The General Assembly (GA) of the Society of Preventive Psychiatry is the Society’s supreme administrative body

The General Assembly (GA) of the Society of Preventive Psychiatry is the Society’s supreme administrative body and consists of the Society’s full members, according to all provisions contained in the Articles of the Society of Preventive Psychiatry.

The General Assembly of the Society of Preventive Psychiatry has full competence in the following fields of action:

• It approves the account of the outgoing Administrative Board.
• It elects the members of the Administrative Board.
• It elects the members of the three member returning board, in which no candidate for the Administrative Board can participate.
• It decides on the approval of the account of the previous term actions and the budget. It also decides on the orientation of drawing up, planning and implementation of the Society’s work, following a relevant report on these issues addressed to the General Assembly on behalf of the Administrative Board.
• It approves or rejects the dismissal of the outgoing Administrative Board on the basis of the latter’s report.
• It decides on the Society’s dissolution upon majority of ¾ of the members who are present and who have answered this specific question in the related meeting, on condition that the members in question have settled their financial obligations.
• It decides on the amendment of the Articles, if a majority is reached that is the same with the one needed for the dissolution of the Society. In no case can anybody decide to transform the Society to a profit organisation nor to distribute the Society’s property to associates or members. Such a decision will lead to the Society’s dissolution after distributing the Society’s property to a purpose in favour of public welfare, as has been provided for above and in particular, in sections “MEMBERSHIP” and “SOURCES OF INCOME AND PURPOSE”.

At the beginning of the proceedings for the General Assembly, its Chairperson and Secretary are to be elected. The candidates for the Society’s bodies are excluded when the General Assembly meets to hold elections. Decisions are made following a majority achieved of present answering members, except for issues for which a different kind of majority is required.

The Administrative Board calls for an ordinary meeting of the General Assembly in first quarter of each year; extraordinary General Assemblies will be held following a written proposal of the members interested who will also set the agenda. In this case, the Administrative Board will call for the General Assembly to meet within one month, at the latest, from the day on which the request was filed.

In the annual regular meeting the Administrative Board accounts for its administrative and management actions, which are included in the record of proceedings of the Administrative Board and of the General Assembly. The account of the year in question is examined as well as the budget provisions for the following year and also, the general planning for the Society’s work during the following period is evaluated. Moreover, any other issue that might have been included in the agenda is to be examined. Elections are held for the Administrative Board’s positions every three years.

Decisions are taken after casting a secret vote, unless a unanimous decision in favour of the contrary is taken by all present and participating members in the General Assembly. An open vote is excluded in case of elections or in case of a personal matter. The list of candidates must close two days before the elections. A physically present member is allowed to represent up to two more absent member, if the member in question produces a written authorization to do so. This authorization is attached to the Society’s archives and a relevant reference is included in the record of proceedings.

If candidates listed for the Administrative Board’s positions are less than seven, then, other physically present members can also declare themselves candidates at that moment during the General Assembly.

The General Assembly of the Society of Preventive Psychiatry reaches its quorum on its very first meeting, when half plus one of the members who have fulfilled their financial obligations are present (either physically or by proxy). Otherwise, it is called to meet on another day and the decisions made are considered to be valid; this occurs on the respective day and time, at the same place, as is set in the initial invitation, regardless of the number of members present, unless issues are in question for which special majority vote and procedures are required.