I Basic provisions

Article 1

The name of the organization is Matica Crnogorska (hereinafter: Matica).

As an independent organization, Matica was founded in Cetinje on May 22 nd , 1993 . By the Law on Matica Crnogorska, adopted in the Parliament of Montenegro on March 18 th , 2008 , Matica shall continue to accomplish its program goals and to perform activities of public interest, as an independent organization in the field of culture.

Article 2

Matica shall affirm the culture and national identity of the people of Montenegro and promote and develop multi-ethnic character of Montenegro .

Article 3

Matica shall operate in Montenegro and in other states where there are conditions for that.

Matica's seat s hall be in Podgorica.

Article 4

Matica shall be autonomous in performing its activities.

Matica shall be managed by its members through its managing bodies.

Article 5

Matica shall have its stamp, seal and logo .

Matica's stamp shall be round, with a 30mm diameter. Matica's logo - a stylized letter M shall be in the center, the words: Matica Crnogorska in the upper arc, in Cyrillic and Latin alphabets, and the words: Seat-Podgorica in the lower arc.

Matica's seal shall be of rectangular shape, with dimensions 60 x 30 mm, containing the words: Matica Crnogorska, in Latin and Cyrillic alphabets, Podgorica, and the date line.

Article 6

Matica's day shall be May 22 nd , the date of its foundation.

on top

II Goals, duties and activities

Article 7

Matica's purpose is keeping, fostering and affirming national and cultural identity of the Montenegrins and members of other peoples living in Montenegro , in all areas of spiritual, scientific and artistic creation and public life.

Article 8

For the purpose of accomplishing its program goals, Matica shall perform the following activities:

•  develop values of multi-ethnic and multi-cultural democratic society;

•  strengthen and develop national and cultural identity of Montenegrins;

•  affirm national and cultural identity of other peoples living in Montenegro ;

•  nurture Montenegrin patriotism and deepen the emotion and respect of citizens for Montenegrin sovereignty;

•  study and affirm historical and cultural heritage of Montenegro ;

•  establish and foster relationships of Montenegrin Diaspora with Montenegro ;

•  popularize historical and modern values that are of vital importance for the identity and cultural prosperity of Montenegro ;

•  organize scientific and professional meetings, exhibitions, public discussions and lectures, with the aim of strengthening democratic, cultural and multi-national identity of Montenegro ;

•  perform publishing activity which is in the function of set program goals;

•  open book-shops, libraries, reading-rooms and clubs;

•  study Montenegrin language;

•  issue the magazine "Matica" and other periodical publications;

•  award prizes and acknowledgements;

•  cooperate with government bodies and public institutions and other cultural and social entities and local self-government bodies in the development of culture and society;

•  cooperate with foreign institutions in the field of culture, science and arts;

•  develop contacts with European and world organizations, especially with Maticas of Slovene peoples in the field of culture, national identity, education, spiritual life and protection of universal values;

•  gather cultural workers and all persons who are ready to carry out Matica's purpose and duties in the culture, education and science;

•  develop internal organization and expand membership with the aim of affirming its program goals and strengthening its public influence;

•  help artists and scientists, especially its members;

•  perform other activities in accordance with its Statute, programs and agenda.

on top

III Membership

Article 9

The membership in Matica shall be voluntary. Matica's members shall support its scientific and cultural activity at all times. Every citizen of Montenegro with a working capacity or person with other citizenship, who wants to accomplish its program and accepts conditions of the membership, may become member of Matica.

Article 10

Membership in Matica shall be maintained in the unified records and shall be proved with membership card. The membership situation shall be published in the Matica's Almanac.

Article 11

Matica's members shall include:
•  members,
•  honorable members,
•  donors. 

Article 12

Membership in Matica shall be instituted by voluntary accession to Matica, after signing an accession application and submitting biography, which confirms personal readiness to accept Matica's objectives and activity.

Managing Board shall confirm the status of member.

Article 13

Honorable members shall be elected at the Matica's Assembly, upon the proposal of the Managing Board, among scientists, writers and artists, domestic and foreign, who have distinguished themselves by their special contribution to the Montenegrin culture.

Article 14

Donors shall be Matica's benefactors who have been materially assisting its work for a longer period of time.

Managing Board shall appoint donors in the Matica's membership.

Article 15

The rights of the Matica's members shall include:

•  the implementation of the Program, aim and purposes of Matica;

•  the participation in projects according to their professional abilities;

•  the participation and decision making in its work;

•  the selection in the Matica's bodies;

•  the use of professional and other assistance in the areas of Matica's activity;

•  the use of a 50% discount for all Matica's editions;

•  a free copy of the Matica's almanac.

Article 16

Duties of the Matica's members shall be:

•  the protection of the Matica's reputation and interest in accordance with this Statute and decisions of Matica's administrative bodies;

•  the understanding of the Matica's Program;

•  the spreading and affirmation of the Matica's program and activity in public;

•  regular payment of the membership fee and the supporting of the Matica's activity in other forms, in accordance with one's possibilities.

Article 17

Party propaganda shall not be allowed in Matica. Members of the Managing Board and other Matica's bodies may not be officials of political parties, nor members of bodies of executive authority.

Article 18

Membership in Matica shall cease:

•  by expressed written will;
•  due to activity opposite to the Matica's aims, by decision of the Managing Board;
•  due to non-payment of the membership fee more than two years;
•  by decision of the Court of Honor;
•  due to death.

on top

IV Management

Article 19

Managing bodies of Matica shall be:

1. Assembly
2. Managing Board
3. President
4. Secretary general
5. Supervisory Board and
6. The Court of Honor.

IV.1 The Assembly of Matica Crnogorska

Article 20

The Assembly of Matica Crnogorska shall consist of the members of the Matica's managing bodies and delegates of the branches.

Persons from the paragraph 1 of this Article shall be delegates of the Matica's Assembly.

Managing Board shall make a decision by which it prescribes total number of delegates in branches which form Matica's Assembly.

Article 21

Matica's Assembly shall sit every fourth year.

The president shall convene the Assembly pursuant to the decision of the Managing Board, specifying the day, place and the time of holding the Assembly, the proposed agenda, and he shall inform the delegates about everything and send relevant material no later than fifteen days before holding the Assembly.

Managing Boards of individual branches of Matica shall organize and conduct the election of its delegates who will participate in the Assembly's work.

Article 22

President may convene extraordinary session of the Assembly by himself or pursuant to decision of the Managing Board, and he is obliged to convene it when required so by one-third of Matica's members or the Matica's Supervisory Board.

When convening an extraordinary session of the Assembly, president is obliged to specify the subject of discussion and reasons for convening extraordinary session of Assembly.

Article 23

The Assembly shall lawfully decide if it is attended by at least one-half of the total foreseen number of delegates.

The Assembly shall make decisions by simple majority of present delegates.

Article 24

The Assembly of Matica shall:

•  discuss and decide on how to achieve the purpose of Matica in a better way;

•  adopt the Statute;

•  discuss about the work of other managing bodies of Matica;

•  elect and dismiss president and secretary general;

•  elect and dismiss members of the Managing Board, Supervisory Board and Court of Honor;

•  elect honorable members of Matica;

•  discuss about reports of Managing Board and Supervisory Board between two sessions;

•  decide on other issues inherent to it by the nature of the Statute and the Law on Matica Crnogorska.

Article 25

The Assembly sessions shall be chaired by the Matica's president.

The Assembly sessions shall be led by the president and secretary general.

Article 26

The Assembly shall decide by open ballot, except during election of members of Matica's managing bodies, when secret ballot is applied, unless otherwise decided by the Assembly.

IV.2 Managing Board

Article 27

Managing Board shall consist of the secretary general and six members appointed by the Matica's Assembly.

Article 28

Managing Board shall be the highest executive body managing the work of Matica between two Assemblies.

Managing Board shall be managed and convened by the secretary general.

Managing Board shall regularly meet every three months, or as needed, when it is convened by the secretary general.

Duties of the Managing Board shall be to:

•  maintain relationships with committees, branches and trustees, help them in their activities and coordinate their duties;

•  maintain relationships with Montenegrin Diaspora;

•  approve plans of the Matica's boards;

•  define Matica's publishing plan and coordinate publishing activity of the branches;

•  appoint editors for individual Matica's editions;

•  appoint editor in chief and editorial board of the Matica magazine;

•  adopt Organizational Chart and Job Classification Scheme and other general documents and policies;

•  appoint administrative secretary of Matica, decide on recruiting employees for all the jobs in Matica;

•  adopt annual financial plan;

•  decide on level of salaries of employees and permanent fees of selected persons;

•  initiate organization of lectures, public discussions, meetings and courses, scientific and professional projects;

•  take care of founding bookshops, libraries, reading rooms and clubs;

•  take care of the marketing and promotion of Matica's editions;

•  assist every public activity aimed at safeguarding cultural property and developing culture;

•  make decisions on the procedure of nomination of Matica's bodies;

•  appoint jury for the assignment of Matica's award;

•  appoint Matica's representatives when called upon to appoint representatives that will act in its name in certain bodies;

•  establish endowments;

•  manage the property of Matica and control its overall financial operations;

•  confirm the status of a Matica's member, decides on termination of membership in accordance with this Statute and keep records of the Matica's members;

•  determine the amount of membership fee and the manner of its payment;

•  adopt its Rules of Procedure;

•  implement decisions of the Court of Honor.

Managing Board shall also perform other Matica's activities which are not in the scope of Matica's other bodies.

Article 29

Mandate of the Managing Board shall last four years.

The Assembly of Matica, at its extraordinary session, may dismiss from duty member of the Managing Board, if such member's activities are opposite to the purpose and regulations of Matica.

Article 30

Managing Board may appoint another member in lieu of a member who expressed gratitude and/or otherwise ceased to be member of the Board. Maximum two members may be replaced in that manner.

IV.3 Matica's president

Article 31

The president of Matica shall:

•  represent Matica;

•  preside over the Assembly and convene its sessions;

•  at his/her discretion, participate in the work of Managing Board and suggest the resolution of issues from the competence of the Managing Board;

•  sign Matica's general internal documents;

•  take care of implementation of decisions of managing bodies;

•  confirm the choice of presidents of branches;

•  on behalf of Matica, award prizes and acknowledgments.

IV.4 Secretary general

Article 32

Secretary general shall:

•  manage the Managing Board;

•  cooperate with the Matica's president;

•  coordinate the work of committees, branches and other Matica's working bodies;

•  take care of preparation of the material for the Managing Board and Assembly and of the implementation of their decisions;

•  perform duty of the financial principal;

•  supervise work of the technical and professional service of Matica;

•  ensure regular issuing of the Matica's publications;

•  take care of keeping records of the membership and the payment of membership fees;

•  perform other duties that are not under the competence of other bodies.

IV.5 Matica's Supervisory Board

Article 33

Supervisory Board shall have five members, who shall appoint president from their ranks. The mandate of the Supervisory Board shall last four years.

Supervisory Board may check Matica's operation and documentation at any time. It shall notify the Managing Board and the president thereon, and it shall submit report about Matica's operation to the Matica's Assembly.

Supervisory Board shall work in accordance with its Rules of Procedure.

Supervisory Board shall lawfully work only if its meeting is attended by more than one-half of its members.

Decisions shall be made by the majority of votes.

The Mandate of the Supervisory Board shall last four years.

IV.6 Matica's Court of Honor

Article 34

The Court of Honor shall assess if the behavior of any member of Matica is in accordance with the Statute, and shall be authorized to pronounce warning measures and exclusion from the membership.

The Court of Honor shall have the competence over all Matica's members.

Any member, managing or working body of Matica can start proceedings before the Court of Honor.

The Court of Honor shall make decisions according to its Rules of Procedure.

The Court of Honor shall have five members, who shall appoint president from among their ranks.

The Court of Honor shall work in accordance with its Rules of Procedure.

The Court of Honor lawfully works only if its meeting is attended by more than one-half of its members.

Decisions shall be made by the majority of votes.

The Mandate of the Court of Honor shall last four years.

on top

V Matica's organization

Article 35

V.1 Matica's committees

Article 36

Matica Crnogorska shall have four committees: Committee for science, Committee for education and culture, Committee for the Montenegrin language and literature and Committee for the cooperation with emigrants.

The committees shall be managed by the committee secretaries.

The Committees shall consist of the members of Matica Crnogorska assigned to work in them. Committees shall work pursuant to their Rules of Procedure, which have to be in accordance with the Statute, annual and perennial agenda, and which shall be subject to the approval of the Managing Board.

Article 37

Decisions about founding of new committees and merger or dissolution of existent committees shall be made by Assembly, against reasoned proposal of the Managing Board.

V.2 Matica's branches

Article 38

A branch of Matica may be established in the country and abroad, in a region or place where conditions therefore are fulfilled.

Minimum ten members are needed in order to establish a branch. Two branches cannot be established within the same municipality.

Branches shall act independently in accordance with the Statute of Matica and in coordination with its bodies, towards enhancing the goals and tasks of Matica.

Article 39

The branch of Matica shall be managed by the Managing Board consisting of at least the president, the secretary general and the treasurer. President of a branch must be confirmed by president of Matica.

Managing Board of the branch shall be elected by members of the Assembly held every four years.

The Managing Board shall adopt its Rules of Procedure. The Rules of Procedure must be in compliance with the Statute of Matica.

Article 40

Once a year every branch shall submit a report on its work and membership situation to the secretary general of Matica. Proposed publishing plans of every branch shall be discussed together with the publication plans of Matica and they have to be acknowledged and coordinated.

Article 41

Assembly of Matica Crnogorska may dissolve a branch if its function is not in accordance with the purpose of Matica Crnogorska and its resolutions.

V.3 Trustees of Matica

Article 42

In regions where there are still no conditions to constitute a branch of Matica, Managing Board of Matica may appoint its trustee.

Trustees act in coordination with president of Matica.

V.4 Matica abroad

Article 43

Matica shall adjust its activities abroad with the laws of the state where Matica is to establish its branch or appoint trustees.

on top

VI Decision making

Article 44

Managing bodies of Matica may bring valid decisions by majority vote of their members.

on top

VII Technical and professional service

Article 45

Technical and professional service shall be responsible for program and financial operation of Matica.

Technical and professional service, as a special organizational unit, shall fulfill technical, administrative, organizational and other operational duties.

Work of technical and professional service shall be managed by administrative secretary, who shall be elected and resolved by the Managing Board.

Article 46

Rights, obligations and responsibilities of the technical and professional service and its personnel shall be defined by regulations laid down in accordance with the law and the Statute of Matica, adopted by the Managing Board of Matica.

The Managing Board shall appoint and assign employees for work in the technical and professional service as per requirements specified in the Internal Organization and Job Classification Scheme. The Internal Organization and Job Classification Scheme shall be subject to the approval of the Government of Montenegro.

on top

VIII Financing

Article 47

Matica shall provide resources for the fulfillment of its goals and tasks, for the maintenance and enlargement of its property, and for its work from the following sources:
•  budget of Montenegro
•  endowments, legacies and funds;
•  testaments, gifts and donations;
•  membership fees;
•  proceeds from the sale of its publications;
•  free use of its property;
•  business cooperation and
•  other sources in accordance with the law and this Statute.

The resources from paragraph 1, indent 1 of this Article shall be provided on the basis of the annual program of Matica, approved by the Government.

on top

IX Records and documentation

Article 48

Matica shall maintain records and documentation for the following:

•  accountancy in accordance with applicable regulations and international accounting standards;

•  the book of decisions made by the Managing Board and other bodies of Matica;

•  minutes and reports about the work of working bodies of Matica and

•  other documentation prescribed by the law or Managing Board decisions.

on top

X Transparency of work and business secret

Article 49

Matica's activity shall be public.

Reports and other more important documents concerning the work of Matica shall be published fully or partially in Matica's Almanac, which shall be publicized as a material for Assembly.

Article 50

Matica shall inform the public and all the interested parties and institutions through its publications, press releases and in other appropriate ways.

President and secretary general shall be responsible for informing the public about Matica's work.

Article 51

Administrative secretary shall be responsible for keeping and protecting data, which may not be publicly discussed under the law, as well as documents which are designated as a business secret by the Managing Board.

on top

XI Internal documents of Matica

Article 52

The Statute shall be the main and supreme internal document of Matica.

Other general internal documents must be in accordance with the Law of Matica Crnogorska and the Statute.

Article 53

The Statute and other general documents shall be amended in the manner and following the procedure in which they have been adopted. The Assembly shall decide on amendments to the Statute by a two-third majority vote of the present delegates.

General documents shall be published by way of posting them on the notice board in Matica and shall come into force on the eight day from the day of posting. General documents shall be printed in Matica's Almanac.

Article 54

Organization of work and general internal documents defined by this Statute shall be adjusted within the period of one year since the adoption of this Statute.

on top

XII Duration and termination

Article 55

The duration of Matica shall be unlimited.

Article 56

The Assembly of Matica shall decide on the termination of Matica's work.

Decision on the termination of Matica's work shall be valid if reached by a three-fourth majority vote of the total number of Assembly delegates.

Article 57

If Matica is dissolved, its financial obligations must be met while the remaining property shall be transformed into a special fund for providing assistance to Montenegrin artists, scientists and associations with the same aims as Matica.

on top

XIII Final provision

Article 58

This Statute shall come into force on the day of its adoption by the Matica's Assembly.

On the day when this Statute comes into force, the Statute which was adopted by the Matica's Assembly held on January 31 st , 2004 shall cease to be valid.

President
Branko Banjević

Podgorica, May 22 nd , 2008