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.
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