Dzeno Association

Sdružení Dženo,

V Tůních 11

120 00 Praha 2

Čzech Republic

Tel./fax: +420 224 941 945, 7, 8

2.1 The Association's registered office: Praha 1, Pštrossova 25 Czech Republic. The office is V tůních 11, Prague 2, 120 00 Czech republic

3.1 The Association is a voluntary association of citizens, which is registered under Act No 83/l990 Coll., On Associating of Citizens.

3.2 The Association is a legal entity.

3.3 The chief mission of the Association is to associate in particular citizens of Romany nationality who want to help their nation.

3.4 Objectives and activities of DŽENO Association:

3.4.1 To support the development and restoration of traditional Romany values and qualities, which mainly include independence, freedom of thought, sense of honour and justice, regard for old age, family and kin cohesion, loving care for children and mutual solidarity among the Romany regardless of their social status

3.4.2 To support regional Romany organisations by providing them with experience and assistance in organising of regional events

3.4.3 To support fight against racism, to develop observance of human rights, to help develop democracy and tolerance within society

3.4.4 To support education of the Romany including awarding or mediating of scholarships to talented Romany pupils and students, to extend local Romany activists' expertise

3.4.5 To support Romany sport, culture and leisure activities in general, especially with regard to Romany youth

3.4.6. To support humanitarian, charity and self-assistance activities among the Romany

3.4.7. To support a systematic gathering of all available information on the Romany, to support the Dženo Information and Analytical Centre

3.4.8. To issue independent magazines, newspapers and single publications on the Romany and to propagate them among both Romany and non-Romany population in the whole of the Czech Republic

3.4.9. To translate foreign-language literature on the Romany

3.4.10 To support codification of Romany as an official language

3.4.11 To provide legal assistance to the Romany of a weak social status, particularly to defend those damaged by racially based attacks or those who would probably find it more difficult to defend their rights, because of their status, low level of education or language handicap

3.4.12 To support development of Romany communities, courses and training, and exhibitions of Romany artists, to promote Romany culture in all its aspects

3.4.13 To participate in and to support creation of Romany ethnic programmes on Czech Television and radio

3.5. The Association co-operates with government and self-governing bodies, contributes to a better coexistence of majority population with the Romany; in particular it co-operates with the foregoing bodies in area of enforcing rights of the Romany as ethnic minority

3.6. The Association also prepares legislative proposals, commenting on discussed bills that concern ethnic minorities or bills that directly relate to status of the Romany in the Czech Republic

3.7. The Association co-operates with Romany organisations in the Czech Rep. and abroad and works towards participation in international non-governmental structures occupied with problems of the Romany

5.1 The membership of the Association is voluntary.

5.2 The status of a regular membership of the Association can be awarded to every citizen of the Czech Republic who is at least 18 years of age and has submitted an application in which he/she declares his/her conformity with bylaws of the Association, has applied for membership and has paid a registration fee plus a current year contribution. Legal entities may not become members of the Association.

5.3 Applications for regular membership of the Association shall be submitted to the Association's Executive Committee. Every application for membership is subject to approval of the Executive Committee. The submitted application must handled at the latest within two months of its delivery to the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee must inform the applicant on its decision no later than within 14 days of the day when the approval or rejection of his/her admission as member has been made. The rejection of admission as a member must be justified in writing.

5.4 The payment of the registration fee is a precondition for accepting an application for handling by the Executive Committee. The payment of the member contribution of the current year when the person concerned has been admitted as a member of the Association is a precondition for origination and duration of membership of the Association.

5.5 The Association is composed of the members as follows:

5.5.l Regular members

5.5.2 Honorary members

5.6 The regular members of the Association are those members who have submitted a regular application, have paid the registration fee and member contribution of the current year and the Executive Committee has approved their admission.

5.7 The honorary members of the Association are those members who agree with their membership of the Association and have been appointed by the Executive Committee either on the basis of the Executive Committee's decision or a proposal made by any of the Executive Committee's members. The honorary members include mainly those non-Romany persons who for a long time have been involved with the Romany problems, from any point of view whatsoever. The honorary members shall not pay the member contributions. The admission of a person as honorary member is subject to approval of the Executive Committee on the basis of such person's application in writing.

5.8 The Association may conclude contracts for co-operation in order to co-operate with other organisations.

5.9 Through its decision approved at least by two thirds of all its members' votes the Executive Committee shall determine the amount of member contributions to be paid by regular and associate members of the Association in individual calendar years. The member contributions for a calendar year must be paid by 31st March of the year, at the latest. The payment is understood to be the receiving of money to the Association's account or in cash.
As to the year when the Association is founded, the Preparatory Committee shall determine the amount of the member contribution as follows: a single registration fee shall be CZK 20 and the membership contribution in 1996 shall be CZK 80.

6.1 The membership of the Association expires by the following:

6.1.1 A member's decease,

6.1.2 A member's withdrawal from the Association during the year

6.1.3 Exclusion of a member,

6.1.4 Failure to pay the member contribution within the term stipulated under par. 5.9

6.1.5 Winding-up of the Association

6.2 A member may withdraw from the Association at any time on the basis of a letter delivered to the Executive Committee. The membership expires on the day when the foregoing letter is delivered to the Association.

6.3 If a member acts in violation of the Dženo Association's bylaws, he/she may be excluded from the Association by decision of the Executive Committee. The exclusion requires a majority of two thirds of the Executive Committee's all members. The membership expires on the day when the Executive Committee's decision is made. The member must be notified of his/her exclusion at the latest within l5 days from the day of exclusion by means of a letter delivered into his/her own hands. The member may lodge an appeal against the decision, which appeal is to be finally decided upon by the General Assembly at its most immediate meeting. Until the final decision is made, the appealing member's membership of the Association is suspended and such member may not participate in the Association's bodies or in activities of the Association whatsoever.

6.4 In case of expiry of the membership of Association, the member is not entitled to receive back his/her registration fee and the member contribution.

7.1 Regular members have the right to:

7.1.1 Participate in the General Assembly's meetings,

7.1.2 Vote and be elected to bodies of the Association,

7.1.3 Vote at the meetings of bodies of which they are members,
7.1.4 Make proposals at the meetings of bodies of which they are members,

7.1.5 Comment on submitted materials,

7.1.6 Make proposals and suggestions on activities of the Association,

7.1.7 Make suggestions to the Supervisory Board as to review of the Association's property management,

7.1.8 Inspect the final accounts, bylaws and memorandums from meetings of individual bodies of the Association,

7.1.9 Request explanation from all bodies of the Association. Such explanation must be provided in writing at the latest within 15 days, following the receipt of the member's written request,

7.1.10 Request assistance in cases of resolving his/her problems relating to object of the Association's activities,

7.1.11 Participate in work in the Association's professional bodies.

7.2 Regular members are bound to pay member contributions in the amount determined by the Executive Committee.

7.3 Regular members are bound to support effort and organised events of the Association, must respect decisions of the Association's bodies, must not act in violation of bylaws and must defend interests of the Dženo Association.

8.1. Honorary members have the right to:

8.1.1 Participate in the General Assembly's meetings,

8.1.2 Comment on submitted materials,

8.1.3 Make proposals and suggestions on activities of the Association,

8.1.4 Inspect the Association's documents as the regular members,

8.1.5 Request explanation from the Association's bodies as the regular members,

8.1.6 Request assistance in case of dealing with problems in the same manner as the regular members, or request mediation of communication with local Romany community,

8.1.7 Participate in work in the Association's professional bodies.

8.2 Honorary members are to defend interest of the Association and to support its mission and purpose. They shall also promote the Association within the majority society.

9.1 The Association manages and decides on its activities through bodies as follows:

9.1.1 General Assembly,

9.1.2 Executive Committee,

9.1.3 Chairman,

9.1.4 Revision Commission,

9.1.5 Regional Manager.

10.1 General Assembly is the supreme body of the Association. It is composed of regular members.

10.2 General Assembly is managed by the Chairman of Association or by a member of the Executive Committee appointed by the Chairman.

10.3 Regular and honorary members have the right to participate in the meetings of General Assembly. The regular members may decide by voting that a meeting of General Assembly will be held public. The Executive Committee or 1/3 of present regular members may propose the presence of a guest or guests at the Association's meeting. General Assembly shall decide upon the presence of guests by a simple majority. General Assembly may also decide by a simple majority that honorary members will not be allowed to take part in a meeting of General Assembly.

10.4 General Assembly shall:

10.4.1 Approve changes and amendments of the Association's bylaws,

10.4.2 Approve the annual report on activities of the Association,

10.4.3 Approve the financial report and budget for the next year,

10.4.4 Approve objectives and programme of activities for the next period,

10.4.5 Elect and dismiss the Chairman of the Association, who also becomes the Chairman of the Executive Committee,

10.4.6 Elect and dismiss members of the Executive Committee and Revision Commission,

10.4.7 Decide upon member's appeal against the decision of the Executive Committee on his/her exclusion from the Association,

10.4.8 Decide on disputes between members and collective bodies of the Association,

10.5 General Assembly may reserve the right to decide on matters different from those stated above.

10.6 General Assembly shall meet at least once a year. The Chairman of the Executive Committee shall call a meeting of General Assembly by a written invitation, which must be sent to every member to his/her latest address, at the latest within thirty days prior to the day of meeting. An invitation must include especially the place, date, time and programme of the meeting. Such invitation may also include other materials on individual issues to be discussed at the meeting.

10.7 General Assembly can also be held in writing: the Executive Committee shall prepare a written detailed material and questions to be decided upon. The questions shall be prepared in such manner that the respondent will check the answer "Yes" or "No". The questions must not be misleading and their wording must not imply the answer. In case of holding General Assembly in writing, a deadline shall be given by which the members are to return the completed forms (i.e. with answers). Such deadline must not be shorter than thirty days. Within fifteen days of the lapse of the deadline, the Chairman of the Executive Committee is obliged to arrange for a written notary's report on the meeting of General Assembly. Such report shall include all received answers and results of members' voting. All regular members must be addressed as to expressing their standpoints and taking their votes. The number of answers defines the number of "the present" to which shall be applied a simple or qualified majority when voting on individual issues. The voting results must be delivered to all members in writing, at the latest within one month of the execution of the notary's report.

10.8 Only regular members have the right to vote at the meeting of General Assembly.

10.9 General Assembly can make decisions if majority of all its regular members is present (quorum). If the quorum is not reached, the General Assembly shall not be held. After 60 minutes from the time scheduled for the commencement of the regular meeting of the General Assembly, the Chairman of the Association shall commence an extraordinary meeting of the General Assembly, at which can be made decisions irrespective of the number of present members of the Association. The extraordinary meeting of the General Assembly following the regular meeting that was not held must have the same programme (agenda) as the originally scheduled regular meeting of the General Assembly.
10.10 Member of the Association who cannot in person take part in a meeting of the General Assembly may give another person the power of attorney to represent him/her at the meeting. The power of attorney must be given in writing and be equipped with an officially verified signature of the donor of such power. The power also entitles its holder to vote at meeting of the General Assembly.

10.11 Every regular member has one vote. The decisions of the General Assembly require a majority of present regular members. The voting is made by acclamation except for election of the Chairman of the Association, members of the Executive Committee and the Revision Commission, which is held by means of a secret ballot.

10.12 The Chairman of the Association shall be elected and dismissed by a majority of votes of all regular members. If the Chairman is not elected in the first election round, the second round shall be held. The candidate who receives in the second round the highest number of votes shall become the Chairman.

10.13 A report shall be made on the meeting of the General Assembly and shall be signed by the Chairman and other present members of the Executive Committee. The report shall be made available to all members of the Association in the seat or office of the Association at the latest within 20 days of the meeting.

10.14 The decisions of General Assembly are binding for its bodies and all members of the Association.

11.1 The Executive Committee shall manage the Association between meetings of General Assembly. It is composed of the Chairman and other two members at least. The number of its members must be odd. The term of office of a member of the Executive Committee shall be one year. The membership of the Executive Committee shall not expire prior to the election or co-optation of a new member.

11.2 The membership of the Executive Committee is incompatible with membership of the Revision Commission.

11.3 The membership of the Executive Committee shall be determined by the Association's Code of Procedure.

11.4 Should during the term of office a number of members of the Executive Committee decrease, the Executive Committee is entitled to co-opt another member so as to ensure that the Executive Committee has the full number of members. Such co-optation must be approved by General Assembly at its most immediate meeting.

11.5 The Executive Committee is responsible for its activities to General Assembly and the Chairman of the Association.

11.6 Either the Chairman of the Association alone or two members of the Executive Committee together shall act on behalf of the Executive Committee.
11.7 The Executive Committee decides on all issues except for those reserved for General Assembly by bylaws or a particular decision of General Assembly. Such issues are mainly as follows:

11.7.1 To prepare and submit to General Assembly the annual report, final accounts and budget,

11.7.2 To prepare and develop objectives and programme of the Association's activities,

11.7.3 To settle disputes between members,

11.7.4 To organise and manage activities of the Association in the scope necessary to ensure the performance of the Association's tasks, to issue organisational and working rules,

11.7.5 To manage assets of the Association,

11.7.6 To represent the Association in legal relations,

11.7.7 To appoint and dismiss the Secretary of the Executive Committee and the Treasurer,

11.7.8 To admit new members of the Association,

11.7.9 To maintain a register of names of regular and honorary members,

11.7.10 To elect and dismiss the Vice-Chairman of the Executive Committee,

11.7.11 To decide on the exclusion of a member from the Association,

11.7.12 To decide on the amount of member contributions and registration fee,

11.7.13 To decide on dissolution and winding-up of the Association.

11.8 The Executive Committee shall be managed by the Chairman of the Association.

11.9 The Executive Committee shall meet at least four times a year.

11.10 The Chairman shall call the Executive Committee if necessary. The Executive Committee can make decisions if majority of all its members is present (quorum). The decision is approved if majority of present members of the Executive Committee votes for it. Each member has one vote. In case of equality of voting, the Chairman's vote shall prevail.

11.11 In urgent cases the Chairman or Vice-Chairman may initiate the decision of the Executive Committee through a written or faxed query sent to all members of the Executive Committee. Such decision may only be valid if it was approved by majority of all members of the Executive Committee. The decision must be entered in a memorandum of the meeting at the Executive Committee most immediate meeting.

11.12 A memorandum of the meeting of the Executive Committee shall be made and all members present at the meeting shall sign it. Within fifteen days, the memorandum shall be delivered to all members of the Executive Committee and the Chairman of the Revision Commission.

11.13 The Executive Committee may appoint its Secretary and Treasurer, who are organisational employees of the Association. They are responsible for their activities to the Chairman of the Association.

11.14 The Executive Committee shall decide on the disposal of the Association's property.

12.1 The Chairman of the Association shall also be the Chairman of its Executive Committee.

12.2 The Chairman shall manage the Association and co-ordinate activities of the Association and of the Executive Committee. He/she shall carry out tasks that were set by the General Assembly and the Executive Committee.

12.3 The Chairman shall call and manage meetings of the General Assembly and the Executive Committee.

12.4 The Chairman shall be elected by the General Assembly for the term of three years from within the members of the Association. However, his/her term of office shall not expire until the new Chairman of the Association is elected.

12.5 The Chairman is responsible for activities of the Secretariat

12.6. The Chairman shall decide on personnel matters of the Association, conclude employment contracts and negotiate contracts for work, unless the Executive Committee decides otherwise.

13.1 The Revision Commission has three members, who shall be elected by the General Assembly for the term of two years.

13.2 The membership of the Revision Commission and the Executive Committee is incompatible.

13.3 The members of the Revision Commission shall elect the Chairman who is a member of this Commission and who shall call and manage its meetings.

13.4 The Revision Commission shall:

13.4.1 Review the draft final accounts and budget,

13.4.2 Control the property management and other activities of the Association,

13.4.3 Submit the General Assembly reports on the property management.

13.5 The Revision Commission may propose the Executive Committee to call an extraordinary meeting of the General Assembly. If such meeting is not called within the defined term, it may be called by the Chairman of the Revision Commission.

13.6 The Chairman of the Revision Commission may participate in meetings of the Executive Committee.

14.1 In municipalities where at least eleven members of the Association are situated such members may elect a Regional Manager.

14.2 The Regional Manager mediates and organises the contact of members in the region concerned with the top executives of the Association.

14.3 A regional organisation is not a legal entity and may not enter into legal relations on its own behalf or on behalf of the Association as a whole.

14.4 Regional Managers organise and manage activities of the Association's members in their region.

14.5 Regional Managers constitute an advisory board of the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee may whenever call such board for the purpose of consultation as to adopting a view or resolving a problem relating to activities of the Association.

15.1 The Executive Committee is the Association's statutory body.

15.2 The Chairman of the Executive Committee alone or other two members of the Executive Committee together are entitled to act and sign on behalf of the Executive Committee of the Association.

15.3 Signing on behalf of the Association shall take place as follows: the Chairman of the Executive Committee or other two members of the Executive Committee shall add their signature to the pre-printed or written name of the Association, and names and position titles.

16.1 The Association shall carry out its activities in the sense of these bylaws as a non-profit-making organisation.

16.2 The property and resources necessary to ensure the Association's activities are mainly composed of the following:

16.2.1 Regular annual member contributions,

16.2.2 Revenues from publishing activities, and cultural and sport events,

16.2.3 Gifts, subsidies and grants

16.3 The gained budgetary resources cover operating expenses of the Association incurred during the performance of the Association's activities.

16.4 For the purposes of operative management of financial means the Association shall establish a bank account.

16.5 In order to ensure professional works, or paying for experts, that serve the fulfilment of the Association's objectives and mission, the Executive Committee may conclude contracts with the foregoing entities.

16.6 As regards expenses, the Chairman on the basis of the budget shall decide them upon. The Executive Committee at its most immediate meeting shall approve the Chairman's decision.

16.7 The Executive Committee (Treasurer) shall maintain accurate records of the spent resources in accordance with the Chart of Accounts for Political Parties, Movement, Citizens' Associations and Other Non-Profit-Making Organisations. The Chairman shall be responsible for the accounting.

16.8 The budget of the Association must not be compiled as loss making (i.e. with a deficit).

17.1 The Association shall be wound up by:
17.1.1 A voluntary dissolution and approving of liquidation,

17.1.2 A merger with another association without liquidation,

17.1.3 A legally effective decision of a ministry on dissolution.

17.2 The voluntary dissolution of the Association shall be decided upon by the Executive Committee. Such decision requires a 3/5 majority of all members of the Executive Committee, which is obliged to communicate its decision on dissolution to all members of the Association and the relevant ministry, at the latest within l5 days.

17.3 Along with the decision on dissolution the Executive Committee shall appoint a liquidator who will perform the liquidation of the Association's property.

17.4 The liquidator is bound to submit the Executive Committee a report on the course of liquidation that shall mainly include the following:

17.4.l Whether bodies of the Association take only those actions that are necessary for the performance of liquidation,

17.4.2 The manner of gathering financial means at one bank, and a balance of such means,

17.4.3 The state of finishing of ordinary matters,

17.4.4 The state of settlement of taxes and similar payments, and liabilities of the Association,

17.4.5 The state of meeting of the Association's claims,

17.4.6 The course of converting the Association's property into money.

17.4.7 Other supplementary data with explanation thereof.

17.5 The liquidator shall prepare final accounts to the day when the liquidation finished and submit them to the Executive Committee with a final report on the course of liquidation and a proposal for the manner of disposing of the remaining property of the Association.

17.6 Once the final accounts are approved and the Executive Committee makes the decision on the Association's property, the liquidator shall:

17.6.1 Dispose of the Association's property according to the decision of the Executive Committee,

17.6.2 Ensure the storage of all documents of the Association.

17.7 The Association is wound up by the Executive Committee's decision on approval of the liquidation.

17.8 The Executive Committee shall decide on the redistribution of the wound-up Association's remaining property by an organisation with similar specialisation and activities.

These bylaws become effective on the day when a respective authority registers the Association.