home page


Article 1. OBJECTIVES ( back )

The Balkan Geophysical Society (BGS) is a non-profit organization of the Geophysical Societies in the countries of the Balkan Region and neighboring countries, established with the aim to promote:

            1. Peaceful research in Geophysics, basic and applied, in the Member Countries;

            2. Collaboration and mutual assistance between geophysicists from the BGS Member Countries;

            3. Teaching of Geophysics in the Universities and post-graduate activities (pure research and exploration) in the Institutions and Universities;

            4. Peace and Friendship among our peoples.

The Balkan Geophysical Society is open to other Balkan and neighboring Countries, which can act either like full or associate member.

 

Article 2. MEMBERSHIP ( back )

The Members of the BGS enjoy equal rights in the activity and the administration of the Society, regardless of the number of members of the National Societies or of their financial contribution in the Society.

Article 3. ACTIVITIES ( back )

To carry out the aims outlined in Article 1 of this Constitution, the BGS may organize, in the framework of the established co-operative agreements:

1.      Activities in the framework of joint research projects, including mutual assistance, if so desired, in the utilization of multinational research and exploration works;

2.      Congresses, conferences, symposia, workshops, and other scientific meetings of the geophysicists from the Member Countries;

3.      Courses, summer schools, inviting lecturers to give talks and other forms for upgrading the qualification of the geophysicists and the students in Geophysics from Member Countries;

4.      Olympiads (Balkaniads) in Geophysics;

5.      Exchange of students in Geophysics;

6.      Exchanges concerning scientific and science-organizational matters, visits of delegations, acceptance of participants in various events;

7.      Exchange of scientific publications, science organizational information, curricula and programs in Geophysics, devices for demonstration and other training appliances;

8.      Issues of periodical and non-periodical publications, books, monographs, brochures;

9.      Translation of monographs, textbooks and review publications for acquaintance with the problems and the achievements of geophysicists from the Member Countries;

10. Other joint activities and events, involving interested geophysicists from the Member   Countries, organized in view of the aims under Article 1.

Article 4. BGS COUNCIL ( back )

The highest forum of BGS is the BGS Council consisting of two representatives of each National Geophysical Society, among which the President and the Scientific Secretary of the BGS are elected for a three-year period. The representatives of each Member Country take these positions in turn. National Societies are to nominate their representatives in the Council, at the beginning of each year, if relevant changes have been made.

The headquarters of the BGS Council is in the country of citizenship of the BGS President and the Scientific Secretary.

As a rule, the Council meets regularly once a year, by turns, in each BGS Member Country.

The duties of the BGS Council are:

  - To amend the BGS Constitution, if necessary;

  - To design the general plan of BGS activity for the period between two meetings;

  - To decide on the place and time of BGS Congresses;

  - To decide upon the constitution of the BGS Executive Committee based on the proposals of the National Societies;

  - To design the financial plan of BGS and determine the limit due of BGS Member Countries;

  - To make decisions about the publications of BGS;

  - To fulfill other duties in accordance with the BGS Constitution.

The BGS Council adopts decisions by a simple majority. Each Society Member has one vote. Voting can be carried out by mail ballot. Changes in the Constitution are valid if the two/thirds (2/3) of the BGS Members agree upon them.

The host country supports the living expenses for the participants in the meetings of the Council or of the Executive Committee.

Article 5. BGS EXECUTIVE COMMITEE ( back )

For the period between the sessions of the Council, the work of BGS is administered and carried out by the BGS Executive Committee, composed of the President, Former President as First Vice-President and Future President as Second Vice-President, the Secretary Treasurer, the Scientific Secretary of BGS and two executive committee members. The Secretary Treasurer organizes also the financial activity of BGS.

The Executive Committee of BGS prepares the plan of activities and the financial plan of BGS, and performs other duties assigned by the Council.

The headquarters of the BGS Executive Committee, i.e. the President, the Treasurer, the Scientific Secretary, and the two executive committee members are citizens of the country of the President.

Article 6. PRESIDENCY ( back )

The President represents the BGS in its relationships with all external bodies and organizations. He presides the Council and is the distributor of BGS funds approved by the Council. BGS is legal organization acting under the name of the National Member Society in the country, where the headquarters of the Executive Committee is established. BGS legal acts are written in English.

Article 7. BGS CONGRESSES ( back )

The Congress of the Balkan Geophysical Society takes place every two or three years by decision of the BGS Council.

Scientific, organization and professional matters of importance for the geophysicists in the Member Countries are discussed at the Congress. 20 % of the net profit of the income of each Congress of BGS shall be granted to BGS, while the remaining 80 % shall be given to the Host Country.

Article 8. BGS PUBLICATIONS ( back )

BGS is the editor of the scientific Journal of the Balkan Geophysical Society, which publishes original scientific papers, review articles from different fields of Geophysics, short scientific reports (letters to the editor), etc. The Journal is published in English. The BGS Council chooses the Editorial Board and the headquarters of the Journal. All Member Countries give their financial support to the Journal. The Council determines the frequency of the Journal.

By Council decision, BGS may issue its own periodical and non-periodical publications (Bulletin, Scientific Journal, Monographs, etc.). For editing each of them, the Council chooses the Chief Editor and the Board report before the Council. In such publications, and by the wish of authors, the papers can be published in one of the recognized international languages, accompanied by a summary in the corresponding national language and in English.

The BGS publishing activity is financed by the means of BGS according to the financial plan for the year, the receipts from it being also added to the BGS budget.

Article 9. FINANCIAL SOURCES OF BGS ( back )

BGS collects the means for its activity from the limit dues of the Members, from official grants, from donations and from other sources of incomes.

The Council with reference to one and the same currency determines the limit dues. Dues are to be deposited in a BGS account with each National Society in US dollars account according to the exchange rates in effect at the beginning of the financial year.

BGS may establish its own “BGS Foundation”, when needs exist, on the base of sponsor’s, member’s, and other contributions. The aim of the Foundation should be the support of geophysicists and students from the Member Countries.

  Article 10. COOPERATIONS( back )  

BGS cooperates with the Member National Geophysical Societies/Unions/ Committees, with the international organizations such as EAGE, EAPG, SEG, EAGO, UNESCO, etc., as well as with Geophysical Societies in other countries, whose activities could help in the fulfillment of the goals of BGS.

Article 11. TERMINATION OF BGS MEMBERSHIP ( back )

Every National Organization Member of BGS may terminate its membership in the BGS if it is so desired. Such a decision should be made known one year before the contemplated with-drawl enters in effect. For re-entering the BGS, a unanimously positive decision by the Council is required.

BGS may terminate its existence under a decision taken in the Council by a majority of two-thirds. In such a situation, the BGS means are distributed between the former Members according to the shares from the last year.

Article 12. PRESIDENT ELECTION ( back )

The Member Societies of BGS will take the Presidency of BGS by Council decision.

Article 13. HONORARY MEMBERS ( back )

Honorary members shall be individuals proposed by the Executive Committee by two-thirds majority and then elected as such by the Council in consensus because of distinguished contributions to the profession and/or Balkan Geophysical Society.

Article 14. CORPORATE MEMBERS ( back )

Corporate members shall be a company, institute, foundation or university that engaged in geophysics or related field and accept to support the idea and purpose of Balkan Geophysical Society. Each corporate member pays annual membership due. The lower limit of membership due is decided by the Council, and it should not be less than the five times of membership due of member societies. The Executive Committee may decide different amount of membership due for an individual corporate member that is not less than the lower limit.

Article 15. ASSOCIATED SOCIETIES ( back )

The Council of Balkan Geophysical Society (BGS) may arrange for Associated Societies sharing common interest in geophysics or related subjects. Associated Societies accept the objectives of BGS. The Constitution of BGS shall apply also to Associated Societies. An Associated Society must be appointed on the basis of one Associated Society for each country except the international societies. An Associated Society may be dissolved by the decision of Council for reasons it deems ‘good and sufficient’. Representatives of Associated Societies attend Council meetings without privilege of voting. An Associated Society pays the same ‘annual membership due’ as the member societies and receives the journals of BGS and other published materials.

(Temporary article).

It was been agreed by unanimous decision that the first presidency is assigned to Greece, while the second is assigned to Turkey. Florina, Greece, 7 May 1993.

The Article 5 has been altered, and Articles 14 and 15 have been added to the Constitution in the BGS Council meeting in Istanbul, Turkey, 8 July 1997.

The Article 15 has been added to the Constitution in the BGS Council meeting in Istanbul, 6 July 1999

Amendments to the Constitution in Articles 1, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12 have been accepted in the BGS Council meeting in Sofia, 25 June 2002.