CONSTITUTION OF THE SOCIALIST FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF YUGOSLAVIA

Adopted by the Federal People's Assembly April 7, 1963

CONSIDERING THE HISTORICAL FACT that the working people of Yugoslavia, under the leadership of the Communist Party, overthrew the former class society based on exploitation, political oppression and national inequality by their struggle in the People's Liberation War and Socialist Revolution in order to found a community in which human labor and man will be delivered from exploitation and arbitrariness and each of the peoples of Yugoslavia and all of them together will find conditions for free and comprehensive development;

Aware that such changes have been brought about in the development of the material basis of the country and of socialist social relations as supersede the present Constitution;

Desirous of consolidating these achievements and of securing conditions for the further development of socialist and democratic relations and for comprehensive progress and freedom of the people by uniform constitutionality;

The Federal People's Assembly, as the supreme representative body of the working people and of all the peoples of Yugoslavia,

Establishes:

THE CONSTITUTION OF THE SOCIALIST FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF YUGOSLAVIA

INTRODUCTORY PART
BASIC PRINCIPLES

I

The peoples of Yugoslavia, on the basis of the right of every people to self-determination, including the right to secession, on the basis of their common struggle and their will freely declared in the People's Liberation War and Socialist Revolution, and in accord with their historical aspirations, aware that the further consolidation of their brotherhood and unity is to their common interest, have united in a federal republic of free and equal peoples and nationalities and have founded a socialist federal community of working people, the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, in which, in the interests of each people and of all of them together, they are achieving and developing:

Socialist social relations and the protection of the socialist system of society;

National freedom and independence;

Brotherhood and unity among the peoples and solidarity among the working people;

Possibilities and freedom for the comprehensive development of the human personality and for close communion of the people in accord with their interests and aspirations to create an ever richer culture and civilization in socialist society;

Unity and coordination of efforts to develop the material basis of the social community and the prosperity of the people;

Association of their own aspirations with the progressive strivings of mankind;

Common foundations of an economic and political system in which common interests and equality are achieved among the people.

The working people and the peoples of Yugoslavia exercise their sovereign rights in the Federation when the Constitution determines this to be in the common interest and exercise all other relations in the socialist republics.

II

The socialist system in Yugoslavia is based on relations between people acting as free and equal producers and creators, whose work serves exclusively to satisfy their personal and common needs.

Accordingly, the inviolable foundation of the position and role of man lies in

Social ownership of the means of production, which precludes the restoration of any system of exploitation of one man by another, and which, by eliminating the separation of man from the means of production and other working conditions, provides the conditions necessary for management by the working people in production and in the distribution of the products of labor, and for social guidance of economic development;

Emancipation of work, which supersedes the historically conditioned inequality and dependence of people in work, which is assured by the abolition of wage-labor relations, by self-management of the working people, by comprehensive development of the productive forces, by the diminishing of the socially necessary labor time, by the development of science, culture, and technology, and by the continual expansion of education;

The right of man, both as an individual and as a member of the working collective, to enjoy the fruits of his work and of the material progress of the social community, in accordance with the principle, 'From each according to his abilities; to each according to his work,' along with the obligation of man to assure the development of the material foundations of his own and of socially organized work and to contribute to the satisfaction of other social needs;

Self-management by the working people in the working organization; free association of the working people, of working and other organizations and of social-political communities in order to satisfy common needs and interests; self-government in the commune and in the other social-political communities so as to assure the direct participation of the citizens in the determination of the course of social development, in the exercise of power and in the decisions on other social affairs;

The democratic political relations that enable man to achieve his interests, to realize his right of self-government and other rights and mutual relations, and to develop his personality by direct activity in social life, especially in the organs of self-government, in the social-political organizations and associations, which he himself creates and through which he influences the development of social consciousness and expands the conditions for his activity and for the attainment of his interests and rights;

Equality of rights, duties and responsibilities of the people in conformity with uniform constitutionality and legality;

Solidarity and cooperation of the working people and working organizations, their interest and their unrestricted initiative in developing production and other social and personal activities in behalf of man and his social community;

Economic and social security of man.

It is from this position of man that the social-economic and political system derives, and it is man and his role in society that it serves.

Any form of management of production and of other social activities [or] any form of distribution that distorts the social relations based on this position of man, whether in the form of bureaucratic arbitrariness and privileges based on monopoly position or in the form of private-ownership selfishness and particularism, is contrary to the individual and common interests of the working man and to the social-economic and political system determined by the Constitution.

III

The socially owned means of production, being the common, inalienable basis of socially organized work, serve to satisfy the personal and common needs and interests of the working people and to develop the material foundations of the social community and socialist social relations. The socially owned means of production are managed directly by the working people, who work with these means on their own behalf and on behalf of the social community and are responsible to each other and to the social community.

Since no one has the right of ownership over the socially owned means of production, the social-political community or the working organization or the working man may [not] appropriate in any form of ownership the product of socially organized work, nor manage and dispose of socially owned means of production and work, nor arbitrarily determine the terms of distribution.

Work is the only grounds for the appropriation of the product of socially organized work, and the foundation of management of social means.

The social product serves to restore and expand the material basis for socially organized work, and directly to satisfy the personal and common needs of the working people, in conformity with the principle of distribution according to work.

That part of the social product which is set aside for the renewal and expansion of the material basis of socially organized work provides the foundation for social- economic growth, which the working people realize in their working organizations, and through the mutual cooperation of these organizations, as well as in the social-political communities.

A uniform system of distribution shall assure that the working organizations will employ the funds for social-economic growth in proportion to their share in creating them, subject to their ability to make the most effective use of them within the framework of the social division of labor determined by the social plans.

In order to attain self-management and to realize the individual and common interests of the working people, in order to stimulate their initiative and create the most favorable conditions for the development of the productive forces, to equalize the working conditions, to achieve distribution according to work, and to develop socialist relations, the social community plans the development of the economy and the material foundations of other social activities. Planning is done in the working organizations by the working people as the bearers of production and of socially organized work, and by the social-political communities in the performance of their social-economic functions.

The social plan of Yugoslavia coordinates the basic relations in production and distribution. Within the framework of these relations and a unified economic system, the working people in the working organizations and social-political communities autonomously plan and develop the material bases for their activities.

In order to equalize the material conditions in social life and in the work of the working people, in order to achieve harmonious economic development as a whole, and in order to create the material basis for equality among the peoples of Yugoslavia, the social community, acting in the common interest, devotes special attention to the rapid development of the productive forces in those republics and areas with inadequate economic development, and to this end it provides the necessary funds and undertakes other measures.

Social ownership of the means of production is the foundation of personal ownership acquired by personal work, and serves to satisfy the personal needs and interests of man.

In order to develop socialist relations in agriculture and to promote agricultural production, conditions are assured for the development of production on the basis of socially owned means and socially organized work, and for association among farmers and their cooperation with the working organizations on a voluntary basis.

Having the constitutional right of ownership to arable land, the farmers have the right and obligation to utilize the land in order to promote agricultural production in their own interests and in the interests of the social community.

IV

Every form of government, including political power, is created by the working class and by all the working people for themselves in order to organize society as a free community of producers, which is assured

By social self-government as the basis of the social-political system;

By decision of the citizens on all social matters, either directly or through delegates whom they elect to the representative bodies of the social-political communities and to other bodies of social self-government;

By the establishment and development of equal and democratic relations among the citizens, and by the attainment of human and civil freedoms and rights in accord with the strengthening of solidarity, the citizens' performance of their social duties, and the material and social development of the socialist community;

By the personal responsibility of all holders of public office, especially those with functions of power, and by the responsibility of the political-executive and administrative organs to the representative body of the social-political community and to the public;

By judicial supervision of constitutionality and legality; and by social supervision of the work of state organs, organs of social self-government, and organizations dealing with matters of public concern;

By the social and political activity of the socialist forces organized in social-political organizations.

The functions of power determined by the Constitution are vested in the representative bodies of the social-political communities as the territorial organs of social self-government. These representative bodies are constituted and removable delegations elected in the communes by all the citizens, and in the working communities by the working people.

With the exception of the functions of power and the general affairs of social self-government, which they discharge through the representative bodies and bodies accountable to them, the citizens decide on social affairs in their working and other autonomous organizations and by forms of direct determination; and they attain other common interests also in their social-political organizations and associations, which they found themselves.

In the socialist social relations and conditions of social self-government, the working people voluntarily unite in trade unions in order to cooperate as directly as possible in the development of socialist social relations and social self-government, to coordinate their personal and common interests with the general interests, to realize the principles of distribution according to work, and to adapt the worker for work and for management, as well as to take the initiative and undertake measures to protect their rights and interests and to improve their living and working conditions, to develop solidarity, to coordinate opinions and mutual relations, and to solve other questions of common interest.

The citizens are the source of initiative for social activities directly and through their social-political organizations and associations; they exercise supervision over the work of the organs of government and other holders of public office, they determine the norms for mutual relations and they lend their support to the state organs, the organs of social self-government, and organizations dealing with affairs of public concern.

In order to realize self-government and the other rights of the citizens, the public working of the state organs, organs of social self-government, organizations, and holders of public office shall be assured, and conditions shall be created so that the citizen may be fully informed and capable of discharging public affairs.

The principle of limitation of reelection and renomination to particular offices assures the removability of holders of government and of other public offices, in

order to allow the widest possible participation of citizens in the discharge of public functions, and to consolidate and develop democratic relations in society.

V

The Socialist Alliance of the Working People of Yugoslavia, founded during the People's Liberation War and Socialist Revolution as a voluntary democratic alliance of the citizens, is the broadest base of social-political activity and social self-government of the working people.

In the Socialist Alliance of the Working People of Yugoslavia the citizens

Discuss social-political questions from all provinces of social life, coordinate opinions and pass political resolutions dealing with the solution of these questions, the course of social development and the strengthening of self-government, the attainment of the rights and interests of man and citizen, and the promotion of socialist and democratic relations;

Give their opinions and judgments on the work of state organs, organs of social self-government, organizations, and holders of public office, and exercise social supervision over their work, especially to render their work public and themselves responsible for it;

Strive for the creation and protection of every form of social-political life stimulating socialist and democratic development; take the political initiative in every province of public life; and ensure the fullest possible realization of their voting and other rights;

Provide conditions for the comprehensive participation of youth and its organizations in social and political life;

Strive for human relations among people, for the development of socialist consciousness and for the norms of a socialist way of life, and for the elimination of manifestations that impede the development of socialist and democratic social relations or otherwise harm them.

VI

The League of Communists of Yugoslavia, initiator and organizer of the People's Liberation War and Socialist Revolution, owing to the necessity of historical development, has become the leading organized force of the working class and working people in the development of socialism and in the attainment of solidarity among the working people and of the brotherhood and unity of the peoples.

Under the conditions of socialist democracy and social self-government, the League of Communists, with its guiding ideological and political work, is the prime mover of the political activity necessary to protect and to promote the achievements of the Socialist Revolution and socialist social relations, and especially to strengthen the socialist social and democratic consciousness of the people.

VII

Whereas peaceful coexistence and active cooperation between states and peoples, irrespective of differences in their social systems is indispensable to peace and social progress in the world, Yugoslavia bases its international relations on the principles of respect of national sovereignty and equality, noninterference in the internal affairs of other countries, peaceable settlement of international disputes, and socialist internationalism. In its international relations Yugoslavia adheres to the principles of the United Nations Charter, fulfills its international commitments, and actively participates in the work of the international organizations to which it is affiliated.

In order to realize these principles, Yugoslavia strives

For the establishment and development of every form of international cooperation that helps to consolidate peace, to strengthen mutual respect and friendship between peoples and states, and to bring about their rapprochement; for the broadest and freest exchange of material and intellectual wealth, for the freedom of mutual information, and for the development of other relations that contribute to the realization of common economic, cultural and other interests of states, nations and people, and especially to the development of democratic and socialist relations in international cooperation, and general social progress;

For the repudiation of the use or threat of force in international relations; and for general and complete disarmament;

For the right of every people to determine freely and to develop its own social and political system by ways and means of its own free choosing;

For the right of peoples to self-determination and national independence and for their right to wage liberation struggle to attain these just aims;

For international support to peoples waging a just struggle for national independence and liberation from colonialism and national oppression;

For the development of such international cooperation as assures equality in economic relations in the world, sovereign exploitation of national resources and the creation of conditions conducive to the more rapid development of the underdeveloped countries.

In pledging itself to comprehensive political, economic and cultural cooperation with other peoples and states, Yugoslavia, as a socialist community of peoples, holds that this cooperation should contribute to the creation of new democratic forms of association between states, nations and people which will answer to the interests of peoples and social progress, and in this respect it is an open community.

VIII

The social-political relations and the forms determined by the Constitution are aimed at broadening the conditions for the further development of socialist society, the elimination of its contradictions, and for such social progress as, on the basis of the comprehensive development of the productive forces, high productivity of labor, an abundance of products, and comprehensive development of man as an emancipated being, will bring about the development of social relations in which the communist principle, 'From each according to his abilities, to each according to his needs,' will be realized.

To this end all the state organs, organs of social self-government, organizations and citizens are enjoined, in all their activities

To expand and strengthen the material basis of society and the life of the individual by developing the productive forces, raising the productivity of labor, and continually promoting socialist social relations;

To create conditions in which the social-economic differences between intellectual and physical work will be eliminated and in which human work will become an ever fuller expression of creativity and of the human personality;

To expand and develop every form of social self-government and socialist democracy, especially in those fields in which the functions of political power predominate; to limit coercion and promote the conditions for its elimination; and to establish relations among people based on awareness of common interests and on the unrestricted activity of man;

To contribute to the realization of human freedoms and rights, to the humanization of the social environment and man's personality, to the strengthening of solidarity and humanity between people, and respect for man's dignity;

To develop comprehensive cooperation and rapprochement with all peoples in keeping with the progressive strivings of mankind to develop a free community of all the peoples in the world.

IX

In expressing the basic principles of the socialist community and the principles for its progress, this section of the Constitution is also the basis for the interpretation of the Constitution and law and for the work of each and every [individual].

PART ONE
THE SOCIAL AND POLITICAL SYSTEM

CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTORY PROVISIONS

ARTICLE 1. The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia is a federal state of voluntarily united and equal peoples and a socialist democratic community based on the powers of the working people and on self-government.

ARTICLE 2. The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia comprises the socialist republics of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Slovenia.

The territory of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia is unified, consisting of the territories of the socialist republics.

ARTICLE 3. The coat-of-arms of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia is a field encircled with ears of wheat. At the bottom the ears of wheat are tied together with a scroll bearing the inscription 29. XI 1943. Between the tops of the ears of wheat, there is a five-pointed red star. In the field are six torches, set obliquely, whose flames blend into a single flame.

ARTICLE 4. The state flag of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia shall consist of three colors: blue, white and red, with a red five-pointed star in the center. The ratio of the width to the length of the flag shall be one to two. The colors of the flag shall extend horizontally; starting from the top, the order is blue, white and red. Each color shall occupy one-third of the width of the flag. The star shall have a regular five-pointed form and a golden (yellow) border. The central point of the star shall coincide with the point in which the diagonals of the flag intersect. The top point of the star shall extend as far as the middle of the blue stripe of the flag, the lower points of the star assuming equivalent places in the red stripe of the flag.

ARTICLE 5. The capital of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia shall be Belgrade.

CHAPTER II

SOCIAL-ECONOMIC ORGANIZATION

ARTICLE 6. The basis of the social-economic system of Yugoslavia is free, associated work with socially owned means of labor, and self-management of the working people in production and in distribution of the social product in the working organization and social community.

ARTICLE 7. Only work and the results of work shall determine man's material and social position. No one may gain material or other advantage directly or indirectly by exploiting the work of others.

ARTICLE 8. The means of production and the other means of socially organized work, as well as mineral and other natural resources, are social property. The employment of the means of production and other socially owned means, and all other rights over these and other means shall be regulated by law in accordance with their nature and purpose.

ARTICLE 9. Self-management in the working organization shall include in particular the right and duty of the working people

In attaining self-government, the working people in the social-political communities shall decide on the course of economic and social development, on the distribution of the social product, and on other matters of common concern.

Citizens and representatives of organizations concerned and of the social community may participate in the management of a working organization in affairs of special concern to the social community.

In order to secure the uniform social-economic position of the working people, provision shall be made in law and statute determining the rights of self-management of the working people employed in the state administration [and in] social-political organizations or associations, in accord with the nature of the work of these organs and organizations.

The working people shall exercise self-management in the unified social-economic system in accordance with the Constitution, law and statute, and shall be held accountable for their work.

Any act violating the right of self-management of the working people is unconstitutional.

ARTICLE 10. The working people in the working organization, as members of the working community, shall establish working relations with each other and shall be equals in management.

The organization of work, and management in the working organization must enable the working people at every level and in every part of the working process which constitutes a whole to decide as directly as possible on matters of work, organization of mutual relations, distribution of income, and on other matters affecting their economic position, at the same time assuring the working organization as a whole the most favorable conditions for its work and business.

ARTICLE 11. The product of socially organized work, created in the working organizations, as the foundation for social economic growth and for the satisfaction of social needs and personal and common needs of the working people, shall be divided according to a uniform system of distribution and on the basis of uniform conditions and standards assuring social economic growth, distribution according to work, and social self-government.

The working organization, after providing the means to renew the value of the resources expended in work, and after allocating a part of the created value of the product for equalization of working conditions and acquisition of income, shall apportion the income of the working organization into a fund to expand the material basis for work and a fund to satisfy the personal and common needs of the working people.

The working organization shall be assured a part of the created value of the product to expand the material basis of its work, proportionate to its share in producing the means of social economic growth, and in non-economic activities, a part consistent with the tasks of the working organization and in accordance with social needs. The working organization shall be entitled to a part of the created value of the product for the satisfaction of personal and common needs of the working people proportionate to the productivity of work of the working people, and subject to the business success of the working organization, and in non-economic activities, proportionate to the results of the work done to satisfy social needs.

The means of the working organization allocated for the renewal and expansion of the material basis of work, as common means of social economic growth, shall be used to expand the material basis of the working organization of the social community as a whole. The working organization shall employ these means in accordance with uniform principles of utilization of the means of social economic growth determined by federal law, and in accordance with conditions and standards determined by the regulations coordinating economic development and the attainment of the other basic relations envisaged by the social plans.

To expand the material basis of its work, the working organization shall be assured other social means, apart from those it has created by its own work, under equal conditions and in accordance with the uniform principles of the credit system.

ARTICLE 12. In accordance with the principle of distribution according to work, every working man in the working organization shall be entitled to a personal income proportionate to the results of his work and to the work of his department and of the working organization as a whole.

ARTICLE 13. Working organizations may be founded in accordance with law by social-political communities, by working and other organizations and by citizens.

The working organization shall be founded as an enterprise or other economic organization for economic activities, or as an institution or other organization for activities in the fields of education, science, culture, health, social welfare, or other social services.

The working organizations, irrespective of the founder, shall have an identical status.

The conditions under which working organizations may amalgamate, or particular departments become independent, or separate, may be determined by law.

ARTICLE 14. Working people who by personal work perform independent cultural, professional or other similar activities shall in principle have the same social economic status and the same fundamental rights and duties as the working people in the working organization.

Working people with occupations of this type may associate and form temporary or permanent working communities, which shall have the same fundamental status as the working organizations, and in which the working people shall have the same fundamental rights and duties as the working people in working organizations.

The conditions under which these working people and their working communities shall realize their rights and fulfill their obligations, and the conditions under which they may utilize and manage social means in the performance of their activities shall be prescribed by law.

ARTICLE 15. The working organization is an independent and autonomous organization.

The working organization is a juristic person and possesses certain rights in relation to the socially owned means managed by it. The working organization may not be dispossessed of these rights nor may they be restricted, unless this is required by the general interest determined by federal law and in accordance with procedure prescribed by law, and with equivalent compensation being made in return.

The working organization shall preserve undiminished the value of the social means in its possession.

The working organization shall be responsible for its obligations with the social means in its possession.

ARTICLE 16. The general conditions under which working organizations shall discharge activities of special social concern may be prescribed by law.

The conditions under which products and services may be exchanged in internal commerce may be prescribed only on the basis of federal law.

The conditions of commerce in commodities and services and the business conditions of working organizations in their relations with other countries shall be established by federal law.

ARTICLE 17. Cooperatives may be founded as working organizations to carry on and stimulate socially organized work and cooperation among working people who work with their own means of labor in agriculture and in other fields of the economy, with the aim of linking these activities with the social economy and expanding socialist social relations in these provinces.

Membership in the cooperatives shall be voluntary.

Provision may be made in law and in the statute of the cooperative or other working organization according to which the working people who work with their own means of labor and permanently cooperate economically with the working organization may take part in the management of the working organization in those affairs in which they cooperate.

Provision may be made in law determining that farmers who work with their own means of labor shall associate or cooperate with a working organization in order to carry out land improvements, to further the exploitation of land so improved, to exploit water resources and to raise defenses against damage by water, to protect land from erosion, and to regulate torrential streams, or whenever the social interest in the province of cultivation and exploitation of forests, or in the promotion of agricultural production on certain lands so requires.

ARTICLE 18. Subject to the conditions and procedure provided by federal law, an economic organization may be dissolved if it is unable to renew the means of production and other means of work which it manages, or to meet other legal obligations.

An economic organization, under the conditions and in accordance with the procedure provided by federal law, may be placed under temporary emergency administration if in its work it has gravely damaged social interests.

Subject to the conditions and in accordance with the procedure provided by law, an institution may be dissolved if it no longer fulfills the conditions determined by law or if it lacks the conditions to do its work.

ARTICLE 19. In order to bring about an efficient division of labor and to carry on activities of common concern, working organizations may form business corporations.

Working organizations may also associate in order to promote production or other activities, to cooperate with each other and to examine and solve other matters of common concern.

Management of amalgamated working organizations shall be based on the principle of self-management of the working people in the working organizations so associated.

Working organizations may pool their resources in order to promote and develop their activities, and conclude other agreements concerning joint activities and business.

In accordance with federal law, chambers and business corporations may be founded, and the conditions prescribed for the obligatory association of particular types of working organizations in chambers and business corporations.

ARTICLE 20. Land is a resource of common concern.

All land shall be utilized in accordance with the general conditions determined by law to assure the efficient utilization of land and other general interests.

Forests and woodland shall have special protection determined by law.

ARTICLE 21. The social community shall provide the material and other conditions for the establishment and development of agricultural working organizations based on social ownership of land and socially organized work, and for cooperation of farmers with the cooperatives and other working organizations.

Farmers shall be guaranteed right of ownership to arable land up to a maximum area of ten hectares to the household.

The limits and conditions under which farmers may have right of ownership to other land, and the limits and conditions under which other citizens may have right of ownership to agricultural and other land shall be determined by law.

The right of ownership to forests and woodland shall be determined by law.

ARTICLE 22. Subject to the restrictions and under the conditions provided by law, citizens may by personal work perform agricultural, handicraft and other services or similar activities in order to gain income.

The extent and the conditions under which citizens may have right of ownership to the means of work and business premises to perform agricultural, handicraft and other services or similar activities by personal work, shall be determined by law.

No one shall employ the work of others to gain income.

Subject to the restrictions and conditions determined by law, the work of other persons may be employed in agricultural production, the handicraft trades and in other services or similar activities carried on by citizens with their own means of work.

ARTICLE 23. Citizens shall be guaranteed right of ownership to objects for personal consumption and use or for the satisfaction of cultural and other personal needs.

Citizens may have right of ownership to dwelling houses and dwellings for the satisfaction of their personal and family needs; and for occupations based on personal work in accordance with the right of citizens guaranteed by the Constitution and subject to the conditions determined by law.

The limits of the right of ownership to dwelling houses and dwellings shall be determined by federal law.

ARTICLE 24. The conditions under which social-political organizations and associations of citizens may own real estate and other objects that serve to satisfy the common interests of their members and to perform the tasks of the organizations, and the conditions under which they may use social means for these purposes shall be determined by law.

ARTICLE 25. If the general interest determined by federal law so requires, real estate to which citizens and juristic persons have right of ownership may be expropriated, with fair compensation being given in return, or this right may be restricted.

The right of ownership to objects of special cultural value may be restricted in accordance with law, if the general interest so requires.

ARTICLE 26. In order to secure conditions for the most favorable economic and social development, to equalize general conditions of work and the acquisition of income, to determine general standards of distribution, to realize the principle of distribution according to work, and to develop socialist social relations, the social-political communities shall undertake, in accordance with their rights and duties, measures to develop a unified economic system, to plan economic development and the material bases of other activities, and to this end they shall adopt social plans. In order to achieve the relations determined by the social plans, the social-political communities shall pass regulations and other general decisions, set up social funds and social reserves, and undertake economic and other measures.

The social-political communities are juristic persons.

ARTICLE 27. The means of social economic growth acquired on the territory of the social-political communities, as common means of social economic growth, shall be used in these communities in proportion to the effort made by the working people to produce them. These means shall be used in accord with the uniform principles for using the means of social economic growth and under the conditions and standards determined by the regulations coordinating economic development and the attainment of other relations envisaged by the social plans.

Other social means shall also be used to develop the material basis of the social-political communities in accordance with the uniform principles of the credit system.

To meet social needs of their territories, the social-political communities shall be entitled to means acquired from personal incomes and from other sources determined by federal law, in accordance with the principle of distribution according to work, and they shall autonomously determine the amount of these means and their disposal.

The social community shall provide the inadequately developed republics and regions with the material and other conditions necessary for more rapid economic development, and for the creation of the material bases of social activities.

ARTICLE 28. The territory of Yugoslavia is a unified economic and customs area.

Commerce in goods and services shall be unrestricted on the whole territory of Yugoslavia and may be restricted only in accordance with federal law.

The working organizations may carry on economic and other activities on the whole territory of Yugoslavia under conditions of equality.

ARTICLE 29. Money and the credit system shall be uniform. Financial transactions shall be carried on in accordance with uniform principles.

The working and other autonomous organizations, the social-political communities and their organs, and anyone else in possession of socially owned means shall make all payments, carry out all other financial operations, and deposit money in a manner prescribed by federal law.

The working organizations and social-political communities shall be entitled to banking credits under equal conditions determined by federal law.

Banks are economic organizations whose business is of special social concern. The position, the rights and duties and the business of the banks shall be determined by federal law.

The status of the National Bank of Yugoslavia shall be determined by federal law.

ARTICLE 30. Merger or association between working organizations, or any other activity of an organization or state organ aimed at preventing or restricting free commerce in goods and services for the purpose of material and other advantages not based on work, or violating socialist economic relations, or promoting other relations of inequality in business, or causing damage to the general interest determined by federal law, shall be prohibited.

ARTICLE 31. Control and supervision over the use of socially owned means, as well as supervision over the meeting of obligations by the working and other autonomous organizations and social-political communities, shall be performed by a unified social accounting service.

The social accounting service shall be autonomous in its work.

CHAPTER III
THE FREEDOMS, RIGHTS AND DUTIES OF MAN AND CITIZEN

ARTICLE 32. The freedoms and rights of man and citizen are an inalienable part and expression of the socialist and democratic relations which are protected by the Constitution, and through which man is being emancipated from every exploitation and arbitrariness, and [through which man] by his personal and socially organized work is creating the conditions for comprehensive development, for the unrestricted expression and protection of his personality and the attainment of his human dignity.

The freedoms and rights shall be achieved in solidarity among the people and by the fulfillment of their duties toward one another.

ARTICLE 33. The citizens are equal in rights and duties, regardless of differences in nationality, race, religion, sex, language, education or social position. All shall be equal before the law.

ARTICLE 34. The right of the citizen to social self-government shall be inviolable. In order to achieve social self-government, the citizen shall have

ARTICLE 35. Every citizen who is eighteen years of age shall have suffrage. In realizing this right, the citizen shall nominate candidates and elect delegates to the representative bodies and organs of social self-government and may stand for election to these bodies and organs.

Every member of a working community shall be eligible to elect the organs of management of the working organization and to stand for election to them.

ARTICLE 36. The right to work and the freedom to work are guaranteed.

The community shall provide ever more favorable conditions toward the realization of the right to work, especially by developing the productive forces and the material bases of other socially organized activities, and by promoting concern for the interests of the working man in regard to work.

Everyone shall be free to choose an occupation and employment.

Forced labor shall be prohibited.

Every citizen shall have access, under conditions of equality, to every job and every office in the community.

Working relations may cease against the worker's will only under conditions and in a manner determined by federal law.

The right to material security during temporary unemployment shall be guaranteed under conditions determined by law.

The rights acquired on the basis of work shall be inalienable.

The social community shall create conditions to improve the capacities of citizens who are not fully capable of working, as well as conditions for their adequate employment.

The social community shall lend assistance to citizens who are incapable of working and have no means of livelihood.

Whoever will not work, though he is fit to do so, shall not enjoy the rights and the social protection that man enjoys on the basis of work.

ARTICLE 37. The worker shall be entitled to a limited working time.

A maximum working week of forty-two hours shall be guaranteed. The conditions under which the working time may be shortened may be determined by law. In exceptional cases provision may be made determining that in certain occupations or in other cases determined by law the working time may for a limited period be longer than forty-two hours in the week if the particular nature of the work so requires.

The worker shall be entitled to daily and weekly rest and, under conditions determined by law, to a paid annual vacation of not less than fourteen working days.

The working man's right to personal safety and to health and other protection at work shall be assured.

Youth, women and disabled persons shall enjoy special protection at work.

Workers shall be guaranteed a minimum personal income determined by federal law.

ARTICLE 38. In accordance with the principle of mutualism and solidarity, the workers shall be insured within a uniform system of social security established by federal law.

On the basis of obligatory social security, workers shall be provided with health protection and other rights against illness, reduced working ability or loss of working ability, and old age.

In the event of the death of the insured person, health protection and rights, as well as other rights arising from social security, shall be provided the members of the family of the worker, subject to conditions determined by law.

Provision also shall be made in law determining security for the health protection and other rights arising from social security for other citizens.

The social security service shall be managed by the insured directly and through bodies which they shall elect and may recall of their own accord.

ARTICLE 39. Freedom of thought and determination shall be guaranteed.

ARTICLE 40. Freedom of the press and other media of information, freedom of association, freedom of speech and public expression, freedom of meeting and other public assemblage shall be guaranteed.

The citizens shall have the right to express and publish their opinions through the media of information, to inform themselves through the media of information, to publish newspapers and other publications, and to disseminate information by other media of communication.

These freedoms and rights shall not be used by anyone to overthrow the foundations of the socialist democratic order determined by the Constitution: to endanger the peace, international cooperation on terms of equality, or the independence of the country; to disseminate national, racial, or religious hatred or intolerance; or to incite to crime; [nor shall they be used] in any manner that offends public decency.

The cases and conditions in which the utilization of these freedoms and rights in a manner contrary to the Constitution shall entail restriction or prohibition shall be determined by federal law.

The press, radio and television shall truthfully and objectively inform the public and publish and broadcast [those] opinions and information of organs, organizations, and citizens which are of interest to public information.

The right to correction of information that has violated the rights or interests of man or organization shall be guaranteed.

In order to assure the widest possible information of the public, the social community shall promote conditions conducive to the development of appropriate activities.

ARTICLE 41. The citizen shall be guaranteed the freedom to express his nationality and culture, as well as the freedom to speak his language.

No one shall have to declare himself as to nationality or determine himself for one of the nationalities.

The dissemination or pursuance of national inequality, as well as all incitement to national, racial and religious hatred or intolerance, is unconstitutional and shall be punishable.

ARTICLE 42. The languages of the peoples of Yugoslavia and their scripts shall be equal.

Members of the peoples of Yugoslavia on the territories of republics other than their own shall have the right to school instruction in their own languages, in conformity with republican law.

As an exception, in the Yugoslav People's Army, commands, military drill and administration shall be in the Serbo-Croatian language.

ARTICLE 43. With the view of attaining the freedom of the citizen to express his nationality and culture, every nationality/national minority, shall have the right to use its language freely, to develop its culture, and to found organizations to this end, and it shall enjoy the other rights determined by the Constitution.

In the schools for the members of the nationalities, instruction shall be in the languages of those nationalities.

The other rights of the nationalities on the territories on which they live shall be determined by the constitutions and laws of the republics.

ARTICLE 44. The citizens shall be entitled, under equal conditions determined by law, to acquire knowledge and training in any type of school and in any other educational institution.

Eight years of elementary education shall be obligatory. Longer obligatory education may be determined by law.

The social community shall provide the material and other conditions necessary to found and maintain schools and other educational institutions and to advance their work.

ARTICLE 45. Scientific and artistic creativity shall be unrestricted.

The authors of scientific and artistic works, as well as of scientific discoveries and technical inventions, shall have the moral and material rights in their products.

The scope, duration and protection of these rights shall be determined by federal law.

The social community shall provide conditions for the development of scientific, artistic and other cultural activities.

ARTICLE 46. Religious confession shall not be restricted and shall be man's private affair.

The religious communities shall be detached from the state and shall be free to perform religious affairs and religious rites.

The religious communities may found religious schools in which to train their clergy.

Abuse of religion and religious work for political purposes is unconstitutional.

The social community may give material assistance to the religious communities.

The religious communities may have the right of ownership to real estate within the limits determined by federal law.

ARTICLE 47. Life and the freedom of man shall be inviolable.

Exceptionally, capital punishment may be provided for by federal law for the gravest criminal offenses, and it may be pronounced only for the most serious forms of these offenses.

Arrest shall be based on law. Every unlawful arrest shall be punishable.

The inviolability of life and other privacy rights of the person shall be guaranteed.

ARTICLE 48. During criminal proceedings, the accused may be arrested and held under arrest only if this is provided by law and is indispensable to the criminal proceedings; or for reasons of public safety.

Custody shall be reduced to the shortest necessary time.

Custody shall be determined by a court of law; only in exceptional cases prescribed by law may custody be determined by another authority empowered by law, and then for not more than three days.

Custody by decision of a court of the first instance may last not more than three months, but in exceptional cases prescribed by law the superior court may by decision extend custody for another six months. If upon the expiration of these periods no indictment has been made, the prisoner shall be released.

A fully documented written warrant shall be brought in matters of custody, which shall be served on the person concerned at the moment of arrest or not later than twenty-four hours after arrest.

The court shall adopt a decision immediately or not later than forty-eight hours on a complaint against a warrant of arrest.

ARTICLE 49. No one shall be punished for any act that before its commission was not defined by law or by prescript based on law as a punishable offense, or for which no penalty had been provided.

Criminal offenses and punitive sanctions may be determined only by law.

Offenses of an economic nature and punitive sanctions for such offenses may be determined by law or by decree adopted on the basis of law.

Sanctions may be pronounced for criminal offenses or offenses of an economic nature only by the decision of a competent court reached in accordance with the procedure determined by law.

Organs of the administration may pronounce punitive sanctions only for misdemeanors and only within the limits and according to the procedure provided by law.

ARTICLE 50. No one shall be deemed to have committed a criminal offense until this has been ascertained by valid conviction.

Respect of person and dignity are guaranteed in criminal and in all other proceedings as well as during enforcement of a penalty.

No one within the reach of the court or other body of authority competent to conduct proceedings shall be sentenced if he has not been heard in accordance with law or if he has not been given the opportunity to defend himself.

The right to defense is guaranteed.

During criminal proceedings, the accused shall be entitled to have defense counsel, who shall be enabled, in accordance with the law, to defend and protect the rights of the accused. Provision shall be made in law determining when the accused in criminal proceedings must have defense counsel.

Any person who has been unjustifiably sentenced for a criminal offense or who has been arrested without grounds shall be entitled to compensation from social sources for the damage that has been done to him.

ARTICLE 51. The citizens shall enjoy freedom of movement and abode.

Limitation of the freedom of movement or abode may be prescribed by law, but only in order to assure the execution of criminal proceedings, to prevent the spread of infectious diseases, or to preserve the public order, or when the interests of the country's defense so require.

ARTICLE 52. The dwelling shall be inviolable.

No one shall enter any dwelling or other premises or search them against the will of the owner without a warrant issued in accordance with law.

The person whose dwelling or other premises are being searched, or the members of his family or his representative, shall be entitled to be present during the search.

A search may be carried out only in the presence of two witnesses.

Subject to the conditions determined by law, a person in an official capacity may enter a dwelling or premises without a warrant from the competent authority and carry out a search in the absence of witnesses if this is indispensable for the direct apprehension of a criminal offender, or for the safety of life and property,

or if it is beyond doubt that evidence in criminal proceedings cannot be secured otherwise.

Illegal entry and search of a dwelling or premises are prohibited and shall be punishable.

ARTICLE 53. The privacy of letters and of other means of communication shall be inviolable.

Provision may be made only by federal law to depart, in accordance with the decision of a competent authority, from the principle of inviolability of privacy of letters and of other means of communication, if this is indispensable for the execution of criminal proceedings, or for the security of the country.

ARTICLE 54. Every citizen of Yugoslavia shall have the protection of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia abroad.

No citizen of Yugoslavia shall be deprived of his citizenship, exiled or extradited.

A citizen who is absent from the country may in accordance with law be deprived of Yugoslav citizenship only exceptionally, if by his work he causes harm to the international or other general interests of Yugoslavia, or if he declines to perform his basic civil duties and holds citizenship in another country.

ARTICLE 55. The right of inheritance is guaranteed.

No one shall have real estate and means of work on grounds of inheritance in excess of the limit determined by the Constitution or law.

ARTICLE 56. Every citizen shall be entitled to the protection of his health.

The cases in which uninsured citizens shall be entitled to the protection of their health from social means shall be determined by law.

The social community shall provide conditions for the founding of health institutions and to promote the health protection of the citizens.

The social community, particularly the commune and the working organization, shall provide conditions for the development of physical culture and for the rest and recreation of the citizens, and shall support the initiative of the citizens and their associations in these provinces.

ARTICLE 57. The social community shall provide special protection for the mother and child.

Minors without parental care and other persons unable to provide for themselves and to safeguard their own rights and interests shall enjoy the special protection of the social community.

Disabled war veterans shall be provided with vocational rehabilitation, disability rights and other forms of protection.

ARTICLE 58. The family shall have the protection of the social community. Marriage and legal relations in marriage and in the family shall be regulated by law.

Marriage shall be validly contracted by persons entering into marriage in accordance with their free will before a competent authority.

It shall be the right and duty of parents to raise and to educate their children.

Children born out of marriage shall have the same rights and duties toward their parents as children born in marriage.

ARTICLE 59. Relations among people shall be based on mutual cooperation and on respect for man and for his freedoms and rights.

It shall be the duty of every person to come to the assistance and help of any person in danger, and to participate in the elimination of general danger.

ARTICLE 60. The defense of the country is the right and the supreme duty and honor of every citizen.

ARTICLE 61. Every citizen shall conscientiously discharge any public or other social office vested in him, and shall be personally accountable for discharging it.

ARTICLE 62. Every citizen shall contribute, under equal conditions determined by law, to the satisfaction of the material requirements of the social community.

ARTICLE 63. Everyone shall abide by the Constitution and law.

Provision shall be made in law determining the conditions under which failure to discharge duties determined by the Constitution shall be punishable.

ARTICLE 64. Aliens in Yugoslavia shall enjoy basic freedoms and human rights, and shall have other rights and duties determined by law and by international agreements.

ARTICLE 65. Citizens of other countries and persons without citizenship who are persecuted for their defense of democratic ideas and political movements, social emancipation and national liberation, the freedom and the rights of the human personality or of the freedom of scientific or artistic creativity, shall be guaranteed right of asylum.

ARTICLE 66. Every arbitrary act violating or restricting the rights of man, by whomsoever committed, is unconstitutional and punishable.

No one shall employ coercion or restrict the rights of any person, except in cases and proceedings provided by law and in accord with the Constitution.

ARTICLE 67. Every person shall be entitled to equal protection of his rights in proceedings before a court, administrative and other state organs and organizations which decide on his rights and obligations.

The social community shall provide the conditions for legal assistance through the legal profession as an autonomous socially organized service, and through other forms of legal assistance.

ARTICLE 68. Everyone shall be guaranteed the right of appeal or other legal expedient against court decisions and decisions of other state organs and organizations which deliberate on his rights or his lawful interests.

ARTICLE 69. Everyone shall be entitled to damages for the unlawful or faulty execution of an office or action by a person or officer of a state organ or organization carrying on affairs of public concern.

The damages shall be paid by the social-political community or organization in which the service or action is performed. The claimant shall be entitled, under conditions determined by law, to damages also directly from the person responsible for the damage.

ARTICLE 70. The freedoms and rights guaranteed by the Constitution are inalienable and shall not be restricted by any act.

These freedoms and rights shall be attained on the basis of the Constitution itself. The manner of attaining particular freedoms and rights may be prescribed only by law, and only when this is envisaged by the Constitution or when it is indispensable for their attainment.

The freedoms and rights guaranteed by the Constitution shall be provided judicial protection.

CHAPTER IV
THE SOCIAL-POLITICAL SYSTEM

ARTICLE 71. The working people shall be the sole holder of power and government of social affairs.

The citizens shall attain self-government directly at meetings of the electorate, by referendum, or by other forms of direct decision in the working organization, commune, and other social-political communities, and indirectly through their delegates, whom they shall elect to the organs of management of the working and other autonomous organizations and to the representative bodies of the social-political communities.

ARTICLE 72. No one shall exercise public powers unless they have been vested in him, in accordance with the Constitution, by the citizens or by the bodies elected by them.

ARTICLE 73. Self-government by the citizens in the commune is the political foundation of the uniform social-political system.

The forms of social self-government from which the organs discharging the functions of power derive shall be founded and realized in the commune.

The uniformity of the social-political system shall be secured by the realization of the rights and duties of all the social-political communities, and by their mutual relations as determined by the Constitution and law.

ARTICLE 74. The functions of power and government of social affairs shall be exercised by representative bodies, as the general organs of social self-government of the social-political communities, and by the organs responsible to them.

The judicial power shall be executed by courts as autonomous organs of the social community.

The protection of constitutionality shall be vested in constitutional courts.

ARTICLE 75. The assembly shall be the representative body of the social-political community; it shall consist of delegates of the citizens and of the working people in the working communities.

ARTICLE 76. The communal assembly shall comprise the communal chamber and the chamber of the working communities. The constitutions of the republics may provide for the formation of several chambers of working communities.

The members of the communal chamber shall be elected directly by the citizens; the members of the chamber of the working communities shall be elected by the working people who are engaged in working organizations, state organs, and social-political organizations and associations, by farmer-members of cooperatives or

other working organizations, and by other citizens working on the territory of the commune determined by law.

Any citizen with suffrage shall be eligible for election to the communal chamber. Any working man eligible to elect the members of a chamber of working communities, any member of an organ of management of a working organization or working community, any member of an organ of management of an association of working organizations, and any trade union officer or official of a social-political organization in the commune shall be eligible for election to the chamber of the working communities.

The members of the assemblies of the district, the republic and the Federation shall be elected on the principle of communal delegation, the commune being the basic community of citizens and working people.

ARTICLE 77. Direct elections for members of the representative bodies of the social-political communities shall be held on the basis of general and equal suffrage.

The members of all the representative bodies shall be elected and removed by secret ballot.

ARTICLE 78. The assembly shall be the supreme organ of government and organ of social self-government within the framework of the rights and duties of the social-political community.

The assembly shall determine policy and decide on other basic matters of importance for political, economic and cultural life and social development, pass regulations, the social plan and budget and other general acts, establish the bases for the organization and the powers of its organs, elect public officials, examine the state of affairs and the general problems of the judiciary, and exercise budget supervision, supervision over the work of the political-executive and administrative authorities, and social supervision.

The assembly shall form a commission to consider matters pertaining to the election and nomination of members of the assembly bodies and other officials and to propose motions to the assembly. This commission shall also examine general personnel matters.

The commission shall comprise members of the assembly and representatives of the social-political organizations.

Matters of general interest for the social-political community may be examined by the assembly together with representatives of the social-political organizations and other associations sitting as a general convention.

ARTICLE 79. Collegial political-executive organs of the assembly shall be formed in the social-political community in accordance with the Constitution, law and statute. The Constitution may determine that certain political-executive affairs shall also be discharged by the chambers of the representative bodies.

The political-executive organs shall attend to the execution of policy, the enforcement of law, and the fulfillment of social plans and other assembly enactments; advance proposals determining assembly policy and for the adoption of assembly decisions, pass regulations for which they are authorized; determine the general course of work of the administrative organs; and perform other political-executive affairs.

The political-executive organs shall be elected and dismissed by the assembly.

The political-executive organs shall be responsible for their work to the assembly that has elected them.

ARTICLE 80. The assembly of the social-political community shall establish administrative organs in accordance with the Constitution, law and statute.

The administrative organs shall enforce the law, carry out the social plans and other decisions of the assembly, execute the established policy, follow the state of affairs in particular fields of life, organize and discharge particular services, deliberate on administrative matters, exercise administrative supervision and perform other administrative business, prepare acts, and perform other expert services for the assemblies and their political-executive organs.

The administrative organs shall cooperate with other administrative organs and with working and other organizations in matters of common concern, inform each other about their work, and by their work enable the citizens and organizations to realize their rights and interests efficaciously.

Within the framework of their legal powers, the administrative organs shall be autonomous, and they shall be accountable for their work to the assembly and to its political-executive organs.

ARTICLE 81. The members of the assembly shall be elected for a term of four years.

Half the members of each chamber of the assembly shall be elected every second year.

The term of the members of the assembly may be extended only by decision of the assembly in cases provided by the Constitution.

ARTICLE 82. No one shall be twice consecutively a member of the same chamber of the same assembly or of an executive council.

No one shall at the same time be a member of the Federal Assembly and of the assembly of a republic, or a member of two chambers of the same assembly. A member of the Chamber of Nationalities of the Federal Assembly shall keep his seat in the assembly that has sent him.

A member of the Chamber of Nationalities may be returned for a further term of four years as a deputy of the republic or as a federal deputy; but during his second term he shall not again be a member of the Chamber of Nationalities.

Subject to procedure determined by the Constitution, certain members of the executive council may be returned to this office for a further consecutive term of four years.

A member of a communal assembly who has been elected member of the district assembly may be returned to the communal assembly for a further consecutive term of four years, but he shall not be returned to the district assembly for that term.

ARTICLE 83. The federal secretaries of state, federal secretaries and officers determined by law, as well as equivalent republican officers determined by republican constitution, shall not hold office for longer than four years, nor shall they be appointed to the same office during the next four years.

Subject to special procedure determined by the Constitution, some of these officers may be nominated to one of these offices for not more than an additional consecutive four years.

Provision [also] may be made in law introducing the principle of reelection or renomination after a definite period for other holders of public functions.

A member of the assembly shall not at the same time be a nominated officer or official of an equivalent state organ responsible to the assembly. The positions of judge and member of the assembly which elects him are incompatible.

ARTICLE 84. The assemblies, their political-executive organs and their administrative organs shall discharge their affairs on the basis of and within the restrictions of the Constitution and law.

State organs, organizations or officers vested with public powers shall perform their functions only within the limits of authorization determined by the Constitution and law.

The state organs shall have only the rights determined by the Constitution in relation to the working and other autonomous organizations.

ARTICLE 85. The relations between the organs of various social-political communities shall be based on the rights and duties determined in accordance with the Constitution.

With respect to the supervision of execution of republican and federal regulations the rights and duties of the federal administrative organs toward the republican administrative organs, and the rights and duties of the federal and republican administrative organs toward the district and communal administrative organs may be determined by law in accordance with the rights and duties of the Federation and republics.

ARTICLE 86. A holder of public or other social office shall be personally accountable for its execution.

The types and conditions of responsibility of all holders of public and other social offices shall be determined by law.

A holder of public office may resign from his office and may give his reason for doing so.

ARTICLE 87. The work of the state organs, organs of social self-government and organizations carrying on affairs of public concern shall be public, and the public shall be informed about their work.

The manner in which their work will be made public shall be determined by law and statute. Provision shall be made in law determining what information must be kept secret or may not be made public.

In order to render the work of the state organs, organs of social self-government, organizations discharging affairs of public concern, and social-political communities public and responsible to the community, the representative body exercising social supervision shall examine general matters pertaining to the utilization of social funds and distribution of income and to the manner in which these organs and organizations exercise their rights and duties.

The representative bodies shall exercise social supervision in cooperation with the organs of self-government and shall develop responsibility and socialist norms in self-government, business, and utilization of social funds.

The rights of the organs, organizations and citizens determined by the Constitution and law shall not be restricted by social supervision, nor shall their rights and interests founded on law be violated.

ARTICLE 88. At the meeting of the electorate the citizens shall examine matters of significance for the life and work of the locality and commune and other matters of social concern, initiate and submit proposals for the solution of these matters, directly decide on affairs determined by law and by the communal statute, and nominate candidates for election to the representative bodies.

At their meetings in the working communities, the working people shall nominate candidates for election to the representative bodies and carry out other affairs of management determined by law and by statute.

ARTICLE 89. The assembly of a social-political community may hold a referendum to obtain the preliminary views of the citizens concerning certain matters in its jurisdiction, or to sanction laws and other of its decisions.

The cases in which matters shall be decided by referendum in the working organizations shall be determined by law and by the statutes of the working organizations.

The decisions brought by referendum shall be binding.

Referendum shall be regulated by law.

ARTICLE 90. In exercising management in the working organization, the working people shall entrust, in keeping with the Constitution, law and statute, certain powers of management to the organs of the working organization: the workers' council, the managing board and the director, or other equivalent organs of management. Special supervisory, specialized and other organs of management may be established in a working organization in accordance with law and statute.

Interested citizens and the representatives of organizations and of the social community concerned shall participate, in accordance with law, in the management of certain affairs in a working organization carrying out work or affairs of special social concern as members of the organ of management in the working organization, or in some other manner determined by law and by the statute.

The organization of work and the distribution of income in a working organization of this type shall be decided upon only by the organs of management elected by the members of the working community. Provision may be made in law determining the general conditions and standards for the distribution of income, and prescribing that a certain organ of management of the working organization, another organization or a state organ must approve certain decisions pertaining to the distribution of income or decisions pertaining to the process of work when these decisions are of special social concern.

ARTICLE 91. In accordance with the Constitution and law, the working organization shall adopt a statute and make other general decisions regulating relations in the working organization.

The statute shall determine the internal organization, jurisdiction and responsibility of the organs of management, the position of the working departments and the rights of the working people in the management of these departments, the working and other internal relations, and the manner of doing business, as well as other

matters of importance for management in the working organization and for its affairs. The statute may also grant business autonomy for certain departments of the working organization.

The statute of the working organization, before it is finally adopted, shall be presented for examination to the communal assembly. Provision may be made in law determining that the statute of certain working organizations shall be submitted for examination to the republican assembly or to the assembly of some other socialpolitical community.

The obligation of the working organization to pass certain general decisions and the procedure for the adoption of the statute and other general acts may be established by law. Certain powers may be granted by law to the competent organ of the social-political community to confirm or approve the statute or other general decisions as a whole, or certain parts of them.

ARTICLE 92. The worker's council shall adopt a statute and other general decisions, determine plans and a program of work and development of the working organization, and decide on other general matters.

The members of the workers' council shall be elected by the working people directly.

A working community with a small number of members shall directly carry out the functions of the workers' council.

The managing board shall decide on the affairs of the working organization.

The members of the managing board of the working organization shall be elected by the workers' council or working community. It may be provided by law or by statute that a working community with a small number of members shall directly execute the functions of the managing board also.

The members of the workers' council shall be elected for a term of two years and the members of the managing board for a term of one year.

No one shall be elected twice consecutively to the worker's council or more than twice consecutively to the managing board.

One-half the members of the workers' council shall be elected every year.

ARTICLE 93. The director of the working organization shall be in charge of the business of the working organization, execute the decisions of the workers' council and other organs of management and represent the organization. The director shall be independent in his work and shall be personally accountable to the working community and to the organs of management of the working organization, and shall also be responsible to the social-political community for the legality of the work of the working organization and for the fulfillment of its legally determined obligations.

The director shall be nominated by the workers' council on the basis of a public competition, upon the proposal of the appointments commission, subject to the conditions and procedure determined by law. The appointments commission shall be composed of a legally determined number of representatives of the working community and of the commune or other equivalent social-political community.

Some other manner of nominating the director of a working organization which performs work of special social concern may be prescribed by law.

The director of the working organization shall be nominated for a term determined by law, and he may be renominated in accordance with the same procedure.

The conditions under which the workers' council or other competent body may dismiss the director before the expiration of the term for which he has been nominated may be determined by law.

ARTICLE 94. An arbitration commission shall be set up in accordance with the law to eliminate and settle collective disputes between the working people of parts of a working organization, or between the working people of a working organization and the organs of the social-political community.

ARTICLE 95. Affairs of common concern in the management of housing, and in other fields of social life shall be discharged by the citizens directly or through bodies which they themselves elect and which shall be accountable to them for their work.

CHAPTER V
THE SOCIAL-POLITICAL COMMUNITIES

1. The Commune

ARTICLE 96. Directly and through their organs of social self-government in the commune, being the basic social-political community, the citizens shall

Provide the material and other conditions necessary for the work and development of productive forces; guide and coordinate economic development and the development of the social services; determine and distribute the means for common communal requirements; create the conditions required to satisfy the material, social, cultural and other common needs of the citizens; coordinate individual and common interests with the general interests;

Exercise direct social self-government; organize the organs of government, social self-government and social services of common concern; provide conditions for the realization of the freedoms and rights of the citizens; regulate relations of direct concern to the citizens in the commune; determine the general conditions to discharge the business of the communal and similar organizations; safeguard legality and the security of the people and property; maintain public peace and order; exercise social supervision;

Execute other powers of the social community, with the exception of the powers determined by the Constitution as being the rights and duties of the republics or of the Federation.

The rights and duties of the commune shall be determined by the Constitution, by law, and by statute.

The rights and duties of the commune shall be discharged by the citizens at the meetings of the electorate and through other forms of direct decision, by the communal assembly, its organs, and the local communities. The rights and duties of the commune shall be realized by the organs of the commune and local community, with the participation of and in cooperation with other organs of social self-government in the commune.

ARTICLE 97. The territories of the communes shall be determined by republican law in accordance with the conditions determined by republican constitution.

ARTICLE 98. Every commune shall independently adopt a statute.

The communal statute, within the framework of the Constitution and law, shall determine the rights and duties of the commune and the manner in which they shall be exercised; the province, organization and rights of the local communities, and other forms of self-government in localities; the relations between citizens, working and other organizations in the solution of matters of common concern; the manner in which the work of the organs and organizations in the commune shall be rendered public; the organization of the communal and other services; the rights of the citizens, working organizations and other autonomous organizations in the use of funds, social and other services, resources in general use and other social means managed by the commune; the organization of the communal assembly and other communal organs and their rights, duties and powers.

ARTICLE 99. In order to discharge its rights and duties the commune shall autonomously pass regulations, and the social plan and budget, and shall establish its own funds.

In conformity with legally determined sources and types of revenue, the commune shall autonomously determine and use its revenues.

In accordance with law, the commune shall directly discharge the functions of the social community in regard to the regulation and utilization of land resources in general use, the construction and utilization of housing and the regulation of communal housing relations.

ARTICLE 100. Subject to conditions determined by republican constitution and law, a commune that is unable to finance its work and the work of the social services shall be allocated additional resources from republican revenues to finance social services and other services in the commune.

ARTICLE 101. The communal authorities shall attend to the enforcement of federal and republican laws and shall directly enforce them, unless the Constitution or law has placed their enforcement in the jurisdiction of the district, republican or federal authorities.

ARTICLE 102. In towns with more than one commune, organs of self-government may be established by town statute in accordance with republican constitution and law for affairs of general concern to the town as a whole, and these bodies may be given definite communal and district rights and duties.

ARTICLE 103. The communes shall cooperate with each other; they may freely pool their resources to discharge particular affairs within their jurisdiction or to create the conditions to satisfy needs of common concern; found common organs, organizations and services, undertake joint actions and exchange experiences.

ARTICLE 104. In the local community, as an autonomous community of citizens of rural and urban localities, the citizens shall directly exercise self-government in areas directly satisfying the needs of the working people and their families.

The communal statute may provide that the local community shall discharge other affairs in order to satisfy communal, social and other common needs of the citizens, and it may determine the manner in which these affairs shall be financed.

The local community is a juristic person.

2. The District

ARTICLE 105. Districts shall be founded to discharge affairs of common concern to two or more communes.

The republican constitution may provide that only communes shall be founded in a republic.

ARTICLE 106. The Federation and the republics, within the framework of their rights and duties, may determine by constitution and law the rights and duties of the district.

The republican constitution may provide that definite rights exercised in relation to the communal organs by the republican organs may be exercised by the district organs.

By decision of their assemblies, the communes may entrust to the district the execution of affairs of common concern to the communes, and the district may be bound by decision of the republican assemblies to discharge these affairs.

ARTICLE 107. The members of the district assembly shall be elected by the communal assemblies from among their members.

Every district shall have a statute.

Provision shall be made in republican law determining the manner of financing districts.

3. The Socialist Republic

ARTICLE 108. The republic is a socialist democratic state community based on the power of the working people and on self-government.

The working people in the republic shall exercise social self-government, regulate social relations, determine the course of economic development and of the development of the social services, provide for the realization of the rights of the citizens and for constitutionality and legality, and discharge all social affairs of common concern for political, economic, and cultural life and social development in the republic, with the exception of the affairs determined by the Constitution to be the rights and the duties of the Federation.

The rights and duties of the republic shall be determined by republican constitution in accordance with the principles of this Constitution.

ARTICLE 109. The territory of a republic shall not be altered without the consent of the republic concerned.

The boundaries between the republics may be changed only on the basis of agreement between the respective republican assemblies.

ARTICLE 110. The republics shall cooperate with each other in affairs of common concern and develop mutual relations.

In order to attain objectives of common concern, the republics shall found common organizations, undertake common measures and promote the exchange of experiences and other forms of economic and other cooperation.

The decisions, papers and other documents issued by state organs and authorized organizations in one republic shall have equal validity in the other republics.

ARTICLE 111. A republic may found autonomous provinces in accordance with the constitution in areas with distinctive national characteristics or in areas with

other distinguishing features, on the basis of the express will of the population of these areas.

The foundation or dissolution of an autonomous province shall take effect when this is sanctioned by the Constitution of Yugoslavia.

In the Socialist Republic of Serbia there are the autonomous provinces of Vojvodina and Kosovo and Metohija, established in 1945 by decision of the People's Assembly of the People's Republic of Serbia in accordance with the express will of the population of these areas.

ARTICLE 112. The autonomous provinces are social-political communities within the republic.

The autonomous rights and duties and the basic principles of organization in the autonomous provinces shall be determined by republican constitution.

4. The Federation

ARTICLE 113. In the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia the peoples and the citizens shall realize and safeguard the sovereignty, territorial integrity, security and defense of Yugoslavia, the international relations of Yugoslavia, the unity of the social-economic and political system, the economic unity of the country, the course and coordination of general economic development, and the basic freedoms and rights of man and the citizen; and they shall coordinate their political, economic, cultural and other common interests.

In order to realize these common interests, the Constitution determines the rights and the duties of the Federation.

The citizens shall also realize their political, social-economic, cultural and other common interests by means of social-political and other organizations which are active on the whole territory of Yugoslavia.

In exercising its rights and duties the Federation shall have the cooperation of the republics and other social-political communities, and social-political and other organizations.

ARTICLE 114. The Federation shall protect the sovereign rights and equality of the peoples and the socialist social and political organization of the republics.

ARTICLE 115. The Federation shall be directly responsible for the sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity, security and defense of Yugoslavia and for its international relations.

In these provinces, as well as in other provinces in which the Constitution determines it to be directly responsible, the Federation shall have the exclusive right and duty to pass laws and other regulations and directly to enforce them, and it shall be responsible for their enforcement even when the execution of some of these affairs is placed in the jurisdiction of other state organs and organizations.

Within the province of the exclusive rights and duties of the Federation, the federal organs shall adopt regulations for the enforcement of federal law.

The republics may pass laws of their own in this province and in other provinces determined by the Constitution to be regulated exclusively by federal law only if the republics are authorized to do so by federal law.

ARTICLE 116. It shall be the right and duty of the Federation to provide unity of the economic system and of the system of distribution of the social product. The Federation shall safeguard the unity of the political system, the system of social self-government and the basic freedoms and rights of man and the citizen.

ARTICLE 117. The Federation shall provide for the unity of the monetary and credit systems, determine the policy according to which money shall be issued, and assure supervision of money circulation.

Paper money and coin shall be issued by the National Bank of Yugoslavia.

The Federation shall prescribe the obligatory bank deposits to be held by the federal banks, and the conditions and manner in which foreign currency and similar reserves and deposits shall be used.

ARTICLE 118. The citizens of Yugoslavia shall have common Yugoslav citizenship.

Every citizen of a republic shall also be a citizen of Yugoslavia.

The citizens of one republic shall enjoy on the territory of another republic the same rights and duties as a citizen of that republic.

ARTICLE 119. In order to exercise its rights and duties determined by the Constitution, and to provide uniform foundations for the legal system, the Federation shall enact complete, basic and general laws.

The federal laws and other general federal acts shall be binding on the whole territory of Yugoslavia unless these regulations and acts prescribe that they shall be enforced on a lesser territory.

In the provinces in which the Federation passes complete laws the republics may regulate certain matters if federal law is lacking or if they are authorized by federal law to do so.

In the provinces in which the Federation passes basic laws, the republics shall regulate relations which have not been regulated by federal law, and may fully regulate all relations in these provinces if federal law is lacking.

The provisions of republican law pertaining to matters regulated by federal law shall cease to be valid on the day on which the federal law, passed after the republican law, takes effect, unless federal law determines otherwise.

A republic may be authorized by complete and by basic federal law to regulate certain questions in a different manner in its own law.

ARTICLE 120. The Federation, within the framework of its rights and duties, may adopt general laws in the fields of education and culture, health, and social welfare and in other provinces in which the Constitution does not provide that the Federation shall pass other federal laws.

The general laws shall determine the general principles regulating relations of concern for the basic unity of the social and political system.

General laws may also be passed in provinces in which it is provided that the Federation shall pass basic laws.

The republics shall pass laws of their own in conformity with the principles determined by the general law, and shall bring their laws into conformity with subsequently passed general laws.

The general laws shall not be directly enforceable.

ARTICLE 121. The Federation shall determine the general course of the country's economic development and the basic relations in the distribution of the social product, coordinate economic development and relations between industrial branches and areas, determine the course and conditions of trade with foreign countries, equalize the general working conditions and acquisition of income so as to realize the principle of distribution according to work, and promote the most favorable general conditions for the realization of the common interests of the working people, the activities of the working organizations, and the functions of the social-political communities in the province of social-economic relations

.ARTICLE 122. The Federation shall determine the sources and the amount of the resources required to carry out its tasks and discharge its affairs determined by the Constitution and law. The resources of the Federation shall serve

ARTICLE 123. A special federal fund shall be established to finance the rapid economic development of the inadequately developed republics and areas. Federal law shall provide permanent sources of finances for this fund and special credit terms, and shall determine the manner of operation of the fund. The Federation shall provide the means for a republic that is unable to finance social and other services with funds of its own, subject to conditions determined by law.

ARTICLE 124. The Federation may

These measures may be prescribed only by law.

ARTICLE 125. The sources and types of revenue for the social-political communities shall be determined by federal law.

In order to guarantee the equal position of the working people and of working organizations in business and in the distribution of the social product, or in order to realize the basic material relations established by the social plan of Yugoslavia, the Federation may determine the limits within which the social-political communities may determine their own revenues and other resources.

ARTICLE 126. The republics shall adopt regulations to enforce federal law if the republican organs of state are competent to enforce it, and if federal law has not provided that the regulations for the enforcement of the law shall be adopted by federal organs, or if the republic in question is authorized by federal law to pass such regulations.

The republics shall be responsible for the enforcement on their territories of the federal laws and other federal regulations.

The republic shall ensure the enforcement of federal law and other federal regulations through its organs if the competent communal organs do not enforce them.

ARTICLE 127. In accordance with law, the Federation may found administrative organs on the territories of the republics and of other social-political communities to carry out certain administrative affairs within the province of the exclusive rights and duties of the Federation, and it may prescribe the obligation of the republics and other social-political communities to found administrative organs to discharge such affairs or affairs of concern to the whole country.

The republican, district and communal authorities shall attend to the enforcement of the laws, acts and measures of the federal authorities within these provinces, and to this end they shall cooperate with all the authorities requiring such cooperation in accordance with federal law.

Only in accordance with federal law may it be provided that in the execution of certain affairs in the province of the exclusive rights and duties of the Federation the federal administrative organs may stay the execution of general acts of the republican administrative organs which are at variance with federal law or with other federal regulations adopted in accordance with law, and hear appeals against administrative decisions of the republican administrative organs. Provision may be made in federal law determining that in these affairs and in other affairs of concern to the country as a whole, the federal administrative organs shall have the right to issue instructions binding the republican administrative organs, to supervise their work, and to exercise other powers in order to secure the carrying out of these affairs.

Through its organs the Federation may provide for the enforcement of federal laws and other federal regulations for whose enforcement the organs of other social-political communities are competent, if these organs do not enforce the regulations in question or until they do so.

Affairs of concern to the country as a whole are those affairs designated by law whose execution shall be the responsibility of the federal organs even when these affairs are discharged by the republican organs directly.

The federal authorities shall communicate with the organs of the other social-political communities in the republics through the equivalent republican authorities and they may also communicate with them directly in affairs within the province of the exclusive rights and duties of the Federation and in other cases designated by federal law.

ARTICLE 128. If certain matters of enforcement of federal laws within the province of the exclusive rights and duties of the Federation are transferred to the jurisdiction of the republican, district or communal authorities, the Federation shall be responsible to provide the resources or the sources of revenue necessary to discharge these relegated affairs.

ARTICLE 129. The federal organs in charge of inspection or supervision may perform these tasks, in accordance with federal law, on the whole territory of Yugoslavia, in order to supervise the enforcement of federal laws and to protect legality and the rights of citizens and organizations.

ARTICLE 130. In order to realize the rights and duties of the Federation, the Constitution and federal law shall determine the jurisdiction of the federal organs and the province of the organizations in charge of affairs within the framework of the rights and duties of the Federation.

The federal organs and these organizations shall carry on the activities in their jurisdiction, within the framework of the rights and duties of the Federation established by the Constitution.

The federal organs and these organizations shall carry on the activities in their jurisdiction, within the framework of the rights and duties of the Federation established by the Constitution.

ARTICLE 131. The federal laws and other general acts of the federal organs shall be made public in the official gazette of the Federation, in the authentic texts in the languages of the peoples of Yugoslavia: in Serbo-Croatian and Croato-Serbian, Slovene and Macedonian.

In official communication the organs of the Federation shall abide by the principle of equality of languages of the peoples of Yugoslavia.

CHAPTER VI
THE COURTS AND THE PUBLIC PROSECUTION

ARTICLE 132. The judicial functions shall be discharged within a uniform judicial system.

The judicial system shall comprise courts of general jurisdiction and courts of special jurisdiction, which shall be established to hear definite cases within court jurisdiction.

The courts of general jurisdiction shall be the communal courts, the county courts, the republican supreme courts and the Supreme Court of Yugoslavia.

Economic cases and other legal matters of concern for the economy shall be heard by economic courts.

Criminal offenses committed by military personnel and certain criminal offenses committed by other persons, and other legal matters pertaining to cases involving service in the Yugoslav People's Army shall be heard by military courts.

The courts of special jurisdiction shall be established by law.

ARTICLE 133. Subject to conditions determined on the basis of federal law, judicial functions may be discharged by courts of arbitration or by arbitration commissions.

Conciliation councils and other institutions to settle disputes between citizens or organizations may be founded in accordance with law.

ARTICLE 134. The jurisdiction of the courts shall be established and altered only by law.

ARTICLE 135. The courts shall judge basic personal, property, labor and other rights of the citizens and their obligations as well as property and other rights and obligations of organizations and social-political communities; pronounce penalties and other measures over criminal and economic offenders; judge in administrative litigation the legality of individual acts of the state organs and of organizations that discharge public powers; and decide on other relations when this is provided by law.

The courts shall follow and study social relations and manifestations of interest for the discharge of their functions, and shall advance proposals to prevent socially dangerous and harmful manifestations and to consolidate legality.

Within their jurisdiction courts shall have the right and duty to inform the assembly of the pertinent social-political community about the enforcement of law and about problems in the work of the courts.

ARTICLE 136. The courts shall be autonomous in the performance of their judicial functions and shall hear cases in accordance with the Constitution and law.

ARTICLE 137. Cases shall be heard by judges and lay judges.

Provision may be made in federal law determining that only judges shall sit in certain courts and hear certain cases.

The judges and lay judges shall be chosen by the assembly of the corresponding social-political community. Provision may be made in law determining that the judges and lay judges of some courts shall be elected directly by the citizens.

The judges and lay judges may be removed from office only by the representative body that has elected them, under the conditions and in accordance with the procedure prescribed by law.

ARTICLE 138. A judge or lay judge shall not be called to account for an opinion given in the performance of judicial functions.

A judge or lay judge may not be placed under arrest for a criminal offense committed in the performance of his judicial duty without the approval of the competent assembly.

ARTICLE 139. Rulings in the first instance shall be passed by communal or county courts unless some other court has been given jurisdiction to hear in the first instance.

Appeals and other legal expedients against court decisions shall be heard by the competent court.

Only the competent court may amend, annul or set aside a court decision.

ARTICLE 140. Courts shall sit in council.

Provision may be made in law determining that certain cases shall be heard by a single judge.

ARTICLE 141. Court hearings shall be public.

The law shall designate those cases in which the public may be barred from court hearings in order to safeguard secrets, or to protect public decency, or in the interest of minors, or to safeguard other particular interests of the social community.

ARTICLE 142. The public prosecution is an autonomous organ entrusted with criminal prosecution. The public prosecution shall also undertake measures determined by law and legal expedients to assure the uniform enforcement of law and to protect legality.

The public prosecution shall discharge its functions in accordance with law and pursuant to the policy of the Federal Assembly.

The function of public prosecution in the Yugoslav People's Army shall be exercised by the military prosecution.

ARTICLE 143. The federal public prosecutor shall be nominated and removed by the Federal Assembly.

The public prosecutor of the republic shall be appointed and removed by the federal public prosecutor with the approval of the republican executive council. All other public prosecutors shall be appointed by the public prosecutor of the republic.

ARTICLE 144. Superior public prosecutors shall have the right and duty to issue instructions binding subordinate public prosecutors in their work.

The superior public prosecutor may discharge certain tasks which are within the jurisdiction of a subordinate public prosecutor.

CHAPTER VII
CONSTITUTIONALITY AND LEGALITY

ARTICLE 145. Constitutionality and legality shall be safeguarded in order to secure the constitutionally and legally established social-economic and political relations and unity of the legal order, as well as to protect the freedoms and rights of man and the citizen, the rights to self-government, and other rights of the organizations and social-political communities.

ARTICLE 146. Constitutionality and legality shall be the concern of the courts and other state organs, the organs of self-government and everyone who discharges public or other social functions.

The constitutional courts, as the safeguard of constitutionality, shall secure legality in accordance with the Constitution.

ARTICLE 147. Every regulation and other general act must be in conformity with the Constitution of Yugoslavia.

Every regulation and other general act enacted in the republic must also be in accord with the republican constitution.

ARTICLE 148. The republican constitution shall not be at variance with the Constitution of Yugoslavia.

Republican law shall conform to federal law.

All other regulations and other general acts passed by the state organs shall be in conformity with law.

The statutes of the social-political communities, as well as the statutes and other general decisions adopted by the working and other autonomous organizations shall conform to the Constitution and law.

ARTICLE 149. If the republican constitution is at variance with the Constitution of Yugoslavia, the Constitution of Yugoslavia shall be binding.

If republican law is not in accord with federal law, federal law shall be binding, pending the decision of the Constitutional Court of Yugoslavia.

Whenever a court deems that a law which it must enforce does not conform to the Constitution, it shall propose to the competent supreme court to institute proceedings to assess the conformity of such a law with the Constitution.

ARTICLE 150. Constitutional courts shall decide on the conformity of law with the constitution and the conformity of other regulations and general acts with the constitution and law.

The constitutional courts, pursuant to law, shall also safeguard the rights of self-government and other basic freedoms and rights established by the constitution whenever these freedoms and rights have been violated by any decisions or action and court protection has not been provided.

ARTICLE 151. Pending the decision of the Constitutional Court of Yugoslavia, the Federal Executive Council shall have the right to stay enforcement of a regulation or other general act of the republican executive council when this regulation or act is at variance with the Constitution of Yugoslavia or federal law.

Pending the decision of the constitutional court, the republican executive council shall have the right to stay enforcement of a regulation or other general act of a communal or district assembly or of any of their organs when such regulation or act is at variance with the Constitution or law. If the republican executive council does not stay enforcement of a regulation or other act which is at variance with the Constitution of Yugoslavia or federal law, the Federal Executive Council may do so.

Pending the decision of the constitutional court, the communal assembly shall have the right to stay enforcement of general decisions of an autonomous organization when these decisions are at variance with the Constitution or law. Provision may be made in law determining that the enforcement of general decisions of certain autonomous organizations may be stayed under the same conditions by the organ of another social-political community.

ARTICLE 152. Laws and other regulations and general acts shall be made public before they take effect.

Federal laws and other regulations and general acts shall become effective not before the eighth day after publication.

Only with special justification may a federal law or other regulation or general act become effective within a period shorter than eight days after publication.

ARTICLE 153. International agreements shall be applied on the day they take effect, unless the instrument of ratification, or the agreement based on the authority of the competent organ determines otherwise.

The court shall directly apply the international agreements that have been made public.

ARTICLE 154. No regulation or other general act shall have retroactive force.

Only by the law in question may provision be made that certain of the law's provisions and the regulations passed in accordance with such provisions shall have retroactive force.

Criminal offenses and economic misdemeanors and offenses shall be ascertained and the penalties for these acts executed according to the law in force at the time when they were committed, unless a subsequent law is more lenient toward the offender.

ARTICLE 155. Every decision and measure of the administrative organs and of other state organs discharging political-executive and administrative business, as well as every decision adopted by organizations in the exercise of their public functions, shall be based on law or on other legally adopted regulations.

ARTICLE 156. State organs and organizations exercising public powers may in particular matters decide on rights and duties, or, on the basis of law, apply measures of coercion or restriction only in accordance with the procedure prescribed by law, in which everyone concerned shall be able to defend his rights and interests and appeal or employ other legal expedients provided by law against the decision that has been adopted.

Administrative organs may bind particular organizations in their work only if they are explicitly authorized by law to do so and in accordance with the procedure prescribed by law.

ARTICLE 157. Ignorance of the language in which proceedings are being conducted shall not be a hindrance for defense and the realization of the rights and justified interests of citizens and organizations.

Every person shall be entitled to speak his own language in proceedings before court or before other state organs and organizations which in exercising public powers decide on the rights and duties of citizens, and during these proceedings every person shall be informed of the facts in his own language.