Pursuant to Article 11 of the Associations Act (Official Gazette of the Republic of Croatia 88/01 and 11/02) and Article 17 of the Statutes, the General Assembly of the Association of Court Interpreters and Translators, in its session of 28th March 2009, adopted the Decision No RGS-13/2009 on the amendments to the Statutes.

Consolidated text:

S T A T U T E S
OF THE ASSOCIATION OF COURT INTERPRETERS AND TRANSLATORS

I. GENERAL PROVISIONS

Article 1

These Statutes specify: name, registered office and the area in which the Association of Court Interpreters and Translators (hereinafter: the Association) acts, its representation, objectives, activities to achieve these objectives, public transparency of the Association’s activities, membership and membership fees, rights, obligations and disciplinary liability of members, internal organisation of the Association, bodies of the Association, their composition, powers, forms of decision-making, conditions and manner of appointment and removal, terms of office and responsibilities of the members, assets and management of possible earnings, modes of acquisition of assets, the dissolution and asset management procedure in the case of dissolution.

Article 2

The full name of the Association is: Association of Court Interpreters and Translators.

The abbreviated name of the Association is: DSTiP.

The registered office of the Association is located in Zagreb.

The Association acts within the territory of the Republic of Croatia.

The Association is a legal person registered as an association by the competent public administration body.

The Association is represented by the President and the Secretary of the Association.

Article 3

To connect the members better and to enhance its activities, the Association may establish chapters and other organisational forms that will be active in areas covering several municipalities, cities or counties.

Such chapters are legal entities.

The decision on establishment of a chapter shall be adopted by the General Assembly, and the internal organisation of each chapter shall be governed by the statutes of such chapters.

Article 4

The seal of the Association is round, 35 mm in diameter, with Association’s full name written on the circumference, with the designation of the registered office in the centre. The Association shall have two seals, one with the numerical designation 1 and the other with the numerical designation 2. One seal is kept by the President, the other by the Secretary of the Association.

Article 5

The Association may cooperate with and become a member of similar associations both in Croatia and abroad.

Article 6

The work of the Association is public.

The Association shall provide for the public transparency of its work by seeking to provide its members with timely and accurate information and through public communication channels.

The members shall be informed about the activities of the Association by delivery of written materials and in sessions of the bodies of the Association.

Media representatives may attend sessions of the management bodies of the Association and report to the public about the activities of such bodies and the Association.

To make its work public to the greatest extent possible, the Association may issue a gazette in compliance with the regulation on public information dissemination. The decision to issue such gazette shall be made by the General Assembly.

As required, the Association shall also issue other means of public information (periodic publications, bulletins, posters etc.) in compliance with the regulations on publishing industry.

II. OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES TO ACHIEVE THEM

Article 7

The purpose of the Association is to support, assist in and enhance the work and quality of work of court interpreters and translators.

The Association attains the objectives from paragraph 1 of this Article through the following activities:

• it brings together citizens involved in translation industry in a broader sense,
• promotes and improves interpreting and translation professions,
• organizes workshops, lectures, seminars, conferences, forums and other similar experts gatherings dealing with problems in everyday work,
• supports professional networking and enhancement of interpreting and translation skills of its members,
• encourages students and young experts to deal with language issues,
• cooperates with other foreign associations and organisations of the same or similar kind, and with all other organisations that support the work of the Association,
• engages in professional cooperation with national and international professional associations,
• issues a professional journal in accordance with the law,
• performs other activities contributing to the objectives specified in the Statutes.

III. MEMBERS OF THE ASSOCIATION, THEIR RIGHTS, OBLIGATIONS AND DISCIPLINARY LIABILITY

Article 8

The membership in the Association can be either regular or honorary.

Regular members are citizens of the Republic of Croatia accepting the Statutes and other by-laws of the Association.

Legal entities with registered office in the Republic of Croatia that support the work of the Association can also be regular members of the Association.

The citizens of the Republic of Croatia and foreign citizens who have through their activities made a special contribution to the development of the Association may become its honorary members.

Article 9

The decision on admission to regular membership shall be passed by the Management Board of the Association upon receipt of application for membership.

The decision on admission to honorary membership shall be passed by General Assembly upon proposal of the Management Board of the Association.

The Association shall maintain a roster of members. The form and the contents of the roster and the manner of its maintenance shall be prescribed by the Management Board of the Association.

Article 10

Rights and obligations of the members are:

• to elect and be elected in the bodies of the Association,
• to be informed about the work of the Association and its bodies, and its financial and assets management,
• to participate actively in achieving the objectives of the Association and to contribute to its activities,
• to make proposals, give their opinions and comments on the work of the Association and its bodies,
• to comply with the provisions of the Statutes and other by-laws of the Association,
• to pay membership fees regularly,
• to preserve and enhance the reputation of the Association.

Article 11

A membership in the Association terminates in the following cases:

• if the Association ceases to exist,
• by written notice of a member indicating he/she is leaving the Association, and
• through expulsion from membership.

Article 12

A member of the Association may be expelled from the membership if he/she violates the provisions of the Statutes, endangers the interests of the Association or causes any kind of damage to the Association or its members.

The decision on expulsion shall be passed by the Management Board of the Association.

The expelled member shall have the right of appeal to the General Assembly. Its decision on expulsion shall be final.

IV. BODIES OF THE ASSOCIATION

Article 13

Bodies of the Association are:

1. General Assembly
2. Management Board
3. President of the Association
4. Supervisory Board of the Association

Article 14

General Assembly is the highest body of the Association consisting of all the natural persons who are members of the Association and the representatives of legal persons that are members of the Association who have been appointed by the person authorised to represent such legal person.

The General Assembly of the Association shall convene at least once a year in a regular session.

The President of the Association may summon an extraordinary meeting of the General Assembly at his/her own discretion or upon request of at least one third of the total number of members of the Association. The agenda of such meeting shall be proposed in the invitation.

If the President of the Association fails to summon the meeting of the General Assembly upon request of members referred to in paragraph 3 of this Article, such members shall summon the General Assembly within 30 days upon the date of submission of the request.

In the extraordinary meeting of the General Assembly only the issue for which it was summoned shall be discussed.

Article 15

The General Assembly meetings shall be summoned by the President of the Association by written notice delivered to the members at least 15 days before the General Assembly meeting.

Such notice shall specify the place and time of the General Assembly meeting as well as the agenda proposed. The notice shall be accompanied with materials related to the agenda.

Article 16

If half of the membership would fail to come to the General Assembly meeting, the beginning of the General Assembly meeting shall be delayed for an hour, and after that the General Assembly can make valid decisions if at least 10 members of the General Assembly are present.

The General Assembly shall pass the decisions on amendments to the Statutes and on termination of the Association’s activities by a two-third vote of present members of the General Assembly.

Article 17

The General Assembly of the Association:

• adopts the Statutes and its amendments,
• adopts other by-laws required for the Association's activities,
• elects and dismisses the President of the Association, Secretary and members of the Management and Supervisory Boards,
• sets out the financial plan and adopts the annual financial report,
• examines the President's report about the work done,
• makes decisions concerning participation of the Association in national and international organisations,
• makes decisions concerning association with other organisations, affiliation with or leaving other organisations,
• decides about the appeals of members of the Association in the second instance,
• decides about the dissolution of the Association, and
• decides on other issues of importance for the Association's activities as set out by these Statutes not covered by the competence of some other body.

Article 18

The General Assembly may remove the Management Board and the President of the Association from office before expiration of their full term if they have gone beyond their authority or do not perform their duties with due diligence. If the General Assembly removes the entire Management Board, the Assembly shall elect a new Management Board with full term, and if the Assembly removes only individual members of the Management Board, the Assembly shall elect new members with the term till expiration of the term of office of former members.

The Management Board and each of its members are accountable for their work to the General Assembly.

Each member of the Management Board may request to be dismissed before expiration of his/her term, but is obliged to perform his/her duties until the decision of dismissal is passed. The General Assembly shall pass the decision of such dismissal in its first meeting.

Article 19

The Management Board consists of five (5) members elected by the General Assembly for the term of 4 years. Should membership of a Management Board member in the Association terminate for any reason whatsoever, and through that termination also his/her mandate in the Management Board, the remaining members of the Management Board shall propose another member, and that member shall be confirmed by the General Assembly.

The Management Board of the Association:

• makes drafts of Statutes and their amendments,
• sets out proposals of financial plan and annual financial report,
• presents an annual report about its work to the General Assembly,
• decides about the membership fee,
• decides about admission to and expulsion from membership,
• decides about the change of address of the Association’s registered office,
• provides information to the membership and the public,
• decides on usage of the Association’s property,
• establishes committees, commissions and other bodies to facilitate achieving of the Association’s objectives,
• appoints and relieves the members who on behalf of DSTiP participate in the work of other organisations, standing and provisional bodies in which the Association is engaged,
• performs all other activities assigned by the General Assembly.

The meetings of Management Board are held as the need arises. Apart from the President of DSTiP, the meeting of the Management Board can be summoned by any other member of the Management Board, provided he/she has duly notified all the members of the Management Board. The meeting may be held if attended by the majority of members of the Management Board, and legitimate decisions are passed by majority votes of the present members of the Management Board. In exceptional emergency cases, the voting may be done by e-mail or fax, in which case each vote shall be sent via mail to the address of DSTiP registered office within one week from e-mail or fax voting, and such votes shall be filed in the records. Decisions made in this manner shall be confirmed by the Management Board in the first meeting that will follow.

Article 20

The President of the Association performs executive functions and other tasks set out in the Statutes. The President of the Association is elected by the General Assembly for the term of four years, with the possibility of multiple re-elections.

The President of the Association represents the Association, solely or jointly with the Secretary. All legal and financial transactions exceeding 5,000 HRK require signatures of both DSTiP President and Secretary.

The President of the Association also presides at the General Assembly and in meetings of the Management Board.

The President of the Association:

• summons the General Assembly meetings and meetings of the Management Board, and proposes the agenda,
• presides in the General Assembly,
• carries out the decisions of the General Assembly and the Management Board, and manages the Association's activities in the period between two General Assembly meetings.

Article 21

The Secretary of the Association: 

• prepares drafts of by-laws to be adopted by the General Assembly,
• represents the Association solely or jointly with the President
• keeps an up-to-date roster of the membership,
• keeps minutes of the General Assembly and Management Board meetings,
• keeps the files of the Association, and
• performs other activities for the Management Board in compliance with the by-laws of the Association.

Article 22

The Management Board may establish committees and other provisional working bodies of the Association.

The Management Board appoints members of such committees and working bodies from among the members of the Association, for the term of office set out at establishment of such bodies.

The committees and other provisional working bodies perform the work and tasks for which they were established, reporting to the Management Board.

Article 23

The Supervisory Board consists of five (5) members elected by the General Assembly for a four-year term, with the possibility of being re-elected. If for any reason a member should cease to be a member of the Association, and consequently also a member of the Supervisory Board, other members of the Board shall propose a new member, who shall be confirmed by the General Assembly.

A member of the Supervisory Board cannot be a member of the Management Board.

The Supervisory Board can pass legitimate decisions if the meeting is attended by the majority of members, and the decisions are passed by majority vote of the present members of the Management Board.

The President of the Supervisory Board, who is elected by and from among the members of the Supervisory Board, shall summon the meetings of the Board, manage its work and perform other tasks entrusted to him/her by the Supervisory Board or the General Assembly.

The members of the Supervisory Board report to the General Assembly.

Article 24

The Supervisory Board considers and monitors:

• the implementation of provisions of the Statutes and other by-laws of the Association,
• all material and financial transactions and usage of property of the Association,
• the implementation of decisions, conclusions and other legal acts,
• it also performs other tasks assigned by the General Assembly.

Article 25

The Supervisory Board is entitled to inspect the documentation and all the data related to work and transactions of the Association. The Management Board and each member of the Association shall submit for inspection, without delay, the requested documentation and data, and provide the requested information.

The Members of the Supervisory Board may attend the Management Board meetings, but without voting rights.

The Supervisory Board may request the Management Board or the General Assembly meeting to be summoned if it finds irregularities in financial or other transactions of the Association, negligence in performance of work or violations of the Statutes and other by-laws of the Association. 

Article 26

The Supervisory Board or its individual members may be removed from office in the manner and following the procedure as specified in provisions of Article 18 of the Statutes.

Article 27

The assets of the Association are the income which the Association acquires from:

• membership fees,
• donations and grants,
• funds given by international organisations that support the work and activities of the Association,
• revenues from seminars and lectures, and publishing in compliance with the Associations Act,
• other revenues in compliance with the Associations Act.

Article 28

The Association manages its assets in compliance with the regulations on material and financial transactions of non-profit organisations.

All the revenues and expenditures are set out in the financial plan adopted for one calendar year and valid for that particular year.

Upon expiry of the year for which the financial plan has been adopted, an annual financial report shall be drawn up.

The President of the Association has the executive right to manage the assets of the Association.

V. STATUTES AND OTHER BY-LAWS

Article 29

The Statutes are the fundamental by-law of the Association and all other by-laws shall comply with the provisions of the Statutes.

Any amendments to the Statutes shall be drawn up by the Management Board of the Association and put to debate by members of the Association.

The Management Board of the Association shall take into consideration the comments and proposals given in the debate, take a position and set out the draft of the Statutes.

Article 30

The interpretation of provisions of the Statutes shall be given by the General Assembly of the Association.

Article 31

All the internal affairs of the Association, as well as any other affairs not regulated by the Statutes and requiring a detailed elaboration, shall be regulated with by-laws to be passed by the General Assembly of the Association.

VI. TRANSITIONAL AND FINAL PROVISIONS

Article 32

The Association shall be dissolved by decision of the General Assembly or in the cases prescribed by the Associations Law. In the case of dissolution, the National and University Library of Zagreb shall acquire the assets of the Association.

Article 33

The Statutes shall enter into force on the day of their adoption, and shall apply as of the date of their entry into the register of the competent public administration body.

MSc Irena Gizdavčić Plohl
President