חומר רקע

Croatia 1991 (rev. 2010) I. Historical Foundations The millenary identity of the Croatia nation and the continuity of its statehood, confirmed by the course of its entire historical experience within different forms of states and by the preservation and growth of the idea of a national state, founded on the historical right of the Croatian nation to full sovereignty, manifested in: The formation of Croatian principalities in the seventh century; The independent mediaeval state of Croatia founded in the ninth century; The Kingdom of Croats established in the tenth century; The new Constitution of the Republic of Croatia (1990) and the victory of the Croatian nation and Croatia’s defenders in the just, legitimate and defensive war of liberation, the Homeland War (1991-1995), wherein the Croatian nation demonstrated its resolve and readiness to establish and preserve the Republic of Croatia as an independent and autonomous, sovereign and democratic state. Considering the presented historical facts and universally accepted principles of the modern world, as well as the inalienable and indivisible, non-transferable and non-exhaustible right of the Croatian nation to self-determination and state sovereignty, including its fully maintained right to secession and association, as basic provisions for peace and stability of the international order, the Republic of Croatia is hereby established as the nation state of the Croatian nation and the state of the members of its national minorities: Serbs, Czechs, Slovaks, Italians, Hungarians, Jews, Germans, Austrians, Ukrainians, Rusyns, Bosniaks, Slovenians, Montenegrins, Macedonians, Russians, Bulgarians, Poles, Roma, Romanians, Turks, Vlachs, Albanians and others who are its citizens and who are guaranteed equality with citizens of Croatian nationality and the exercise of their national rights in compliance with the democratic norms of the United Nations and the countries of the free world. Respecting the will of the Croatian nation and all citizens, resolutely expressed in the free elections, the Republic of Croatia is hereby founded and shall develop as a sovereign and democratic state in which equality, freedoms and human rights are guaranteed and ensured, and their economic and cultural progress and social welfare promoted. II. Basic Provisions Article 1 The Republic of Croatia is a unitary and indivisible democratic and social state. Power in the Republic of Croatia derives from the people and belongs to the people as a community of free and equal citizens. The people shall exercise this power through the election of representatives and through direct decision-making. . Article 3 Freedom, equal rights, national equality and equality of genders, love of peace, social justice, respect for human rights, inviolability of ownership, conservation of nature and the environment, the rule of law, and a democratic multiparty system are the highest values of the constitutional order of the Republic of Croatia and the ground for interpretation of the Constitution. The Republic of Croatia shall protect the rights and interests of its citizens living or residing abroad, and shall promote their links with the homeland. Parts of the Croatian nation in other states shall be guaranteed special concern and protection by the Republic of Croatia. Article 14 Share Everyone in the Republic of Croatia shall enjoy rights and freedoms, regardless of race, color, gender, language, religion, political or other belief, national or social origin, property, birth, education, social status or other characteristics. All shall be equal before the law. Article 15 Members of all national minorities shall have equal rights in the Republic of Croatia. Equality and protection of the rights of national minorities shall be regulated by the Constitutional Act which shall be adopted in the procedure provided for the organic law. Besides the general electoral right, the special right of the members of national minorities to elect their representatives into the Croatian Parliament may be provided by law. Members of all national minorities shall be guaranteed freedom to express their nationality, freedom to use their language and script, and cultural autonomy. Serbia 2006 Preamble Considering the state tradition of the Serbian people and equality of all citizens and ethnic communities in Serbia, Considering also that the Province of Kosovo and Metohija is an integral part of the territory of Serbia, that it has the status of a substantial autonomy within the sovereign state of Serbia and that from such status of the Province of Kosovo and Metohija follow constitutional obligations of all state bodies to uphold and protect the state interests of Serbia in Kosovo and Metohija in all internal and foreign political relations, the citizens of Serbia adopt PART 1. CONSTITUTION PRINCIPLES Article 1. Republic of Serbia Republic of Serbia is a state of Serbian people and all citizens who live in it, based on the rule of law and social justice, principles of civil democracy, human and minority rights and freedoms, and commitment to European principles and values. Article 2. Sovereignty holders Sovereignty is vested in citizens who exercise it through referendums, people's initiative and freely elected representatives. No state body, political organization, group or individual may usurp the sovereignty from the citizens, nor establish government against freely expressed will of the citizens. Article 10. Language and script Serbian language and Cyrillic script shall be in official use in the Republic of Serbia. Official use of other languages and scripts shall be regulated by the law based on the Constitution. Article 13. Protection of citizens and Serbs abroad The Republic of Serbia shall protect the rights and interests of its citizens in abroad. The Republic of Serbia shall develop and promote relations of Serbs living abroad with the kin state. Article 14. Protection of national minorities The Republic of Serbia shall protect the rights of national minorities. The State shall guarantee special protection to national minorities for the purpose of exercising full equality and preserving their identity. PART 2. HUMAN AND MINORITY RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS Article 21. Prohibition of discrimination Share All are equal before the Constitution and law. Everyone shall have the right to equal legal protection, without discrimination. All direct or indirect discrimination based on any grounds, particularly on race, sex, national origin, social origin, birth, religion, political or other opinion, property status, culture, language, age, mental or physical disability shall be prohibited. Slovenia 1991 (rev. 2013) Preamble Proceeding from the Basic Constitutional Charter on the Sovereignty and Independence of the Republic of Slovenia, and from fundamental human rights and freedoms, and the fundamental and permanent right of the Slovene nation to self-determination; and from the historical fact that in a centuries-long struggle for national liberation we Slovenes have established our national identity and asserted our statehood, the Assembly of the Republic of Slovenia hereby adopts I. General Provisions Article 1 Slovenia is a democratic republic. Article 2 Slovenia is a state governed by the rule of law and a social state. Article 3 Slovenia is a state of all its citizens and is founded on the permanent and inalienable right of the Slovene nation to self-determination. In Slovenia power is vested in the people. Citizens exercise this power directly and through elections, consistent with the principle of the separation of legislative, executive and judicial powers. Slovakia 1992 (rev. 2014) Preamble We, the Slovak People Bearing in mind the political and cultural heritage of our predecessors, the experience gained through centuries of struggle for our national existence, and statehood, Mindful of the spiritual bequest of Cyril and Methodius, and the historical legacy of Great Moravia, Recognizing the natural right of nations to self-determination, Together with members of national minorities and ethnic groups living in the Slovak Republic, In the interest of continuous peaceful cooperation with other democratic countries, Endeavoring to implement democratic forms of government, guarantee a life of freedom, and promote spiritual, cultural and economic prosperity, we, the citizens of the Slovak Republic, have, herewith and by our representatives, adopted this Constitution: PART ONE Chapter One. GENERAL PROVISIONS Article 1 1. The Slovak Republic is a sovereign, democratic state governed by the rule of law. It is not bound by any ideology or religion. 2. The Slovak Republic acknowledges and adheres to general rules of international law, international treaties by which it is bound, and its other international obligations Article 2 1. The power of the state is vested in the citizens who shall exercise it directly or through their elected representatives. Article 12 1. All human beings are free and equal in dignity and rights. Their fundamental rights and freedoms are inalienable, irrevocable, and absolutely perpetual. 2. Fundamental rights shall be guaranteed in the Slovak Republic to every person regardless of sex, race, colour, language, faith, religion, political affiliation or conviction, national or social origin, nationality or ethnic origin, property, birth or any other status, and no person shall be denied their legal rights, discriminated against or favoured on any of these grounds. 3. Every person has the right to freely decide which national group he or she is a member of. All manner of influence or coercion that may affect or lead to a denial of a person's original nationality shall be prohibited. Hungary Preamble God bless the Hungarians NATIONAL AVOWAL WE, THE MEMBERS OF THE HUNGARIAN NATION, at the beginning of the new millennium, with a sense of responsibility for every Hungarian, hereby proclaim the following: We are proud that our king Saint Stephen built the Hungarian State on solid ground and made our country a part of Christian Europe one thousand years ago. We are proud of our forebears who fought for the survival, freedom and independence of our country. We are proud of the outstanding intellectual achievements of the Hungarian people. We are proud that our people has over the centuries defended Europe in a series of struggles and enriched Europe’s common values with its talent and diligence. We recognise the role of Christianity in preserving nationhood. We value the various religious traditions of our country. We promise to preserve the intellectual and spiritual unity of our nation torn apart in the storms of the last century. We proclaim that the nationalities living with us form part of the Hungarian political community and are constituent parts of the State. We commit to promoting and safeguarding our heritage, our unique language, Hungarian culture, the languages and cultures of nationalities living in Hungary, along with all man-made and natural assets of the Carpathian Basin. We bear responsibility for our descendants; therefore we shall protect the living conditions of future generations by making prudent use of our material, intellectual and natural resources. We believe that our national culture is a rich contribution to the diversity of European unity. We respect the freedom and culture of other nations, and shall strive to cooperate with every nation of the world. We hold that human existence is based on human dignity. We hold that individual freedom can only be complete in cooperation with others. We hold that the family and the nation constitute the principal framework of our coexistence, and that our fundamental cohesive values are fidelity, faith and love. We hold that after the decades of the twentieth century which led to a state of moral decay, we have an abiding need for spiritual and intellectual renewal. We trust in a jointly-shaped future and the commitment of younger generations. We believe that our children and grandchildren will make Hungary great again with their talent, persistence and moral strength. Our Fundamental Law shall be the basis of our legal order, it shall be an alliance among Hungarians of the past, present and future. It is a living framework which expresses the nation’s will and the form in which we want to live. We, the citizens of Hungary, are ready to found the order of our country upon the common endeavours of the nation. FOUNDATION Article A The name of OUR COUNTRY shall be Hungary. Article B 1. Hungary shall be an independent, democratic rule-of-law State. 2. The form of government of Hungary shall be a republic. 3. The source of public power shall be the people. Article D Bearing in mind that there is one single Hungarian nation that belongs together, Hungary shall bear responsibility for the fate of Hungarians living beyond its borders, and shall facilitate the survival and development of their communities; it shall support their efforts to preserve their Hungarian identity, the assertion of their individual and collective rights, the establishment of their community self-governments, and their prosperity in their native lands, and shall promote their cooperation with each other and with Hungary. Article XV 1. Everyone shall be equal before the law. Every human being shall have legal capacity. 2. Hungary shall guarantee the fundamental rights to everyone without discrimination and in particular without discrimination on grounds of race, colour, sex, disability, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or any other status. Latvia 1922 (reinst. 1991, rev. 2014) Preamble The people of Latvia, in freely elected Constitutional Assembly, have adopted the following State Constitution: The State of Latvia, proclaimed on 18 November 1918, has been established by uniting historical Latvian lands and on the basis of the unwavering will of the Latvian nation to have its own State and its inalienable right of self-determination in order to guarantee the existence and development of the Latvian nation, its language and culture throughout the centuries, to ensure freedom and promote welfare of the people of Latvia and each individual. The people of Latvia won their State in the War of Liberation. They consolidated the system of government and adopted the Constitution in a freely elected Constitutional Assembly. The people of Latvia did not recognise the occupation regimes, resisted them and regained their freedom by restoring national independence on 4 May 1990 on the basis of continuity of the State. They honour their freedom fighters, commemorate victims of foreign powers, condemn the Communist and Nazi totalitarian regimes and their crimes. Latvia as democratic, socially responsible and national state is based on the rule of law and on respect for human dignity and freedom; it recognises and protects fundamental human rights and respects ethnic minorities. The people of Latvia protect their sovereignty, national independence, territory, territorial integrity and democratic system of government of the State of Latvia. Since ancient times, the identity of Latvia in the European cultural space has been shaped by Latvian and Liv traditions, Latvian folk wisdom, the Latvian language, universal human and Christian values. Loyalty to Latvia, the Latvian language as the only official language, freedom, equality, solidarity, justice, honesty, work ethic and family are the foundations of a cohesive society. Each individual takes care of oneself, one’s relatives and the common good of society God, bless Latvia! Chapter I. General Provisions Article 1 Latvia is an independent democratic republic. Article 2 The sovereign power of the State of Latvia is vested in the people of Latvia. Lithuania 1992 (rev. 2006) Preamble THE LITHUANIAN NATION – having created the State of Lithuania many centuries ago, – having based its legal foundations on the Lithuanian Statutes and the Constitutions of the Republic of Lithuania, – having for centuries staunchly defended its freedom and independence, – having preserved its spirit, native language, writing, and customs, – embodying the innate right of the human being and the Nation to live and create freely in the land of their fathers and forefathers—in the independent State of Lithuania, – fostering national concord in the land of Lithuania, – striving for an open, just, and harmonious civil society and State under the rule of law, by the will of the citizens of the reborn State of Lithuania, adopts and proclaims this Constitution CHAPTER I. THE STATE OF LITHUANIA Article 1 The State of Lithuania shall be an independent democratic republic. Article 2 The State of Lithuania shall be created by the Nation. Sovereignty shall belong to the Nation. Article 3 No one may restrict or limit the sovereignty of the Nation or make claims to the sovereign powers belonging to the entire Nation. The Nation and each citizen shall have the right to resist anyone who encroaches on the independence, territorial integrity, and constitutional order of the State of Lithuania by force. Article 4 The Nation shall execute its supreme sovereign power either directly or through its democratically elected representatives. Article 29 All persons shall be equal before the law, the court, and other State institutions and officials. The rights of the human being may not be restricted, nor may he be granted any privileges on the ground of gender, race, nationality, language, origin, social status, belief, convictions, or views. Estonia 1992 (rev. 2015) Preamble With unwavering faith and a steadfast will to strengthen and develop the state, which embodies the inextinguishable right of the people of Estonia to national self-determination and which was proclaimed on 24 February 1918, which is founded on liberty, justice and the rule of law, which is created to protect the peace and defend the people against aggression from the outside, and which forms a pledge to present and future generations for their social progress and welfare, which must guarantee the preservation of the Estonian people, the Estonian language and the Estonian culture through the ages, the people of Estonia, on the basis of Article 1 of the Constitution which entered into force in 1938, and in the referendum held on 28 June 1992, have adopted the following Constitution. Article 1 Estonia is an independent and sovereign democratic republic wherein the supreme power of state is vested in the people. The independence and sovereignty of Estonia are timeless and inalienable. Norway 1814 (rev. 2015) Article 1 The Kingdom of Norway is a free, independent, indivisible and inalienable Realm. Its form of government is a limited and hereditary monarchy. Article 2 Our values will remain our Christian and humanistic heritage. This Constitution shall ensure democracy, a state based on the rule of law and human rights. B. THE EXECUTIVE POWER, THE KING, THE ROYAL FAMILY AND RELIGION The Executive Power is vested in the King, or in the Queen if she has succeeded to the Crown pursuant to the provisions of Article 6 or Article 7 or Article 48 of this Constitution. When the Executive Power is thus vested in the Queen, she has all the rights and obligations which pursuant to this Constitution and the Law of the Land are possessed by the King. The King shall at all times profess the Evangelical-Lutheran religion. Article 16 All inhabitants of the Realm shall have the right to free exercise of their religion. The Norwegian church, an Evangelical-Lutheran church, shall remain the Norwegian National Church and will as such be supported by the State. Detailed provisions as to its system shall be laid down by law. All religious and philosophical communities were to be supported on an equal footing.