ASSOCIATION OF LATVIAN PRESS PUBLISHERS
STATUTES

The new wording of the Statutes has been adopted in 29 May 2003
at the general meeting of the Association of Latvian Press publishers 

1. BASIC PRINCIPLES
1.1.Association of Latvian Press Publishers, hereinafter the Association, is public professional organisation where Latvian magazine and newspaper publishers are enlisted on voluntary basis.
1.2.The Association is independent from state governing and administrative institutions, political parties and other public organisations.
1.3.The Association members have equal rights and duties. The Association takes no responsibility for individual members’ announcements or liabilities.
1.4.The Association is for abiding the principles of press freedom and is against press monopolising tendencies.
1.5.The Association enjoys the of status legal entity, has a bank account, round stamp, seal and symbols. 
1.6.The Association’s parent institution is situated in Riga, 3, Balasta Street.

2.OBJECTIVES AND COURSE OF ACTIONS
2.1.The Association’s objectives are:
 2.1.1. to actually ensure and protect press freedom and liberty of speech provided by the law of the Republic of Latvia;
 2.1.2. to ensure press publishers with up-to-date technical base;
 2.1.3.to develop a press publishing and delivery cycle that meets the demands of the press publishers and consumers;
 2.1.4.to integrate into the activities of World Association of Press Publishers;
 2.1.5.to promote the Association members mutual cooperation in solving social, moral and material problems, meanwhile respecting the independent status of each press publication.
2.2. In order to reach the objectives set forward in the Statutes, the Association:
 2.2.1. represents its members and their interests in state governing and administrative institutions as well as at the Court;
 2.2.2.drafts and carries out the concept of press publishing and dissemination, the Association members’ relations with press distributors and input material suppliers;
 2.2.3.summarasies and disseminates scientific and social science research covering the field of publishing;
 2.2.4. cooperates with international press organisations, participates in the events organised by these organisations as well as organises conferences, seminars and symposiums attended by foreign participants;
 2.2.5.creates financial funds ensuring the material provision for the objectives of its course of actions;
 2.2.6.according to the objectives set forward in the Statutes carries out publishing.

3. ASSOCIATION MEMBERS
3.1. The enterprises registered in the Republic of Latvia that in accordance with legislative provisions publish at least one periodical publication as well as enterprises associated with press industry can become the members of the Association, provided that:
 3.1.1. they accept the Statutes of the Association;
 3.1.2. regularly pay membership fee;
 3.1.3. upon receipt of a written application, at least 2/3 of the total number of votes of the Association board members are for admittance of the new member

3.2. The Association members contribute their membership fee; the amount of which and terms for the settlement of accounts are set by general meeting of the Association.
3.3. Any member of the Association has the rights to withdraw from the Association, upon a notice to the board of the Association
3.4. The Association member can be suspended from the Association, given that
 3.4.1. member has committed a violent breach of the Statutes of the Association;
 3.4.2. member has not contributed the membership fee for two quarters in a row.

4. ASSOCIATION STRUCTURE
4.1. The highest decision making body is the general meeting summoned at least once a year. Ad hoc meeting can be summoned upon the initiative of the board or at least ¼ of the total number of members.
4.2. The exclusive authority of the general meeting comprises the following:
 4.2.1. adoption of the Statutes, amendments and addendum to the Statutes;
 4.2.2. approval of the objectives;
 4.2.3. election of the president, vice-president, the board, auditing commission and standing committee;
 4.2.4. setting up of the amount of membership fee and term for the settlement of accounts;
 4.2.5. suspension of members from the Association;
 4.2.6. abolition of the Association.
4.3. Quorum of the general meeting is made by at least 2/3 of the total number of the Association members. Each Association member has one voice.
4.4. The decisions are made with a simple majority vote, excluding the issues under the exclusive authority that require 2/3 of the votes.
4.5. Executive body is the board elected in general meeting. The board consists of president, vice-president and five board members.
4.6. The board meetings take place at least once per month. The time and place is fixed in the previous board meeting. Ad hoc board meeting can be summoned exclusively by the president and vice-president of the Association.
4.7. Quorum of the board is made up by at least 2/3 of the total number of the board members. The decisions are made with a simple majority vote, excluding the issue of the admission of the new member that requires 2/3 of the votes.
4.8. The authority of the board comprises the following:
 4.8.1. carry out the decisions of the general meeting;
 4.8.2. carry out the Association’s course of actions set forward in the Statutes;
 4.8.3. approve new Association members;
 4.8.4. acquire and expropriate immovable property;
 4.8.5. create financial funds of the Association and implement control over them;
 4.8.6. appoint the posts of the dismissed employees, appoint director;
 4.8.7. determine dismissed employees and president’s salaries.
4.9. Any member of the Association can take part in the board meeting with a counsellor.
4.10. The Association president and vice-president:
 4.10.1. administer work carried out at the Association;
 4.10.2. represent the Association in relations with state governing and administrative institutions, private and legal entities in Latvia and abroad;
 4.10.3. sign board decisions and announcements.
4.11. The Association director:
 4.11.1. administers economical and financial activities carried out at the Association;
 4.11.2. ensures the execution of decisions taken by the general meeting and board;
 4.11.3. ensures drafting of informative materials about the press in Latvia and dissemination of them to Association members;
 4.11.4. represents Association interests in other economical bodies, concludes agreements in the name of the Association;
 4.11.5. arranges board meetings.
4.12. Auditing committee consisting of three persons is elected in general meeting and it controls:
 4.12.1. compliance with the Statutes and execution of decisions made by general meeting and the board;
 4.12.2. financial and economic activities, as well as accounting of tangible assets.
 4.12.3. upon necessity auditing committee can call an auditor.
4.13. Association president is elected for the period of three years, vice-presidents, the board, auditing committee is elected for the period of one year.
4.14. General meeting has the authority to draw up a commission for ethics that upon proposal from the board considers compliance of individual Association member’s activities with the Statutes and gives a statement on this issue. 

5. ECONOMIC ACTIVITY OF ASSOCIATION
5.1.The Association’s financial assets are made up from:
 5.1.1. membership fees;
 5.1.2. donations;
 5.1.3. publishing;
 5.1.4. economic activities that is not violating the Statutes.
5.2. The Association can posses:
  5.2.1. monetary instruments;
 5.2.2. securities;
 5.2.3. movable and immovable property;
 5.2.4. financial assets in connection to the activities listed in the Statutes.
5.3. Assets possessed by the Association can be used for:
 5.3.1. economic and organisational activities;
 5.3.2. financial aid for Association members;
 5.3.3. contractual work reimbursement;
 5.3.4. funding of representative events;
 5.3.5. travelling allowances for business trips.
5.4. Board by a decision can create special financial asset funds for specific projects.

6. TERMINATION OF ASSOCIATION OPERATION (ABOLITION).
6.1.The Association activity can be terminated by Association general meeting or Court decision or sentence.
6.2. Financial assets remaining after credit and liabilities have been paid off are transferred into the state budget.

The president of the Association                                              A.Rudzinskis