Belarusian Christian Democracy Party (hereinafter referred to as the BCD Party) is a political party pursuing political aims, assisting in the implementation of the political will of citizens and participating in elections. It is a non-commercial organization.
1.2. Complete name of the association: Belarusian Christian Democracy Party. Abbreviated name of the association: BCD Party.
1.3. The BCD party has been formed and is acting in accordance with the Belarusian law, BCD Party programme and this Statute on principles of freedom of associations, democracy, legality, publicity, self-administration, and equality of rights.
1.4. The BCD Party is a legal entity, has its own independent bank account, seal, stamp, letterheads, and can have symbols registered in accordance with the procedure prescribed.
1.5. The BCD Party shall have rights established by legal acts including:
– free distribution of information about its activities, advertizing its activities, promoting its ideas, aims, and resolutions;
– use of state mass media in accordance with the procedure stipulated by the law;
– establishing its own mass media and implementing publishing activities in accordance with the procedure stipulated by the law;
– arranging meetings, demonstrations, and other mass events in accordance with the procedure stipulated by the law;
– protection of its rights and legitimate interests, as well as representing the legitimate interests of its members in governmental authorities and other organizations;
– participation in elections in accordance with the procedure established by the applicable law;
– connection with other political parties, unions, other civil associations and their unions (associations);
– formation of unions.
1.6. The registered office of the BCD Party shall be located at: __________________.
2. Subject, Purposes, Tasks and Methods of Activities of the BCD Party
2.1. The aims and objectives of the BCD Party shall be political activities which contribute to revealing the political will and participating in elections.
2.2. Purposes of the activity of BCD Party:
– formation of an independent, flourishing, spiritually developed, democratic and constitutional state of Belarus;
– formation of a democratic society on the basis of Christian values, patriotism, responsibility, freedom, social justice and solidarity.
2.3. The tasks of the BCD Party shall be:
– nomination of its own candidates at the elections;
– preparation for participation and participation in elections;
– promotion of the BCD Party Program and its main ideological provisions.
2.4. The BCD Party shall use only democratic and non-violent methods in accordance with legislation and the Statute in all its activities, including:
– organization and holding of concerts, meetings, conferences and other thematic events;
– foundation of its own mass media and carrying out publishing activity in accordance with the procedure stipulated by the applicable law;
– organization and holding of meetings, demonstrations, processions, gatherings, pickets;
– protection of rights and legitimate interests, as well as representation of the legitimate interests of its members in state structures and other organizations;
– promotion of its ideas and principles through mass media and by other legal ways;
– participation in elections in accordance with the procedure stipulated by the applicable law;
– nomination of its own representatives for electoral committees;
– participation in propaganda and pre-election campaigns, as well as campaigning for and against candidates;
– development of program provisions, legislative proposals and concepts, and organization of their discussion;
– carrying out, in accordance with current legislation, business activity which is connected with the production and sale of social and political publications, other propaganda and campaign materials, and production of souvenirs with their own symbols.
3. Membership of the BCD Party
3.1. Members of the BCD Party, regardless of their professions and social status, nationality, or religion, must be competent citizens of the Republic of Belarus who are at least 18 years of age, and who share moral and ethical Christian ideals, accept the Program of the BCD Party, and agree to observe the Statute and support the BCD Party in their own activity.
3.2. Membership of the BCD Party shall not be combined with propagation of totalitarianism, national and racial discrimination, religious and ideological intolerance, or calls for violence.
3.3. Acceptance into membership of the BCD Party shall be by a decision of the governing body of the BCD Party organization structure аt the place of residence of the applicant or the place of the Council, on the grounds of a written application.
3.4. The new member of the BCD Party shall be registered and get a party certificate of the type currently in use by the party structure which has accepted the new member.
3.5. Members of the BCD Party shall build their relationships on principles of friendship and trust, and shall have rights to:
– elect and be elected in the electoral bodies of the BCD Party;
– take part in the General Meeting of local branches, the BCD Party Assembly (as delegates or guests) and other BCD Party events;
– independently decide which events to attend and the extent of their participation;
– participate in defining the policy of the BCD Party, propose amendments to its Program and Statue, express and defend their thoughts;
– apply with statements and proposals to any BCD Party body and get reasonable consideration;
– have rights and legitimate interests protected, and have protection of the legitimate interests of their members represented in state structures and other organizations;
– take part in meetings of any BCD Party authority at which their proposals or activity are discussed;
– be supported by the BCD Party at the elections;
– pay members’ contributions to BCD Party bodies where the member has been primarily registered;
– leave the Party of their own free will by way of filing a written application.
3.6. Members of the BCD Party shall:
– be registered at the bodies that keep records of the BCD Party members;
– support the Program Provisions, observe the BCD Party Statute;
– bear responsibility for liabilities taken;
– not interfere with fulfillment of the accepted decisions which they do not support;
– promote the BCD Party Program and its purposes;
– promote the success of the candidates nominated and supported by the BCD Party at elections.
3.7. Membership of the BCD Party shall be void:
– when leaving the Party on the grounds of a personal written application submitted to the local branch where the BCD Party member has been registered;
– by way of exclusion on the grounds of the decision of the National Council or a superior body of the organization structure where the member has been registered, in connection with gross violation of the Statute for actions which compromise the BCD Party authority.
3.8. The primary record of BCD Party members shall be kept by the Chairmen of the local organization structures of the BCD Party, and when there is no local organization structure, by the BCD Party Administration. Chairmen of organization structures of the BCD Party shall keep records of members of the BCD Party organization structures, which shall be updated when new members join or leave the party. The BCD Party Administration shall keep the overall record of BCD Party members on the basis of the data submitted by the governing bodies of BCD Party organization structures.
4. Local branches of the BCD Party
4.1. The BCD Party shall be entitled – and in cases stipulated by the applicable law, shall be obliged – to form local branches on a territorial basis (communities, municipalities, districts, city districts, regional divisions). Local branches shall be formed in accordance with the resolutions of the National Council and shall act in accordance with the Statute of the BCD Party and shall have the aims and objectives of the BCD Party.
4.2. Communities of the BCD Party can be formed where at least three members of the BCD Party reside in the corresponding territory. Municipal, district, city district and regional divisions can be formed where at least ten members of the BCD Party reside in the corresponding territory. Local branches of the BCD Party shall be subject to registration or state registration. The National Council may make a resolution granting the status of a legal entity to the local branch, which will require state registration of the corresponding local branch.
4.3. The supreme body of a local branch shall be the General Community (Division) Assembly, which shall be summoned by the local branch management body or National Council at least once in four years.
General Community (Division) Assembly shall:
– elect the Community (Division) Council, Head of Community (Division), Auditor of Community (Division);
– accept statements of the Chairmen of Community (Division) Councils and assess their activities;
– decide the basic direction of activities of the community (division) in accordance with the Statute and Program of BCD Party, resolutions of superior bodies of BCD Party;
– take resolutions obligatory to community (structure) bodies and its members.
The General Community (Division) Assembly shall be deemed valid when at least half of the BCD Party members residing in the corresponding territory are present. Resolutions at the General Assembly shall be taken by simple majority of the persons present.
4.4. The management body of the local branch shall be a Council consisting of at least three persons. The Community (Division) Council shall manage the community’s activities between its General Assemblies. Meetings of Councils shall be summoned at least once a year by the Head of Community (Division). Meetings of Community (Division) Councils shall be deemed legitimate in cases where at least half of the Council members are present. Resolutions of Community (Division) Councils shall be decided by a simple majority of votes of the persons present.
4.5. The Head of the Community (Division) shall summon and prepare meetings of the Community (Division) Council, secure primary registration of members of the local branch, ensure performance of resolutions of the General Assembly and Community (Division) Council, resolutions of the superior bodies of BCD Party, perform organizational and management functions for facilitating operations of the local branch and manage funds received as members’ contributions. Resolutions of the Head of Community (Division) shall be drawn up in the form of orders and decrees.
4.6. The audit and supervisory body of an local branch shall be the Auditor of the Community (Division). The Auditor of Community (Division) may not be a member of a management body of the BCD Party or of a local branch. The Auditor of Community (Division) shall organize the audit of statutory activities of the local branch, supervise accounting and prompt replies to claims, requests, applications. The Auditor of Community (Division) shall carry out audits when necessary but at least once a year and draw up audit results in the form of acts and certificates.
4.7. Decisions of Council and Head of Community (Division) can be appealed against before the Auditor of the corresponding local branch. Decisions of the Auditor of Community (Division) can be appealed against before the Audit and Supervisory Committee of BCD Party.
4.8. Local branches of the BCD Party shall be closed down in accordance with the procedure stipulated by the applicable law. The National Council may make a decision with regard to closure of local branches. The closing down of the BCD party shall result in the closing down of its local branches.
5. Central Bodies and Management of BCD Party
5.1. The supreme body of the BCD Party shall be the Assembly summoned by the National Council at least once in three years. The decision to summon the Assembly shall be taken at least two months prior to the planned date of the Assembly. Delegates of the Assembly shall be elected by the supreme bodies of local branches of the BCD Party. In the territories that have no local branches of the BCD Party, delegates of the Assembly shall be elected by meetings of members of the BCD Party residing in the corresponding territory. Elections of delegates of the Assembly shall be carried out in accordance with the representation norm determined by the National Council. Each member of the BCD party shall have one vote and shall be entitled to participate in one meeting or session of the supreme body of the local branch of the BCD Party during elections of the Assembly delegates.
5.2. The Assembly shall be capable of:
– approval of the name, Statute, Program of the BCD Party, amendments and supplements to them, except for cases where amendments can be made to the Statute by the management body;
– approval of symbols of BCD Party;
– election of Co-Chairmen, National Council, Audit Committee and its chairman for three years, acceptance of their statements and approval of them;
– taking the decision to reorganize or liquidate the BCD Party;
– taking other resolutions obligatory for all members and bodies of the BCD Party.
5.3. The National Council shall manage activities of the BCD Party between Assemblies. It shall be the management body of the BCD Party and shall consist of at least fifteen members. Meetings of the National Council shall be summoned by the Board at least once a year.
National Council shall be capable of:
– summoning Assemblies;
– determining the total number of delegates and the quota of representation of members of the BCD Party at Assemblies;
– being entitled to make amendments and (or) supplements to the Statute of the BCD Party associated with changes of registered office or caused by changes in the applicable law;
– taking resolutions regarding the formation of local branches of the BCD Party;
– granting permission to a local branch to be registered as a separate entity;
– assigning the amount, frequency, and procedure of payment of members’ contributions;
– approval of activity regulations of the National Council and Board, other instructions and regulations required for organization of activities of BCD Party;
– election of the Board consisting of at least five persons and Executive Secretary for the whole term in office of the National Council;
– acceptance of their statements;
– speaking on behalf of BCD Party;
– performing other functions of operational management of the BCD Party not assigned to capacities of other bodies.
5.4. The Board shall be the executive body of the BCD Party during the period between meetings of the National Council. Meetings of the Board shall be summoned by the Executive Secretary at least once in six months.
The Board shall be responsible for:
– preparation of meetings of the National Council;
– ensuring performance of the resolutions of the National Council;
– managing property of the BCD Party, approval of personnel, employing and dismissing employees;
– keeping in touch with civil associations, political parties and governmental bodies of the Republic of Belarus;
– admitting people to membership of the BCD Party in cases stipulated by the Statute;
– keeping a record of BCD members in compliance with information received from BCD local branches’
– creating departments and committees of the Board;
– arranging events, training courses, groups, clubs;
– performing other activities arising from this Statute and not against the applicable law.
The Executive Secretary shall manage activities of the Board.
5.5 The Executive Secretary shall:
– generally manage the Board, summon and prepare meetings of the Board;
– represent the BCD Party in its relationships with regulatory and supervising governmental bodies;
– be head of the legal entity;
– conclude agreements, issue powers of attorney;
– open settlement and other accounts with banks.
5.6 Co-Chairmen (Chairman) shall be a member of the National Council and the Board, represent the BCD Party in its relations with international organizations, parties, and civil associations, manage meetings of the National Council and the Board of the BCD Party in turn (the succession of management of Co-Chairmen shall be agreed between the latter independently). The term in office of the Chairman of the Party may not last longer than for two consecutive terms.
5.7. The Audit Committee shall be elected by the Assembly and shall consist of at least three members. It shall report and be subject only to the Assembly. It shall carry out the audit of the financial and economic activities of the Party and the internal supervision of compliance of activities of the Party with the applicable law and the Statute. Members of the Audit Committee may give advice to the National Council and the Board but may not be members of the Council or Board Meetings of the Audit Committee shall be summoned by its Chairman at least once in 6 months.
5.8. Resolutions of the Board, Executive Secretary, National Council can be appealed against before the Audit Commission. Resolutions of the Audit Commission can be appealed against before the Assembly.
5.9. Resolutions of joint bodies of the BCD Party and its local branchs shall be taken by simple majority of votes of the persons present, unless the Statute stipulates otherwise. Resolutions of joint bodies of the BCD Party and its local branchs shall be registered with protocols.
5.10. Only members of the BCD Party may be included into bodies of the BCD Party and its local branches.
6. Funds and Property of the BCD Party
6.1. The BCD Party may own any property which is required for the carrying out of its activities except for objects which according to the law can be owned by the State only.
6.2. The BCD Party shall be the owner of the property of the BCD Party including the property which is owned by local branches. Local branches of the BCD Party shall be entitled to manage members’ contributions collected from the members registered in this local branch.
6.3. Monetary funds and other property of the BCD Party shall be formed from sources which are not forbidden by the law, including members’ contributions, earnings from actions held for statutory purposes, income from the use of property, publishing activities, distribution of printed materials and publications, and donations.
6.4. Local branches of the BCD Party shall be entitled to carry out operative administration of the BCD Party’s property which is assigned to it by the owner and to have their own accounts.
7.Closing Down of the BCD Party
7.1. The closing down of the BCD Party shall be implemented by means of reorganization or liquidation.
7.2. Reorganization of the BCD Party shall be done in accordance with the Assembly decision, and property and monetary funds shall be transferred to the legal successor.
7.3. Liquidation of the BCD Party shall be done in accordance with a BCD Party Assembly decision which has been supported by three quarters of all delegates or on the grounds of a valid court judgment.
7.4. Liquidation of the BCD Party shall be done by the liquidation committee set up by decision of the authority which has made the decision regarding liquidation.
7.5. After repayment of compulsory payments and accounts payable the property of the BCD Party shall be directed for the purposes declared by the Statute if it is not subject to circulation for benefit of the State according to legislative acts.
