BPU was founded in 1985 by the Physical Societies of Albania, Bulgaria, Greece, Rumania, Turkey and Yugoslavia. This Constitution is a development of the Constitution accepted in 1987 in Bucharest and been in action until 2.9.1997.

Article 1.

The Balkan Physical Union (BPU) is a scientific, non-governmental and non-profit organisation of the National Physical Societies of the Balkan Countries, established with the aim to promote:

• -research in physics and related sciences in the Balkans;
• -teaching of physics at the primary, secondary and high school level, and in the universities;
• -application of physics research in industry, economy and environment;
• -collaboration and mutual assistance in research and education among physicists in Balkans and
• -peace and friendship among the Balkan people.

Article 2

Members of the BPU are the National Physical Societies founders of BPU and National Physical Societies recognised by the BPU Council according to Article 4. Each Country is represented by only one physical society. The Members of the BPU enjoy equal rights in its activities and administration. The Members of the BPU carry out the activities relevant to the BPU in full compliance with the laws of their countries of citizenship. The BPU may also admit Associate Members and Honorary members. Associate Members of BPU are institutions, organisations, and companies working in physics and science applications that accept the goals of BPU and promote and support its activities. Honorary members are individuals with highest standing in physics or supporting organisations who have made significant contributions towards the goals of the BPU. Admission of the Associated and Honorary Members is decided by the BPU Council according to Article 4.

Article 3

To carry out the aims outlined in Article 1 of the Constitution, the BPU may organise:

• activity in the framework of joint research projects, including mutual assistance, if so desired, in the construction and utilisation of research equipment;
• common research Institutes and Centres;
• congresses, conferences, symposia, workshops, working groups of experts and other scientific meetings of the physicists from the Balkan Countries;
• courses, schools, inviting of lecturers to deliver talks and other forms for upgrading the qualification of the physicists and the students in physics from Balkan countries;
• Olympiads (Balkaniads) in physics;
• exchange of students in physics;
• exchange concerning scientific and science-organisational matters, visits of delegations, acceptance of participants in various events; -exchange of scientific and professional information, publications, curricula and programs in physics, devices for demonstration and other training tools;
• issues of periodical and non-periodical publications, books, monographs, brochures;
• translation of monographs, textbooks and review publications for acquaintance with the problems and the achievements of the physicists from the Balkan countries;
• other joint activities and events involving interested physicists from the Balkan countries, in compliance with the aims of Article 1.

Article 4

The highest forum of the BPU is the BPU Council composed in the following way:

• three representatives of each Member National Society, nominated for three years. The nominated Members could be changed by the National Physical Societies in the case of their physical unability;
• the acting and the former Presidents, Vice Presidents, Executive and Scientific Secretaries of the BPU;
• Editor in chief of Balkan Physics Letters and Directors of Institutes and Centres established by the BPU;

As a rule, the Council meets regularly once every three years. Associated Members and Honorary Members may participate without voting rights. The duties of the Council are to:

• amend the BPU Constitution, if necessary;
• elect President, Vice President, Scientific Secretary, Executive Secretary among the three representatives of each Member National Society, for a period of three years;
• accept new Members, Associate Members and Honorary Members upon the Executive Committee proposal;
• decide the general plans of the activity of the BPU for the period between two meetings;
• decide on the place and time of the General BPU Conferences;
• approve all the reports submitted to the Council concerning the BPU activities including financial matters.
• outline the budget of BPU and determine the due of Members and associate Members of BPU ;
• make decisions about the publications of BPU;
• fulfil other duties in accordance with the BPU Constitution;
• discuss scientific and professional matters of importance for physicists in Balkan countries.
• nominate Editor in Chief of BPL and Directors of Institutes and Centres and regularly discusses their activities.

The BPU Council adopts decisions by a simple majority. The BPU Members may ask a majority of two-thirds if needed. Each National Physical Society Member of BPU has one vote.

Changes in the Constitution can be made if all the BPU Members agree upon them.

The Headquarters of the BPU Council are in the country of citizenship of the BPU President.

Article 5

The Executive Committee is composed by the President, the Vice President, the Scientific Secretary, the Executive Secretary and one nominated representative for three years from each National Physical Society. The President and Vice-President should not be from the same country.

For the period between the sessions of the Council, the work of BPU is administered and carried out by the BPU Executive Committee.

The Executive Committee:

• decides on the credentials of the proposed by the members representatives to the next Council meeting;
• may ask for an extraordinary meeting of the Council;
• prepares the plan of the activities and the budget of BPU and performs other duties assigned by the Council;
• proposes new Members, Associate Members and Honorary Members to the Council.

The headquarters of the BPU Executive Committee is in the country of citizenship of the President. The Executive Committee meets as a rule ones a year.

Article 6

The President represents the BPU in the relationships with all external bodies and organisations, invites and presides the Council and the Executive Committee, is responsible for the scientific and financial policies of BPU and is distributor of the funds according to the budget approved by the Council. The Scientific Secretary helps the President in the scientific policy. The Executive Secretary helps the President for the administrative and financial matters and reports to the Council about the Executive Committee activities.

Formal applications for new membership are sent to the President in office.

Article 7

The General Conference of the Balkan Physical Union takes place every three years. The venue of the next Conference is decided by the Council during its regular meeting.

Scientific and professional matters of importance for the physicists in Balkan countries may be discussed at the General Conference.

Article 8

By Council decision, BPU may issue its own periodical and non periodical publications. For editing them, the Council elects Editor in Chief and Editorial Board. The Editor in Chief of the Board reports to the Council.

By Council or Executive Committee decision BPU Institutes or Centres may be formed. Directors of BPU Institutes and Centres report to the Council.

Article 9

The activities of BPU are funded by dues of the Members, from grants and from donations. The dues are determined by the Council with reference to one and the same currency. Dues are to be deposited in a BPU account at disposal of the President and Executive Secretary.

Article 10

BPU co-operates with its Members and Associated Members, with the international scientific organisations such as EPS, IUPAP, UNESCO, ICTP, CERN, etc. as well as with scientific societies in other countries, whose activities could help in the fulfilment of the goals of BPU.

Article 11

Every National Physical Society-Member of BPU may terminate its membership in the Union if it so desires. Such a decision should be made known one year before the contemplated withdrawal enters into effect. For re-entering BPU, a positive decision by the Council is required.

BPU may terminate its existence under a decision taken in the Council by a majority of two-thirds. In such a situation, the BPU means are distributed between the former Members according to the shares from the last year.

Article 12

BPU is a legal organisation registered in the country where the headquarters of the Executive committee is established.

The BPU official language is English.

Annex one

Member founders of BPU are the National Physical Societies of Albania, Bulgaria, Greece, Rumania, Turkey and the Physical Societies of former Republic of Yugoslavia.

ALBANIA

Prof. Agim Minxhozi member of BPU Council

BULGARIA

Prof. Matey Mateev member of BPU Council

GREECE

Prof. Ch. Zerefos . member of BPU Council

ass. Prof. E.Polychroniades member of BPU Council

ass. Prof. A. Lambros Executive Secretary of BPU member of BPU Council

FORMER YUGOSLAVIAN REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA

Prof. V.Micevski member of BPU Council

Prof. Lj. Janicijevic member of BPU Council

RUMANIA

Prof. A. Calboreanu member of BPU Council

Prof. U. Ciupina member of BPU Council

Prof. E. Burzo member of BPU Council

TURKEY

Prof. Gediz AKDENIZ President of BPU

Prof. Metin Aric member of BPU Council

Ass. Prof. M.Nizamettin Erduran Scientific Secretary of BPU member of BPU Council

Ass. Prof. Ergun Gultekin member of BPU Council

REPUBLIC OF YUGOSLAVIA

Prof. Dj. Bek-Uzarov member of BPU Council

Prof. M. Kurepa member of BPU Council

CLUJ - NAPOCA 2nd of September 1997