STATUTE OF THE BULGARIAN TRANSLATORS’ UNION (NON-PROFIT ASSOCIATION FOR PUBLIC SERVICE)

I. GENERAL PROVISIONS

Article 1. (1) The Bulgarian Translators’ Union (BTU) is a national, voluntary, non-governmental, professional organisation for creative activity, where all translators and experts in translation may be members if they meet the requirements stated in section V of this Statute.

(2) The Bulgarian Translators’ Union, with headquarters in the city of Sofia, is a legal non-profit entity of an-indefinite-term public service. The Union and its sections perform their activity in compliance with the Constitution of the Republic of Bulgaria, Bulgarian law and this Statute.

(3) The activities of the Bulgarian Translators’ Union are guided by the principles of democracy, public service, creative freedom and the professional interests of the translators, with full respect for professional ethics, mutual aid and solidarity.

Article 2. The Bulgarian Translators’ Union represents its members and protects their professional, copyright and creative rights before state and municipal bodies, public and business organisations and associations, other legal entities and individuals in the country and abroad, and works to increase the prestige of translators.

Article 3. The Bulgarian Translators’ Union is independent of political parties and organisations. BTU members cannot create political structures within the Union. 

 

ІІ. GOALS AND OBJECTIVES OF THE BULGARIAN TRANSLATORS’ UNION

Article 4. The Bulgarian Translators’ Union performs its public service in the following areas: 

  1. advance and affirmation of spiritual values by enrichment of national culture with the most significant achievements of global civilisation; representation of the Bulgarian culture abroad;
  2. assistance in transferring foreign experience into this country; free exchange in advancement of science and technology, social structure, health care, education, communications, etc. according to the needs of the country;
  3. support for the development of this country’s international cooperation in foreign policy, and in the public, economic and cultural sphere;
  4. uniting the efforts of the members of the Bulgarian Translators’ Union to strengthen the quality of translation and the mastery of the Bulgarian translators at home and abroad;
  5. protection and improvement of the professional, creative and social status of the translators; perfection of the regulations, and protection of the profession of the translators as such.

Article 5. To achieve its goals, the Bulgarian Translators’ Union:

  1. strives to raise the quality and culture of translation, safeguarding the purity of the Bulgarian language and its enrichment through translation; 
  2. contributes to creating a public climate of exactness in translation and respect for the translator;
  3. supports the professional development and improvement of translators’  qualification through courses, consultations, exchange of experience, etc.;
  4. promotes raising of the quality of translation, as well as the progress of translation and lexicography theory, history and criticism through competitions, prizes and other awards;
  5. strives to attract young people to translation and to improve their qualification;
  6. maintains relations and develops joint activities with other organisations of creative individuals and cultural institutions in the country;
  7. maintains relations with similar organisations for joint activity and professional protection;
  8. strengthens and expands the cooperation of Bulgarian translators and the BTU with translators and their organisations in other countries, participates in the work of international organisations of translators, as well as in their events through its representatives;
  9. organises conferences, symposia and other events on the subject of translation and on translation-related issues;
  10. guarantees public protection of the professional interests and copyrights of its members, including in disputes related to their translation activities as employees and freelancers;
  11. prepares draft regulation on the work environment in various types of translation, and submits it to competent authorities for approval.

 

ІІІ. STRUCTURE 

Article 6. Within the Bulgarian Translators’ Union there are self-governing units, such as sections, associations based on place of work or place of residence, unions, clubs, etc.

Article 7. The main units in the BTU are the sections by types of translation:

  • Literature and Humanities;
  • Scientific and Technical Literature and Sworn Translators;
  • Simultaneous and Consecutive Interpreters;
  • Translation Theory, History and Criticism.

(2) Each section consists of at least 15 members. Each member is organisationally assigned to one of the sections and may participate in the work of other sections with an advisory vote.

(3) Each section is headed by a chairperson elected from among its members and represents them in the Management Board.

(4) The section performs its activity according to rules, regulations and other acts adopted by its General Assembly, and in accordance with this Statute.

(5) All sections have the right to initiate fund raising in compliance with the legal provisions, including outside the business activities of the BTU. Such funds are spent according to decisions of their general assemblies with the aim of meeting the objectives of the sections, and are reported to the BTU Management Board.

Article 8. (1) Collective members of the BTU may be associations of translators organised on a territorial basis or within bodies and organisations and other legal entities. Translators who are not members of the BTU can also be members of such associations.

(2) The associations perform their activities on the basis of a model association which is approved by the BTU Board and acts according to the principles of this Statute.

Article 9. The associations, clubs and other additional BTU units perform their activities on the grounds of rules adopted by their members and approved by the Management Board of the BTU.

 

ІV. BTU BODIES

Article 10. BTU management, control and supervision bodies are as follows,

  1. General Assembly of the members;
  2. Management Board;
  3. President;
  4. Supervisory Board;
  5. Professional Ethics Committee.

(2) All management and supervisory bodies are elected for a three years term by secret and direct vote. No more than two consecutive terms for one person in one position are permissible, except for the BTU Secretary.

After three consecutive terms of one person in the different management and supervisory bodies of the BTU, a new election is inadmissible before the expiration of three years from their last election mandate, except for the BTU Secretary.

(3) Persons with at least 3 years of membership in the BTU are elected to the positions of President of the BTU, Vice President of the BTU, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the BTU, and Chairman of the Professional Ethics Committee.

Persons with at least 3 years of membership in the BTU are elected to the positions of Union Secretary, members of the Management Board and other governing bodies, as well as the Supervisory Board of the BTU and the Professional Ethics Committee.

Members of the relevant bodies of similar organisations may not be elected as members of the Management Board and other governing bodies, as well as the Supervisory Board of the BTU and the Professional Ethics Committee.

Within one month of their constitution, the governing bodies of the BTU and its units draft detailed regulations for their activities.

(4) BTU management and supervisory bodies perform their activities on the grounds of the regulations adopted by the Board.

(5) In case of systematic violation of the Statute and the regulations of the management and supervisory bodies of the BTU by a member of these bodies, each member of the Union can submit a motivated proposal to the General Assembly for the removal of confidence from such member, premature termination of his/her term and a new election for the respective position.

Article 11. (1) The General Assembly is the supreme body of the BTU. It consists of all members of the BTU, one representative-delegate of the collective members of the BTU and one legal representative of the member legal entities.

(2) The General Assembly,

  1. adopts, amends and supplements the Statute of the BTU;
  2. adopts the basic guidelines and the programme for the activity of the BTU;
  3. decides on the transformation/termination of the BTU or its merger with other associations;
  4. adopts rules for the activity of the Management Board and other internal acts;
  5. elects/dismisses the President of the BTU, who is also Vice President of the Management Board of the BTU; elects and dismisses also the Vice President of the BTU, the Union Secretary, the Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the BTU and the Chairman of the Professional Ethics Committee;
  6. elects/dismisses the members of the Management Board, the Supervisory Board and the Professional Ethics Committee;
  7. adopts the budget and the financial reports of the BTU and its units;
  8. accepts the report about the activity of the BTU and its units, as well as the reports of the Management Board and the Supervisory Board;
  9. determines the amount of the admission fee and the annual membership fees;
  10. decides on participation in other organisations;
  11. repeals the decisions of other bodies of the BTU that contradict the law or the internal acts of the BTU;
  12. discusses and decides on the economic activity of the BTU related to its main activity;
  13. adopts decisions on acquisition and disposal of the real estate owned by the BTU; 
  14. adopts decisions on other matters within its competence according to the law or this Statute;
  15. adopts decisions arising from the opinions of the Supervisory Board and the Professional Ethics Committee. Proposals are drafted and submitted by the Supervisory Board and the Professional Ethics Committee together with the Management Board.

(3) The rights under Paragraph 2, items 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 11, and 13 may not be assigned to other BTU bodies.

(4) The decisions of the General Assembly are binding to the other BTU bodies. They are subject to judicial review for lawfulness and compliance with this Statute.

(5) Decisions of the BTU bodies that contradict the law, the Statute or a previous decision of the General Assembly may be contested before the General Assembly of the BTU at the request of the interested members of the BTU or its body within one month of their announcement, but no later than one year from the date of the decision.

(6) The disputes under the second sentence of Paragraph 4 may be brought before the competent court of registration of the BTU within one month of their announcement, but no later than one year from the date of the decision.

Article 12. (1) The General Assembly is convened by the Management Board or at the request of 1/10 of BTU’s members. If, in the latter case, the Management Board does not send a written invitation to convene the General Assembly within two weeks, the General Assembly is convened by the competent court at the registered office of the BTU upon the written request of the interested members or a person appointed by them.

(2) The invitation must contain the agenda, date, time and place of the Assembly, as well as information on whose initiative it is being convened.

(3) The invitation to the General Assembly is placed on the notice board in the building where the BTU management is located, at least one month prior to the appointed day, and is sent to the members by email, and to those who do not have email – by regular mail.

Article 13. (1) The General Assembly is legitimate if more than half of all members attend it. If there is no quorum, the Assembly is adjourned for one hour at the same place, with the same agenda, and may be held by any number of attending members.

(2) As an exception, where the circumstances require it, it is allowed to hold the General Assembly in two sessions; the agenda, the place, the day and the time for the second session are announced in a suitable manner.

Article 14. (1) Each member or delegate of the General Assembly has the right to one vote.

(2) The members of the General Assembly do not have the right to vote for resolving the issues specified in Article 28, Paragraph 2 of the Non-Profit Legal Entities Act.

(3) One member of the BTU may additionally represent before the General Assembly no more than one other member on the grounds of a written power of attorney. Re-authorisation is not allowed.

(4) The General Assembly is led by a chairperson elected from among the attending members by an open vote and a simple majority of the attending members. Minutes are kept for the Assembly, which are signed by the minute-taker and the chairperson of the Assembly.

Article 15. (1) The decisions of the General Assembly are adopted by a simple majority of the attending members.

(2) The decisions under Article 11, Paragraph 2, items 1 and 3 are adopted by a majority of 2/3 of the attending members.

(3) Decisions cannot be made on issues that are not included in the agenda announced in the invitation.

Article 16. (1) The Management Board of the BTU consists of 7 members as follows, chairperson, deputy chairperson, secretary of the Union, and 4 chairpersons of sections. If a member of the Management Board elected by the General Assembly drops out for any reason, his/her place is taken by the candidate with the next number of votes, included in the election list.

(2) The activity of the Board is led by the President of the Union, and in his/her absence, by a member designated by the Board.

Article 17. The Management Board of the BTU,

  1. determines the scope of the representative power of the individual members;
  2. ensures the implementation of the decisions of the General Assembly, monitors the achievement of the goals and objectives of the BTU, as well as the compliance with the Statute of Association;
  3. elects the chairpersons of the BTU standing committees from among the members of the BTU;
  4. approves of the committees, councils, editorial offices and other bodies, and adopts rules for their work;
  5. annually approves of the protective minimum fees for translation and interpreting, and publishes them.
  6. disposes of the property of the Union in compliance with the decisions of the General Assembly and the Statute of Association of the BTU;
  7. prepares and submits to the General Assembly draft plans and budgets of the BTU and its units;
  8. prepares and submits to the General Assembly reports on the activity of the BTU and its units, as well as on its own activity; works for the implementation of the targets, the performance of public activities and the professional activity, as well as the realisation of the targeted BTU goals in accordance with the decisions of the General Assembly and this Statute of Association; takes the responsibility for this;
  9. convenes the General Assembly of the BTU;
  10. approves the requirements for the activity of the candidate-members of the BTU;
  11. supervises the procedure for admitting new members;
  12. decides on the admission of collective members and legal entities, makes recommendations to the General Assembly for admission of honorary members of the BTU;
  13. decides on the admission of beneficent members of the BTU;
  14. approves nominations by the sections for Union and other awards, and makes proposals for honouring members of the BTU and other deserving persons with state and other awards;
  15. decides on the expelling of BTU members upon suggestions by the relevant section or after an agreement with it;
  16. approves the budgets of the Union units;
  17. approves the personnel and the working schedule of the Union and its units;
  18. performs and coordinates the international activity of the Union and its units;
  19. approves all contracts and agreements of the Union and its units for cooperation with bodies, organisations, associations, etc. in the country and abroad, and supervises their implementation;
  20. manages and controls the activity of the BTU Fund;
  21. elects and dismisses the heads of publishing and other economic units and the members of the editorial boards, determines the terms for periodic reporting of the activity of the economic units to the Management Board and expresses an opinion about the reports;
  22. based on the conclusions of the BTU General Assembly takes decisions about the business activities of the Union and its units related to the main activity of the BTU, and about the distribution of the revenue from it to achieve the goals and objectives of the BTU;
  23. decides on acquisition and disposal of movable property of the BTU;
  24. decides on the address of the Union;
  25. decides on all issues that are not governed by another body by law or according to the BTU Statute.

Article 18. (1) Annually or when necessary, the Management Board of the BTU assigns accounting and financial audits of the Union and its relevant units.

(2) The Management Board of the BTU discusses and adopts the annual report on:

  1. the main BTU activities, the funds spent on them, their compliance with the goals and objectives of the BTU and the results achieved;
  2. the value of granted property and income from other fundraising activities;
  3. the financial result of the activity of the BTU and its units.

(3) The report is public and is available to interested parties in any office of the BTU. A notice in this sense is posted on the Union’s notice board.

Article 19. Within the legal deadlines, the BTU submits the financial report of the organisation to the Commercial Registry.

Article 20. (1) The meetings of the Management Board are convened and chaired by the Chairperson at least once a month, as well as upon a written request of 1/3 of its members. In the latter case, if the Chairperson does not convene a meeting of the Board within a week, the meeting can be convened by any interested member of the Board. In the absence of the Chairperson, the meeting is chaired by a member appointed by the Board.

(2) The Management Board can adopt decisions if more than half of its members are present at the meeting. A member of the Management Board with whom there is a two-way telephone or other connection, which guarantees the establishment of his/her identity and allows his/her participation in the discussion and decision-making, is also considered present. The vote of such member of the Management Board is confirmed in the minutes of the meeting by the chairperson of the meeting.

(3) The decisions of the Management Board are adopted by a majority of the attending members, while the decisions about the liquidation upon termination of the Union’s activities, as well as these under Article 17, items 8 and 11 of the Statute are adopted by the majority of all members of the Management Board.

(4) The Management Board may adopt decisions without a meeting, if the minutes concerning the decision are signed without remarks and objections by all members of the Management Board. Decision may also be adopted by discussion and voting by e-mail and/or by online connection. Such decisions are recorded on paper.

(5) The decisions of the Management Board are recorded in minutes of meetings where all special opinions with brief justifications are also entered.

Article 21. On the grounds of the proposals of the sections, the Management Board approves the membership of the standing committees for:

  1. Professional problems and qualification;
  2. Protection of professional interests;
  3. Inheritance;
  4. Social activity;
  5. Budget and finance.

Article 22. (1) The President of the BTU:

  1. organises the implementation of the decisions adopted by the collective bodies of the Union;
  2. represents the Union in its relations with state and municipal bodies, creative and other organisations and associations, other legal entities, and natural persons in this country and abroad;
  3. chairs the meetings of the Management Board;
  4. manages the funds of the Union in implementation of the decisions of the General Assembly and the Management Board;
  5. concludes, amends and terminates employment contracts with full-time employees of the Union and its units following decisions of the Management Board.
  6. is responsible for the financial activity of the Union and its units (new).

(2) During his/her mandate, the President of the BTU cannot be member of central governing bodies of political organisations, cannot participate on behalf of the Union in public actions of political organisations, cannot sign addresses, petitions and other documents initiated by political organisations, and cannot express demonstratively his/her religious affiliation.

(3) If the chairman of the Union is prevented from performing his/her duties, he/she is replaced by another Board member authorised by the Board.

Article 23. Powers of the Vice-President,

(1) The Vice-President:

  1. is responsible for maintaining and expanding the international relations of the BTU;
  2. monitors the regular correspondence with related organizations abroad;3. is responsible for the communication strategy of the BTU for maintaining active relations with the Bulgarian mass media in order to popularise the activities of the BTU and boost its presence in public;4. is responsible for the implementation of an active advertising campaign on the Internet and in the mass media.

Article 24. The Union Secretary:

  1. manages the administrative work of the Union;
  2. organises and supervises the activities of the BTU units (excluding the main and functional ones) and its administrative employees, and performs the tasks assigned by the Management Board or by the President of the BTU;
  3. is responsible for maintaining the documentation of the BTU, the relations with the sections, the coordination of their activities, the internal information, the website of the Union, the material provision of the work process, finding premises for events of the BTU, etc.

Article 25. The BTU keeps books for the minutes of meetings of its collective bodies, which contain the number and date, as well as the appropriate incoming and outgoing journals, numbered and accordingly verified by the President.

Article 26. (1) The Supervisory Board consists of a chairperson and 2 members.

(2) The Supervisory Board supervises:

  1. the compliance with the law, the Statute of the Union and the rules, regulations, etc. issued on its grounds;
  2. the implementation of the decisions of the General Assembly and the Management Board of the BTU;
  3. the regular proceeds and accounting of the planned and other lawful revenue of the Union and the Fund, as well as their appropriate and lawful expenditure and personnel discipline. The Supervisory Board inspects and analyses the financial statement of the Union and the Fund, which is presented to it in the required time period;
  4. the compliance with the procedure for review and resolution of proposals, complaints and requests received by the Union.

 

MEMBERSHIP

(3) The Supervisory Board is obliged to accept and consider written requests of members of the BTU regarding violations and irregularities in the activities of the Union and to respond within the legal deadline.

(4) For complex and controversial issues on which the Supervisory Board is finding it difficult to adopt an opinion it may engage specialists as consultants.

(5) If violations and irregularities are found, the Supervisory Board notifies the relevant governing bodies of the Union, considers their opinion and makes proposals to eliminate such irregularities. If necessary, the proposals are reviewed at a joint meeting of the Management Board and the Supervisory Board.

(6) Where lawful and compliant with this Statute, the instructions of the Supervisory Board within its powers are binding on the relevant bodies of the Union and the Fund.

(7) By right, the Chairperson or a member of the Supervisory Board authorised by the Chairperson participates in the meetings of the Management Board with an advisory vote.

(8) The Supervisory Board reports to the General Assembly of the BTU.

Article 27. (1) The Professional Ethics Committee is a body monitoring the compliance with the professional ethics and conduct.

(2) The Professional Ethics Committee:

1. monitors the compliance with the Code of Ethics of the BTU;

2. drafts norms and rules related to the implementation of the Code of Ethics of the BTU;

3. decides on ethical issues related to the exercising of the translation profession;

4. examines and resolves issues related to violations of accepted norms of professional conduct;

5. finds violations of the Code of Ethics and the accepted ethical standards of professional conduct and makes proposals to the relevant Union bodies to impose the sanctions provided for in the Statute of the BTU;

6. reviews reports of third parties about violations related to the observance of professional conduct and the exercise of the translation profession;

7. performs other functions assigned to it by the General Assembly in compliance with the Statute and the Code of Ethics of the BTU.

(3) The Professional Ethics Committee approaches independently the exercise of its powers.

(4) Within the framework of its duties and powers, as well as in decision-making, the Professional Ethics Committee is independent from the Management Board and the Supervisory Board of the BTU.

(5) The Chairperson or a member of the Professional Ethics Committee authorised by the Chairperson participates by right in the meetings of the Management Board with an advisory vote.

(6) When performing their duties, the members of the Professional Ethics Committee are guided by the principles of impartiality, objectivity and independence.

Article 28. (1) BTU members can be translators, interpreters and experts in translation who are active in this field, observe professional ethics and accept this Statute. 

(2) Legal entities with tasks similar to those of the Union may become members of the BTU by decision of their collective governing body.

Article 29. (1) Candidate-members of the BTU – translators and specialists in the field of translation – submit a written application to the BTU through the Chairperson of the relevant section. The application is accompanied by a short curriculum vitae, a list of translations and publications of the candidate-member in accordance with the requirements approved by the Management Board (Article 17, item 13) and a recommendation from a union member with more than 3 years of membership. The Chairman of the section submits the application to the commission for admission of new members of the section, which assigns a review of the candidate’s translations. The section decides on accepting the new member by a simple majority of its members.

(2) The Management Board decides on the compliance with the procedure for accepting new members in the sections with a decision adopted by a simple majority of the attending members.

(3) The candidates for collective membership of the BTU submit to the BTU an application accompanied by a decision of their governing body, and a copy of their articles of association.

(4) The candidates for collective membership as legal entity submit an application accompanied by a decision of their respective governing body, along with a copy of their articles of association, and their court and/or other registration documents.

(5) The applications for membership in the BTU under Paragraphs 3 and 4 are submitted by the Chairperson of the BTU to the Management Board of the BTU, which adopts its decision by a simple majority of the attending members.

(6) The decision to reject applications under Paragraph 1 can be appealed before the Management Board, while those under Paragraphs 3 and 4 can be appealed before the General Assembly of the BTU, which cancels, amends or confirms by a simple majority of the attending members.

(7) The Management Board approves the regulations for the admission of new members upon proposals by the sections of the BTU.

Article 30. (1) Upon recommendation by the Management Board, the General Assembly may proclaim Bulgarian or foreign citizens with special merits in translation as honorary members of the BTU.

(2) Physical persons and legal entities who support the cause and practice of translation in the country alongside the activity of the BTU may be admitted as members by a decision of the Management Board of the BTU as beneficent members of the Bulgarian Translators’ Union.

Article 31. Membership in the BTU is terminated: 

  1. with application to the BTU for termination of the membership;
  2. for failing to pay membership fees after the deadline specified in the Statute;
  3. in case of death;
  4. in the case of Article 33, Paragraph 3 of this Statute of Association: expelling from the BTU.

 

VІ. RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS OF THE MEMBERS

Article 32. Each BTU member has the right to:

  1. participate in the General Assembly and in other meetings of the Union and its units, to elect management and supervisory bodies and to be elected in them;
  2. be informed about the activities of the Union and its units; have access to all Union documents;
  3. submit proposals for measures to achieve the goals and objectives of the BTU. The relevant bodies rule on such proposals;
  4. receive assistance and support from the Union in matters of translation and remuneration; in case of disputes with another translator, editor, publishing house, editorial office, organisation or institution, if the relevant commission considers that the request is justified;
  5. use all means and opportunities provided by the Union to improve his/her qualification;
  6. use all types of material and social benefits provided to union members;
  7. receive union awards and be nominated for state and other honours;
  8. participate, on behalf of the BTU, in national and international events by decision of the Management Board;
  9. participate in all meetings where his/her actions are examined.

Article 33. Each member of the BTU is obliged to:

  1. comply with the Statute of the Union and the regulations of the relevant unit to which he/she belongs, to attend the meetings regularly, to pay his/her membership fee no later than March 31 of the relevant calendar year;
  2. observe professional ethics, including refraining from unfair competition in the exercise of his/her profession;
  3. assist in obtaining the goals and objectives of the BTU;
  4. implement the decisions of the General Assembly of the Union;
  5. comply with all measures taken by the Union to safeguard professional interests, including the established protective minimum remuneration for translation.

Article 34. Membership in the BTU is proved by a membership card or another document issued by the BTU.

Article 35. (1) The members of the BTU are sanctioned for non-compliance with the provisions of this Statute  for infringing the name, interests and prestige of the BTU and the profession itself, and for violation of the professional ethics.

(2) The sanctions applied are reprimand, warning and termination of membership.

(3) The “reprimand” and “warning” sanctions are imposed by the management of the sections, while “termination of membership” is imposed by the Management Board upon proposal by the relevant section or after obtaining its agreement, and in case of conduct that makes further membership incompatible.

(4) The sanctions “reprimand” and “warning” can be appealed before the general meeting of the section, while “termination of membership” can only be appealed before the General Assembly of the BTU.

(5) The expelled member may apply for readmission on general grounds after the expiration of three years from the date of the sanction.

Article 36. A member of the BTU who has not paid the membership fee for the previous year without valid reasons by March 31 of the following year is considered expelled. Such member may submit an application for reinstatement to the management of the section by paying the membership fee for the period of expelling. The management of the section notifies the Board of the BTU about the reinstatement.

 

VІІ. BTU FUNDS AND MANNER OF SPENDING

Article 37.  BTU funds come from:

  1. membership fees;
  2. sponsorship, donations, grants, wills and others;
  3. funds from state and municipal institutions, Bulgarian and foreign organisations, companies, foundations, and others for holding specific events;
  4. own economic activity related to the main BTU activity;
  5. interest and dividends;
  6. other sources permitted by law.

Article 38. (1) Income from business activities, such as translations from and into foreign languages, foreign language training, publishing activities, pre-printing, advertising, marketing, expert and consulting activities, terminology database in various fields of science in Bulgarian and foreign languages, reproduction, reference, library and reference activities, etc., are used entirely to achieve BTU goals and objectives, without distribution of profit.

(2) BTU’s business activity is carried out according to the provisions and procedures of the laws regulating the respective branch of activity.

(3)  All heads of publishing and other business units, as well as the members of the editorial boards, are elected/dismissed by the BTU Management Board, which also determines the terms for periodic reporting on their activities to the Management Board.

Article 39. (1) All property of the BTU, including newly acquired property, is property of the entire Union.

(2) The funds of the BTU are spent for achieving the goals and objectives of the Union and its units within the framework of their approved plans, programmes, budget and personnel for the year.

(3) The funds and their sources for supporting the activity of the Union are determined by a decision of the General Assembly.

(4) The expenditure is decided by the President and by the management of the BTU units within their powers and in compliance with the relevant sections of the approved plan and budget for the year.

Article 40. (1) The BTU Fund is a functional unit supporting the development of the creative activity of the members of the Union, which assists the solving of their professional, creative and social problems, and increases BTU’s revenue.

(2) The BTU Fund performs its activity according to the regulations adopted by the BTU Management Board.

Article 41. (1) The BTU may create mutual assistance funds and other forms of support for its members.

Article 42. Depending on its financial state, BTU may manage and use facilities for activity, recreation, treatment and social services.

 

VІІІ. FINAL PROVISIONS

Article 43. The name of the Bulgarian Translators’ Union is written in Bulgarian and may be written additionally in three working languages of the European Union. Its seal is round, with the emblem of the Union in the middle and with Bulgarian Translators’ Union inscribed around its circumference. The BTU logo is a stylised image of two books and a pen in the middle.

Article 44. The printed and electronic organ of the Bulgarian Translators’ Union is the Panorama journal, which BTU publishes under the conditions of Article 37 of this Statute; BTU legitimises its activity through other publications.

Article 45. By a decision of its General Assembly, the Bulgarian Translators’ Union may be a collective member of other Bulgarian organisations and related international organisations.

Article 46. The Management Board of the BTU adopts rules, regulations and other documents for the implementation of this Statute, including principles of the translators’  professional ethics.

Article 47. The Bulgarian Translators’ Union is entered in the Court Register of non-profit legal entities at the Sofia City Court and in the Commercial Register at the Registry Agency as a non-profit legal entity performing public service activities in accordance with the Non-Profit Legal Entities Act.

 

This Statute was adopted by the second session of the Ninth Congress of the Bulgarian Translators’ Union on October 20, 2001. It was amended and supplemented by the General Assembly of the Bulgarian Translators’ Union in 2006, 2008, 2010, 2013 and by decisions of the General Assembly of 17 December 2016 and 24 September 2022.