STATUTES
CHAPTER I
GENERAL PRINCIPLES
ARTICLE 1
ABNA-SE is a non-profit professional association of the news agencies of South East European countries.
The seat of the association is the city where the Association’s Secretariat is based.
CHAPTER II
BASIC OBJECTIVES
ARTICLE 2
The basic objectives of ABNA-SE are the following:
2.1 To safeguard and promote the common interests of its members in all areas essential to their work and activities.
2.2 To strengthern dialogue and cooperation among its members.
2.3 To encourage exchange of information, experiences and know-how among its members.
2.4 To facilitate the exchange of news, photos and audio-visual material among its members.
2.5 To carry out research in the information sector and to organize meetings/seminars/workshops on various topics among its members, with an aim to develop skills and production.
2.6 To organize special tours, research trips, and other assignments for journalists and other agency staff among its members.
2.7 To support the creative development of journalists, specialists and students by providing public opportunities, organizing lectures, consultations, scholarships and special training.
ARTICLE 3
To establish annual competitions among its members for:
a) the Best News Item
b) the Best News Photo
c) Innovative products/services
ARTICLE 4
To establish collaboration with regional and international organizations to the benefit of the associated agencies. All such collaboration must be approved by the General Assembly.
ARTICLE 5.
ABNA-SE’s activity shall in no way interfere in the billateral and multilateral collaboration of the member agencies.
CHAPTER III-MEMBERS
ARTICLE 6
ABNA-SE shall be comprised of permanent members and shall also grant observer status.
ARTICLE 7
Only the national news agencies from the internationally – recognized countries of SE-Europe can become members of ABNA-SE. The application of membership must be submitted to the Secretariat two months before the General Assembly. The General Secretary informs the member agencies before the G.A. and he/she incorporates the application in the agenda of the next G.A. A resolution of the G.A. for the admission of new members requires 50%+1 majority of the members present.
ARTICLE 8
The candidate agency for observer status must apply in writing to the Secretariat two months before the G.A. The General Secretary incorporates the application in the agenda of the next G.A. A resolution of the G.A. for the admission of observers requires 50%+1 majority of the members present. Observers can be an Alliance/Federation/Union/Association of news agencies or a national news agency from an internationally – recognized country of SE Europe. Observers can take part in the General Assemblies without the right to vote; they cannot be elected in the administrative bodies of ABNA-SE; they can be invited to participate in other activities of ABNA-SE.
ARTICLE 9
Each member agency shall be represented by its Director General or by a duly authorized representative. Each member agency shall have one vote at the General Assembly.
ARTICLE 10
ABNA-SE memberes shall enjoy the following rights:
10.1 To have access to all ABNA-SE’s information, its archive and other aspects of its activity.
10.2 To nominate representatives for election of the Association’s administrative bodies.
10.3 To participate, through their representatives, in the General Assemblies and other events organized by ABNA-SE.
ARTICLE 11
ABNA-SE members have the following obligations:
1) To strictly adhere to ABNA-SE Statutes.
2) To do their best for the attainment of ABNA-SE’s goals.
3) To pay membership fees promptly.
ARTICLE 12
Loss of member status:
12.1 Each member can withdraw from the Association by addressing a letter to the President of the Secretariat.
12.2 The General Assembly can decide to expel a member or suspend membership in case of:
– Failure to pay the membership fees for two years.
– Serious violations of ABNA-SE’s Statutes
The President consults with the Secretary General and presents in writing the reasons for the decision. The G.A. decides with a three quarters majority of the members present.
ARTICLE 13
13.1 The General Assembly fix the amount of the annual membership fee
13.2 The Association can accept donations and sponsorships from member agencies, international organizations and companies.
13.3 Membership fees and donations will be kept in the bank account opened in the name of the Association, in the country where the Association is registered, in a convertible currency.
CHAPTER IV- GOVERNING BODIES
ARTICLE 14
The structure of ABNA-SE is the following:
1) General Assembly
2) President
3) Vice-President (previous President)
4) General Secretary
5) Secretariat
ARTICLE 15
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY
15.1 The supreme body of ABNA-SE is the General Assembly, comprising all the members of the Association.
– The Ordinary General Assembly is convened by the President once a year.
– The G.A. is convened by written notification to the members, containing the agenda, sent at least 30 days before the day of the meeting. In the case of extraordinary G.A. the invitation must also include the reasons for calling the meeting.
– The G.A. is considered to have a quorum if attended by a two thirds majority of the members.
15.2 Appoints the President and Vice-President (previous President) of ABNA-SE.
– Elects the Secretary – General
– Defines the main directions and long-term objectives of ABNA-SE.
– Approves the Secretary General’s annual report.
– Approves the financial report.
– Decides on the membership fees.
– Ratifies new members and observers.
– Decides on disqualification of members and observers.
– Adopts amendmente to the Statutes.
– Decides on all matters foreseen in these Statutes.
15.3 Each member agency has one vote. Decisions are taken by a show of hands unless a secret vote is requested by at least three members.
Decisions/Resolutions of the General Assembly are taken by a simple majority of the members present, except for decisions which must be accepted by a three quarters (¾) of the members present. These are as follows:
– Admission of new members and observers
– Disqualificatuon of members and observers
– Amendments to the Statutes
– Dissolution of ABNA-SE
ARTICLE 16
BOARD
16.1 The Board is the executive body of the Association. It is responsible for the handling of the Association’s administrative activities.
16.2 The Board consists of the President, the Vice-President, the Secretary General supported by the Secretariat.
16.3 The competence of the Board is the following:
– To implement the General Assembly decisions.
– To draw up the draft agenda of the General Assembly and send it to the members 30 days prior to the General Assembly.
– Monitors the activities of the Secretariat.
– If considered necessary, the Board may hold extraodinary meetings.
– To establish working groups on an ad hoc basis as required by the business of ABNA-SE.
ARTICLE 17
THE PRESIDENT AND THE VICE-PRESIDENT
17.1 The ABNA-SE President is appointed on a rotating basis for a one-year term based on the initial letters (Latin alphabet) of the cities where the ABNA-SE news agencies’ headquarters are located.
In special cases, the General Assembly can decide a different order for the appointment of the President.
THE PRESIDENT
17.2 He/she is the official representative of ABNA-SE.
– He/she presides over the General Assembly and any other meetings of the Association.
– If the seat of the President becomes vacant, the next in turn President becomes automatically the new ABNA-SE President.
THE VICE-PRESIDENT
17.3 The Vice-President is appointed for a one-year term. The Vice-President represents the agency that had assumed the previous presidency of the Association.
ARTICLE 18
THE SECRETARY GENERAL
18.1 The Secretary General is elected by a simple majority of members attending the General Assembly for a two-year term, renewable.
– The application for the post of the Secretary General shall be addressed to the Board before being submitted to the General Assembly.
– In case that during the two-year term in office of the Secretary General, his/her agency assumes the post of the President or the post of the Vice-President, a new Secretary General shall be elected for a two-year term.
18.2 The Secretary General:
– Communicates the proposals and decisions of the Board to the member agencies; converys the demands and texts prepared by the member agencies of the Board.
– Ensures the continuity of the administration between General Assembly meetings.
– Coordinates the activities of member agencies and prepares the necessary documents on the decisions reached in ordinary and extraordinary General Assembly meetings.
– Manages the ABNA-SE finances based on the approved way; monitors and presents the annual financial status in the General Assembly.
– Submits an annual report to the General Assembly on the activities of ABNA-SE.
ARTICLE 19
THE SECRETARIAT
19.1 The Secretariat is a technical support to the Secretary General and the Board
19.2 The seat of the Secretariat is Thessaloniki or otherwise decided by the General Assembly.
CHAPTER V – FUNDING
ARTICLE 20
REVENEWS
ABNA-SE shall raise funds from:
1) Membership fees.
2) The publication of information bulletins and other information products.
3) Donations, grants and property passed by will
CHAPTER VI – FINAL PROVISIONS
ARTICLE 21
LANGUAGE
The working language of ABNA-SE is English.
ARTICLE 22
AMENDMENTS TO THE STATUTES
The Statutes can be amended only by the General Assembly with a resolution taken by a three quarters majority of the members present.
ARTICLE 23
DISSOLUTION
ABNA-SE may terminate its activities by a decision of the General Assembly taken with the consensus of the three quarters of its members. In such case, all money collected (as mentioned in the previous Article) will be donated to UNICEF.
Thessaloniki, September 2017
