CHARTER
OF THE "HERITAGE" PARTY
1. GENERAL PROVISIONS
The Heritage Party (hereinafter referred to as the Party) is a free association, on a voluntary basis, of the Republic of Armenia’s (hereinafter RA) citizens of voting age. The Party has its own Program and Charter.
The Party shall operate throughout the territory of RA in compliance with the Constitution, international treaties and legislation of RA, and the Charter.
The activities of the Party are based on the principles of legality, transparency, equality of rights for members, voluntary membership, collegial management, and self-governance.
The Party has obtained status as a legal entity upon its state registration at the RA State Registry for legal entities. It has a trilingual (Armenian, English, and Russian) seal, stamp, letterhead, and bank accounts, both in local and in foreign currencies.
The Party shall enjoy all rights and exercises respective responsibilities as a legal entity, as defined by RA legislation.
The name of the Party is
in Armenian: “ԺԱՌԱՆԳՈՒԹՅՈՒՆ” ԿՈՒՍԱԿՑՈՒԹՅՈՒՆ,
in Russian: ПАРТИЯ “НАСЛЕДИЕ”,
in English: “HERITAGE” PARTY.
The legal address of the Party is 31 Moscovian Street, Apartment 76a, Yerevan 0002, Republic of Armenia. The telephone number is (+374 10) 53 69 13.
2. THE AIMS AND PURPOSES OF THE PARTY
2.1
The party’s objective is the development of Armenia as a democratic, lawful, and rights-based country that anchors its domestic and foreign policies in the nation’s sovereign interest. The Heritage’s platform of words and deeds stems from national and universal human values and from the civilizational inheritance of the past, and aims to secure a life of opportunity and dignity for the Armenian people. The party strives also to bequeath to the coming generations a free, strong, prosperous, and sovereign Homeland, to take part in the constitution and leadership of its national and local governments, and to contribute to the civic, socioeconomic, and cultural life of the Republic.
To satisfy the necessary minimum conditions for a society of prosperous and dignified lives, the settlement of the following key issues is required:
a) establishing a democratic state governed by the rule of law;
b) developing and launching civic initiatives and empowering civil society;
c) recognizing and then bolstering the national heritage of respect for society and state, developing and carrying out new state-building concepts for national progress;
d) improving legislation in accord with public and citizens’ needs;
e) participating in the formation and activities of public administration and governmental bodies through transparent, free, and fair elections.
2.2
The Party shall hold conferences, seminars, roundtable discussions, trainings, and meetings in order to effectively accomplish its statutory objectives and tasks, as well as to implement other programs and activities to that end.
2.3
The Party shall cooperate with state and non-governmental organizations, local governing bodies of RA, international and foreign organizations, legal entities, and individuals.
2.4
The Party may establish representation in other countries in accordance with the legislation of those countries.
2.5
The Party may establish mass media mechanisms and distribute information on its activities through them in conformity with RA legislation.
2.6
The Party shall establish territorial subdivisions in the Republic of Armenia.
3. MEMBERSHIP, PROCEDURE FOR MEMBERSHIP AND SURRENDER OF MEMBERSHIP, RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF MEMBERS
3.1
Every citizen of RA, having attained the age of eighteen and having accepted the Party Program and its Charter, may become a party member on a voluntary basis. A member of the Party can not be a member of another political party. Non-citizens vested under special statutes with voting rights in RA may also become members of the Party, but without rights of election to the governing and supervisory bodies.
3.2
The decision on prospective party membership for a new applicant on the basis of his/her written application is taken by the executive council of the Party’s regional subdivision. Leaving the party and relinquishing membership shall occur on the basis of a written application or else a decision by the Board to suspend the membership of a given member. Presented by the Board, the procedure for membership and revocation of membership is approved by the Party Council.
3.3
The territorial subdivision shall provide the Party Board with copies of citizens’ applications before making decisions on their membership. The Party Board has a right to raise an objection against any application. In the case of disagreement between the Board and the territorial subdivision, the Chairperson of the Board is vested with the authority to resolve the matter.
3.4
A member of the Party shall pay a specifically set membership fee. The amount and payment procedure is approved by the Party Council based on the proposal of the Party Board.
3.5
A Party member shall not be enrolled simultaneously in more than one territorial subdivision.
3.6
A Party member shall be entitled to:
a) elect and be elected to the permanent governing and supervisory bodies of the Party and its structural and territorial subdivisions;
b) participate in the Party’s activities envisaged by the present Charter;
c) be nominated by the Party for elections of different levels;
d) bring his/her proposals and comments on Party activities, Program, and Charter for consideration and discussion by the Party’s governing bodies;
e) freely express his/her thoughts and opinions;
f) obtain information on the activities of the Party, its governing bodies, and members nominated for various elective and executive offices;
g) be aware of the Party’s actions, be acquainted with the work of its bodies recorded in documentation and minutes, be able to obtain the copies of decisions made by them;
h) appeal to the Party Board, its Chairperson, and the Council against the decisions of territorial subdivisions and their chairpersons, and to file an appeal to the Statutory Committee against the Board and Council decisions;
i) freely leave the party and relinquish membership, according to his/her application;
j) enjoy other rights envisaged by the Charter and RA legislation.
3.7
A member of the Party shall be obliged to:
a) abide by and act within the Charter and Program of the Party, and assist to the utmost in the fulfillment of their provisions by his/her activities and behavior;
b) pay membership fees as defined by the Party Council;
c) support the realization of the Party goals and objectives;
d) support the Party’s overall activities;
e) bear with dignity the calling for a Party member and assist in increasing the Party reputation, and refrain from any unethical or illegal actions that might blemish the Party’s reputation and standing;
f) carry out the decisions of governing bodies of the Party;
g) assist in enrolling new members and reinforcing the Party structures;
h) fulfill the requirements of the Charter;
i) refrain from struggling against the decisions of the governing bodies outside the Party structures;
j) first appeal to the superior bodies of the Party against the decision of the Party structures; the superior bodies are obliged to discuss the appeal and make a decision during the next scheduled session.
Members involved in the Party’s governing bodies must actively participate in the activities of respective bodies and obey the decisions of both the given body and superior bodies.
4. STRUCTURE AND MANAGEMENT OF THE PARTY
4.1
The Party’s structural hierarchy is as follows: the Party Congress, the Council, the Board, the Chairperson of the Board, the Statutory Committee, the Supervisory Committee, and the Territorial Subdivisions.
4.2
The Party Congress is the highest authority of the Party. Decisions adopted at the Congress shall be binding for the Party members and bodies.
4.3
Congress is entitled to the right of making final decisions on any issue of the Party management and its activity.
4.4
The Party may convene a regular or a special Congress. Regular Congresses of the party shall be held with no less frequency than once every two years.
4.5
Congress is convened in the form of a joint meeting of Party members or delegates elected by the members. The Party Board shall decide the procedure for holding the Congress.
4.6
Participants shall be notified about the Congress agenda, the venue, and the date by the Party Board at least 14 days before the regular Congress and at least 7 days before in the case of special Congress. Method of notification shall be decided by the Party Board.
4.7
Special Congress of the Party is held on demand of the Party Council, Party Board, the Supervisory Committee (the Supervisor), and at written request of 1/3 of the Party members within a 7-day period. Participants of Regular or Special Congresses shall be notified according to Article 4.6 of Charter.
4.8
Membership and revocation procedures shall be temporarily suspended between the decision to hold a Congress and the election of delegates for the Congress.
4.9
The Party Congress has exclusive power to:
a) approve the Party Charter and Program, as well as make amendments and addenda to those documents, adopt a new Charter and Program;
b) elect the Party Board, Statutory and Supervisory Committees;
c) make a decision on the reorganization and liquidation of the Party;
d) approve the political report of the Chairperson of the Board of the Party;
e) approve the reports on Party activities, finances, and property;
f) approve the candidate for presidency nominated by the Party Board.
Congress shall be valid if at least 2/3 of the delegates have been registered. Decisions envisaged in subpoints a), b), c), d), e), and f) of the present article shall be adopted by a majority vote of the Congress delegates.
4.10
The Party Council is:
a) a permanent body composed of 41 members, 30 of which shall be delegates selected by
Party subdivisions in a number and according to the procedure defined by the Party Board. The other 11 members are ex officio Board members, including the Chairperson of the Party Board;
b) entitled to nominate a candidate for presidency during regular or special Presidential elections, which shall be approved by the Party Congress;
c) entitled to decide on the Party’s participation in the parliamentary elections, as well as in the elections for vacant parliamentary seats; approve the pre-election list of the candidates for members of parliament presented by the Party Board (chairperson of regional subdivisions and organizational units shall participate in this meeting by a consultative vote);
d) entitled to decide, by proposal of the Party Board, on Party’s involvement in political alliances;
e) entitled to decide on Party-nominated individuals’ activities working at the Party’s parliamentary fraction and in the other elective and executive offices in the Republic in the framework of RA laws, including the Rules of Procedure of the RA National Assembly;
f) entitled to convene a special Congress of the Party;
g) entitled to confirm Board-submitted procedures of Party membership and removal, as well as the scale and collection procedures of membership fees;
h) entitled to make statements, upon the recommendation of the Board, concerning key and urgent public issues;
i) Party Council’s session is authorized to discuss the issues and make decisions if at least 1/2 of Council members are present at the meeting. The decisions shall be made by simple majority of the votes. In the event that votes are equally distributed, the Chairperson’s vote is decisive;
j) Party Council convenes its regular meetings no less frequently than quarterly. Special sessions may be called by the Board or by 1/3 of total Board members, as well as by the request of the Chairperson of the Board.
k) Council meetings are presided over by the Chairperson of the Party or his/her authorized representative.
4.11.1
The Board of the Party:
a) consists of 11 members. 10 of them are elected by secret ballot by the Congress for a maximum of 2 years. For each member the voting is conducted separately. Ex officio, the eleventh member is the Chairperson of the Heritage Party Parliamentary Fraction;
b) shall call its first session after being elected and elect a Chairperson of the Board, a Deputy Chairperson, and the secretaries of the Board. The Board shall appoint the head of the Party central office and the Party spokesman from the Party membership;
c) is the Party’s permanently functioning management body which is responsible for Party activities during the period between the Congresses based on the present Charter and the decisions of the Congresses;
d) shall prepare and invite the Party Congresses and Council meetings, create the agenda, decide on the procedure, date, and venue of the Congress and Council sessions, recognize the participants;
e) shall make decisions about convening regular and special Congresses, define the procedures for the elections of the delegates and allocations to subdivisions;
f) shall submit the Party membership and removal procedures, as well as the scale and procedures for the collection of membership fees for the Council’s approval, define the procedure for managing the monies collected as membership fees and gained through other financial resources;
g) shall make decisions on the activities of persons nominated by the Party to work at the parliamentary fraction of the National Assembly of the RA and in the other elected and executive offices;
h) shall submit to the Council’s approval the list of election candidates, if the Board has a decision to partake in the parliamentary elections;
i) shall make decisions on the Party’s staff positions and salaries;
j) shall make decisions to establish or liquidate Party territorial subdivisions and approve their rules of procedure;
k) shall make decisions to establish or liquidate Party administrative divisions and affirm their rules of procedure and working procedures;
l) shall make decisions on the revocation of a Party member’s membership. If the Party member or the subdivision does not accept the decision, there is a right to appeal to the Party Statutory Committee, which shall make a final decision;
m) shall define the property management procedure by the territorial and structural units;
n) shall discuss and affirm the political report of the Board Chairperson before presenting it to Congress;
o) shall discuss and decide on other issues relating to the Party activities except those which are in the exclusive jurisdiction of the Party Congress, Council, or Board Chairperson.
4.11.2
The number of deputies elected by the parliamentary elections by the proportional list of the Party and/or by the Party nominated electoral district shall not exceed 1/3 of the Board members’ total number.
4.11.3
The Party Board members can not be the Party-nominated persons appointed to work at the state executive management bodies.
4.12
The Board shall make decisions and discuss the issues only if 2/3 of the Board members’ total number is present at the meeting. The decisions shall be made by the simple majority of votes. In case the votes are equally distributed, the Board Chairperson’s vote is decisive.
4.13
The Board Chairperson shall call the Board meeting no less frequently than once every two weeks. Special meetings can be called by the initiative of the Board Chairperson, by the decision of the National Assembly’s parliamentary fraction’s deputies, by the request of 1/3 of Board members, or based on the written request of any territorial subdivision, the Party’s Supervisory Committee, or the Statutory Committee.
Decisions for the Board Chairperson’s elections, as well as for urgent political statements, special Congress calls and mass events, and recreation or liquidation of territorial and structural subdivisions shall be adopted by the majority vote of the Board members’ total number.
4.14
The Chairperson of the Party:
a) shall be elected by the Board, by the majority of its members as a result of a secret vote—for a term of two years;
b) is an ex-officio Chairperson of the Board and guides the activities of the Board and the Council;
c) shall see to the realization of the decisions of the Congress, Council, and Board;
d) shall represent the Party and without credentials act on behalf of the Party;
e) shall submit for the Council’s approval the list of the candidacies for the presidential elections confirmed by the Party Board;
f) shall submit for the Board’s approval the positions and salaries of the Party employees;
g) shall employ or release from employment the employees of the Party;
h) shall decide on the effectiveness of the acquisition or alienation of immovable and movable property by the Party;
i) shall manage the Party property and funds defined by the law and the present Charter;
j) shall submit a report to the Congress on the activities of the Council and the Board;
k) shall make decisions within its jurisdiction on the current issues of the Party activities, sign orders, agreements, contracts, and other urgent documents;
l) shall present to the Congress the political report approved by the Board;
m) shall have the right to convene Council and Board special meetings;
n)shall realize other roles authorized by the Council and Board.
4.15.1
The Vice Chairperson and Board Secretaries shall be elected by the simple majority of the members’ votes. In the frames of the present Charter, their rights and responsibilities shall be regulated by the Party Board.
4.15.2
The functions of the Party Chairperson during his/her absence shall be implemented by the Vice Chairperson of the Party, during the Vice Chairperson’s absence by one of the secretaries, and in the case that this is impossible one of the Board members.
4.16
The Statutory Committee of the Party:
a) consists of five members and shall be elected by the Congress for a maximum term of 2 years, and by the simple majority of votes; its members shall elect the Chairperson of the Committee among themselves;
b) shall investigate the decisions adopted by the Party bodies and examine their compliance with the Party’s Program and Charter, and shall annul such decisions which may contradict the Party’s Program and present Charter;
c) shall provide with explanations and interpretations relating to special articles of the Party’s Program and the present Charter;
d) shall investigate the draft proposals of the Party members on making amendments and addenda to the Party’s Program and in the present Charter;
e) The Party’s other bodies must reconcile their decisions with the final decisions of the Statutory Committee.
f) The Statutory Committee shall act in accordance with its work schedule. The committee meetings shall be open.
g) The Statutory Committee shall elect its Chairperson and the Secretary during the first meeting.
h) The Statutory Committee shall prepare annual reports which shall be discussed and approved by the Congress.
i) The Chairperson of the Statutory Committee by a consultative vote and ex officio may attend the meetings of the Party Board, the Council, and the executive councils of the territorial subdivisions. The members of the Statutory Committee may partake in the meetings of the Party Board and in the meetings of the executive councils of the territorial subdivisions.
j) The Statutory Committee shall act in the frames of its authorization and according to an agenda defined by itself if other working procedures are not defined by the Party Congress.
4.17
The Supervisory Committee of the Party:
a) shall supervise the material and financial resourses of the Party and consists of 5 members who shall be elected for a maximum term of two years;
b) shall conduct, within the limits of its authority, checks in the Party any time;
c) shall have access to all documentation relating to the Party’s activities;
d) shall submit proposals for discussion to the governing bodies of the Party;
e) shall request information of the Party’s activities from the Board Chairperson and members, as well as form the Party members and employees;
f) shall present an opinion relating to the Party’s activities and the utilization of property;
g) shall submit a report to the Congress;
h) shall not be a member of any other governing body of the Party;
i) The members of the Supervisory Committee, by a consultative vote, may attend the sessions of the Party Board, the Council, and the executive councils of the territorial subdivisions.
j) The Supervisory Committee shall elect a Committee Chairperson who shall coordinate the activities of the Committee.
k) The member of the Supervisory Committee simultaneously shall not be a member to the other elective bodies of the Party.
l) A special session of the Supervisory Committee shall be called by the initiative of the Committee’s Chairperson, by the Committee itself, or on the request of any member of the Board.
m) The Supervisory Committee shall act within the frames of its authority and according to an agenda defined by itself if other working procedures are not defined by the Party Congress.
n) The sessions of the Supervisory Committee shall be called in case of necessity but no fewer than two times a year, initiated by the Committee Chairperson.
o) The sessions of the Supervisory Committee shall take place if 2/3 of its members are present and the decisions shall be adopted by the simple majority of votes.
4.18
Territorial subdivisions of the Party:
a) are units of at least 11 Party members formed by the principle of territorial administration, which obtain special status defined by the Party Board;
b) shall be organized and liquidated by the Board’s decision;
c) have a governing body which is the executive council. The executive council shall be elected by the general meeting of the subdivision’s members, by the simple majority of votes, and consist of no fewer than 5 and no more than 15 members. It operates on an annual basis and according to the orders and procedures defined by the Board;
d) The head of the territorial subdivision shall be elected by the general meeting of the subdivision’s members, by the simple majority of their votes and govern the subdivision on an annual basis according to the orders and procedures defined by the Board.
e) The general meeting of the territorial subdivision elects the member(s) of the Party’s Council in accordance with the amounts due to each subdivision and the procedures defined by the Board.
f) The general meeting of the territorial subdivision elects the delegate(s) for the Party Congress in accordance with the amounts due to each subdivision and the procedures defined by the Board.
g) In case of necessity, the Supervisory Committee (the Supervisor) of the territorial subdivision may be appointed by the Party’s General Supervisory Committee for six months.
4.19
The head of the territorial subdivision:
a) shall guide the activities of the executive council;
b) shall ensure the implementation of the decisions made by the Party Board and by the executive board of the given subdivision;
c) shall represent the territorial subdivision and act on behalf of the subdivision without additional formal authorization;
d) shall submit a report about his/her territorial subdivision’s and executive board’s activities;
e) shall make decisions, sign orders, decrees, and other necessary documents within the frames of his/her credentials, except on issues relating to the decisions of the Party’s Congress, the Board, and the executive council of given territorial subdivisions;
f) shall call special meetings of the executive council of the territorial subdivision;
g) shall realize other credentials entrusted to him/her by the Party Congress, Council, and the Board;
h) hall provide accounting of his/her activities to the executive board of the territorial subdivision.
4.20
The executive board of the territorial subdivision:
a) shall discuss and make decisions on all issues about the activities of the territorial subdivision except those which relate to the decisions of the Party Congress, the Council, the Board, its Chairperson and the Chairperson of the executive council of the given territorial subdivision;
b) shall prepare and call the meetings of the territorial subdivision, set the agenda;
c) shall make decisions on the acceptance or rejection of a new member in compliance with articles 3.1, 3.2, and 3.3 of the present Charter.
4.21
The Supervisory Committee (the Supervisor) of the territorial subdivision:
a) shall conduct checks in the territorial subdivision any time within the limits of its authorities;
b) shall have access to all documentation relating to the activities of the territorial subdivision;
c) shall submit proposals for discussion to the guiding bodies of the territorial subdivision;
d) shall request and receive information on the territorial subdivision’s activities from the territorial subdivision’s Chairperson and members, as well as form the subdivision’s staff;
e) shall present an opinion relating to the territorial subdivision’s accounting of daily activities and the utilization of property;
f) shall report to the Party’s Supervisory Committee (the Supervisor).
4.22
The structural divisions (the Commissions) of the Party:
a) shall be formed by the Board of the Party for 2 years;
b) shall be headed, for a one-year term, by an appointee of the Party Board;
c) shall conduct research in the spheres of their credentials and present findings, expert opinions, and analyses to the Party’s governing bodies.
4.23 The parliamentary fraction of the Party shall act in compliance with the present Charter, be accountable to the governing bodies of the Party, shall not implement any activity which may contradict the decisions of the Party and its election program, and shall implement those decisions as well as the electoral provisions of the Party Program.
5. FINANCIAL RESOURCES AND THE PROPERTY OF THE PARTY
5.1
The Party’s financial and property resources shall be derived from
a) donations as defined by law;
b) membership fees;
c) budgetary funding defined by law;
d) revenues from the Party’s realized activities defined by law and from other sources not prohibited by law;
5.2
The objects defined in Article 5.1 as the Party property shall be used for the implementation of the objectives and goals of the present Charter.
5.3
The property transferred to the Party by its founders and members, as well as the property acquired from other sources, is the ownership of the Party. The founders and the members of the Party do not have any rights to the transferred property as well as to the membership fees. They are not responsible of the Party’s liabilities and the Party shall not undertake any obligations for the responsibilities of its founders and members.
6. RULES OF PROCEDURE OF DRAFTING AMENDMENTS AND ADDENDA TO THE CHARTER
6.1
Amendments and addenda to the present Charter shall be made by the simple majority vote of Congress delegates.
6.2
The state registration of the implemented amendments and addenda shall be carried out according to the rules of procedure defined for the state registration of parties.
7. PARTY REORGANIZATION, LIQUIDATION, AND PROHIBITION OF ACTIVITIES
7.1
Party reorganization (fusion, unification, division, separation) shall be made by the decision of the Party Congress according to the RA Law on Political Parties.
7.2
Party liquidation shall be made on the basis of the Congress decision according to the RA Law on Political Parties, Civil Code of RA, as well as precedents and cases defined by law.
7.3
Prohibition of the Party’s activities shall be realized according to the rules of procedure defined by the RA legislation.
7.4
In the case of liquidation, the property of the Party shall be used for the implementation of the goals and objectives of the Party or, if this is impossible, the property shall be transferred to the stage budget.
7.5
The issues not regulated by the present Charter shall be regulated by the RA legislation, particularly the RA Law on Political Parties.