NationStates Jolt Archive

OOC: Spinoff of "The Reckoning," and "A VERY Bad Day," meant for domestic Colonial events.

IC:

Picon Fleet HQ, NDS Big Gun

The stalwart Admiral Chris!tiaan De Bruyn looked at the console once more after he wrapped up the detainment of Admiral Horatio Metaxas. So far, it seemed, Metaxas's fleet at large had surrendered, and others stood likely to follow.

However the transmissions from elements of the Tauronese Detachment itself were not promising, not in the least. Despite the order and the mandate to send a civilian representative to the Quorum, and the force of change that was the Constitutional Convention, De Bruyn found that naturally, not all Tauronese were inclined to take Metaxas's order seriously. This was especially true of the elements around Ragnar, and the rebellious government of Tauron itself. True to its nature as the most headstrong of Colonies, the Tauronese were now beginning to broadcast messages to the effect that it would go on fighting. One of them was picked up by the platforms around Tauron itself, and sent to De Bruyn posthaste.

"....the collaborationist 'Admiral De Bruyn is obviously selling us out, as is Admiral Metaxas. They want to impose a dictatorship of the blueskinned, Forceusing, cultureless proletariat on us! An order from above, using a bayonet constitution created on the whim of a drunken madman from Earth.

Loyal Sons and Daughters of Tauron, don't fall for these lies. Don't fall for Metaxas's so-called 'surrender order.' It's a trick, to feed us to the Abh soylent green chambers, and the Earthlings' communist plots, and the Coredian Jedi Conspirac--

De Bruyn shut off the loathsome propaganda. He shrugged. That was to be expected. Naturally, not all Tauronese were so stupid, but still, such was the way modern, politicized warfare worked. Mix human will, political bluster, mass media and the need to find enemies, and you could fight forever it seemed, given the right guns....

...it seemed like the dominees from the Elven camps he used to fight, before there was a New Dornalia. When Lyndie's people, the Bulawayo Commando, fought a genocidal war to proclaim themselves masters of Southern Africa. Only after an equally brutal suppression involving the use of rusting pre-Apocalypse aircraft were the Napoleons stopped. His Aide-de-camp, Lyndie Uys, was a pilot, in many ways his equal, and shot down in a duel between an aging Atlas Cheetah and an aging MiG-21, both kept flying with a mixture of Soviet and Western parts scavenged from dead planes and pre-Apocalypse stockpiles, running on substandard fuel. Life debts had funny origins like that.

He shook his head. Enough reminiscing. He called Adama, Nagala, and Venizelos on secure channels for a status report.

"Gentlemen. It seems that though the majority of Tauronese forces have been defeated, the contingency I have been expecting has arrived. A group of bitterenders seeking to oppose the constitutional convention continue to resist at Ragnar Anchorage and Tauron itself. We do not know when they will move or attempt to seek further foreign aid--I only know, gentlemen, it is time to act.

What are my options?"

Battlestar Galactica:

Adama picked up the horn as he listened to De Bruyn, his request for what to do next, and the plans that would be sure to come.

The obvious choice was simple, a land invasion of Tauron itself. That though would be a costly endevour, especially if the rebels would have control of the defenses. Tauron was one of the richer colonies, akin to Caprica and Picon in pure military strength.

She also housed one of the largest research institutes, being the Colony that created the cylons themselves originally. Stubborn, harsh, cruel, and growing in their hatred by the death of their beloved Admiral Cain, it was soon obvious they would fight and fight hard.

Adama began the first speech, the first words of what would optimistically become the first engagement on Colonial soil since the rule of Cain began.

“I would suggest Admiral.” he spoke first, “A total saturation of planetary defenses, with orbital bombardment. We can jump raptors to the outskirts of the cities on the planet to begin landing operations, but we can expect heavy resistance. This is going to be one hell of a fight Admiral, one that will cost the lives of many Dornies and Colonials.” he spoke into the microphone.

“My XO has estimated a holding force will be needed of roughly twenty five million GI’s, and support equipment, to hold the planet, and for an upfront invasion, we would need in totality, seventy five million men and women in the opening invasion. You may wish to consider a draft within the United Colonies.”

(Shitty post I know but I am suffering horrible writers block. We need to get this show on the road though)

Battlestar Galactica:

Adama picked up the horn as he listened to De Bruyn, his request for what to do next, and the plans that would be sure to come.

The obvious choice was simple, a land invasion of Tauron itself. That though would be a costly endevour, especially if the rebels would have control of the defenses. Tauron was one of the richer colonies, akin to Caprica and Picon in pure military strength.

She also housed one of the largest research institutes, being the Colony that created the cylons themselves originally. Stubborn, harsh, cruel, and growing in their hatred by the death of their beloved Admiral Cain, it was soon obvious they would fight and fight hard.

Adama began the first speech, the first words of what would optimistically become the first engagement on Colonial soil since the rule of Cain began.

“I would suggest Admiral.” he spoke first, “A total saturation of planetary defenses, with orbital bombardment. We can jump raptors to the outskirts of the cities on the planet to begin landing operations, but we can expect heavy resistance. This is going to be one hell of a fight Admiral, one that will cost the lives of many Dornies and Colonials.” he spoke into the microphone.

“My XO has estimated a holding force will be needed of roughly twenty five million GI’s, and support equipment, to hold the planet, and for an upfront invasion, we would need in totality, seventy five million men and women in the opening invasion. You may wish to consider a draft within the United Colonies.”

(Shitty post I know but I am suffering horrible writers block. We need to get this show on the road though)

De Bruyn stroked his goatee--a sign that he was thinking about Adama's words. Unusually blunt, it didn't matter much to De Bruyn that this was blunt, and that Adama's plans coincided with De Bruyn's similar considerations on the matter--but that the numbers were going to be that huge just to keep Tauron down. Additionally, De Bruyn was reluctant to use a draft at this moment. As much as he was raised in an environment where it was an accepted fact of life, he worried about what the people would think.

Then again, he shook his head. Tauron was but one planet; the other twelve were but twelve worlds and one world with a massed empire. God willing, the statistics alone would favor a draft, if only because it didn't make sense any other way.

Thus, with some hesitation but definetly resolution, he said, "Right. I know for one that I was planning a similar strategy of attacking from the countryside to the cities. If we can cut off the cities from reinforcements and supply, it will hasten the surrender. Nonetheless, the Admiral raises a valid point, and as such, I'll call out the reserves and institute a draft. If we need the resources, we'll just have to go and get them. If there are dissenters, I trust we can keep them calm. I know our rambunctious colleague from Earth can keep his calm, if duly persuaded."

He then pushed a few keys and said, "Thus, that leaves us to begin movements to Tauron and Ragnar to begin implementation of our offensives. Our objective at Ragnar then, will be the siezure of the facilities there and the neutralization of continued resistance in an expedient, quick manner. I don't want it to turn into an ugly sideshow."

Nagala nodded and said, "Agreed. Who's gonna do what?"

De Bruyn said, "After issuing the order, I will begin implementation of the operations on Tauron.

In the meanwhile, I will pass on responsibility of the Ragnar operation to Admiral Adama, with the codename 'Viking' to be used to designate the seizure of Ragnar. Admiral, draw up plans as necessary for you and your staff; Commodore Anderson will be under your command for the operation, along with some of my Marines, including Marine Commando teams, which will be transferred shortly to Anderson's command after I swap some personnel with him. Whatever plans you make, I expect the seizure to be accomplished with speed, and due diligence. Is that clear?"

As this was asked, De Bruyn could be seen typing out his order, and sending it out to the media, calling for nationwide mobilization...and a draft thereof.

----

San Diego, CA, Earth SSR

The JRCCC facility, busy as ever, got the incoming message from De Bruyn. Short and to the point, it was but one of many things that kept the facility--now nicknamed the "Executive Bunker" due to the time MacIntyre was increasingly spending in it, managing crisis after crisis with his advisers hands on--the order stunned Mac and Carla.

"Containment and destruction of the present insurgency is a matter of vital importance. As we speak, continuing secessionist elements are spreading devious hate propaganda that refuses to recognize reality and only serves to threaten the fabric of Colonial society. And, as we speak, continuing secessionism threatens to involve the devious activity of seditious elements from abroad.

Therefore, we must form a United Front in order to stop mutiny and secession from wrecking the achievements of our forefathers beyond repair, but such a United Front needs as many men and women as possible to bring this chaos to an end.

Therefore, due to the continuing state of civil disorder, all Colonial military reserve units not currently engaged with combating the present insurgency have been activated; all personnel in said units are to report for duty at once, subject for immediate deployment. This includes People's Militia units and Naval Home Guard units not currently engaged in action around New Wuhan/New Magnitogorsk.

Additionally, all able-bodied persons 18-21 years of age who meet the minimum criteria are hereby subject to an emergency call up, for the same reason and with the same criteria.

God bless the United Colonies, and may the Lords be with us.

Sincerely,

C.B.T. De Bruyn
Admiral of the Fleet
United Colonies of Kobol"

Mac immediately sighed and said, "Suppose we should give him what he wants. Send it to the public, call out the People's Militia. I want enough boots on the ground to ensure we can protect ourselves in case someone tries to bite us in the ass, and to help stop the damn teabags too. Get Cortes and Torusumi to draw up proper allocations."

The smoke filled the air, as men in business suits sat at a long wooden table. The ashtrays were full as they looked across the room at each other. A beam of light streaked through the window, as the rays of the distant sun shined brightly through the window.

“What about De Bruyn and the Dornies.” One of the men asked as he took a drag of his cigarette. “It would seem these monotheistic trash have become hell bent on dragging us down in their twisted games, and ideology.”

“Gentlemen.” The older man at the head of the table said, as he stood up. His hands placed firmly at the edge of the table, as he stood up. “The Dornies are of no concern. We have survived the Cylons, and before them those Caprican nut cases, and before that ourselves. The Dornies won’t have the stomach to do what is necessary here.”

“I think De Bruyn might be different. He isn’t a loose cannon like MacIntryre, he isn’t bound like most of the political filth by the will of the people. The Dornies may cry out as the blood of their people spill, but the Admiral of the Fleet isn’t bound by their concessions. Our sister, Helena, made sure of that.”

“Why do you even bother to speak the name of the usurper? Why don’t we just take them out? We don’t need ships, we have enough people off world. Blood for Blood.”

The older man smiled. “Gentlemen. We are not Saggitarions, are we? Are we not more civilized than the trash on Earth? De Bruyn will pay for what he has done, for using the Abh to obtain his position of power, but does that mean we have to be dragged down to the level of the new Admiral?”

“What is it you purpose then?”

The old man sat back down. “Send an official letter to the new Admiral of the Fleet. Tell him the Prime Minister of Tauron wishes to meet with him personally to discuss the situation is a civilized manner.

“And if that negotiation fails?”

“I will take it then, that you will take the proper precautions against that.”

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Battlestar Galactica,
Two million Clicks from Ragner station.

There was hardly a black space on Draidus, as Adama looked up towards the old station of Ragner. The old ammo dump, housed the back up arsenal of the fleet, enough ammunition to fight a war for years without need of resupply. Even one battlestar protecting the old station was a threat unto itself.

Taking off his glasses, he looked at Gaf’ton. “Admiral.” Adama said to Gaf’ton, not caring about the pretenses placed upon the fleet by De Bruyn. “I will want to speak with you in the planning room in a moment, about the tactical situation and any ideas you have to complete the objective.”

He then turned to Saul, “XO, send a signal to the Fleet. Inform them I am in charge of the operation, and I want the Flag officer of every colony on board the Galactica within the hour to discuss operations to liberate and secure Ragner.”

“Yes sir.”

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Big Gun:

A young enlisted man hurried through the ship, a docket in hand. Walking briskly, he turned the corner until he came to the room that housed the new Admiral of the fleet. Quickly flashing his ID, the marines, turned and opened the door.

The young man walked in, as he saluted the Admiral. “Message from Tauron, sir.” He told De Bruyn. “They wish to have a face to face negotiation on Tauron with yourself, and your aids.”

Battlestar Galactica,
Two million Clicks from Ragner station.

There was hardly a black space on Draidus, as Adama looked up towards the old station of Ragner. The old ammo dump, housed the back up arsenal of the fleet, enough ammunition to fight a war for years without need of resupply. Even one battlestar protecting the old station was a threat unto itself.

Taking off his glasses, he looked at Gaf’ton. “Admiral.” Adama said to Gaf’ton, not caring about the pretenses placed upon the fleet by De Bruyn. “I will want to speak with you in the planning room in a moment, about the tactical situation and any ideas you have to complete the objective.”

He then turned to Saul, “XO, send a signal to the Fleet. Inform them I am in charge of the operation, and I want the Flag officer of every colony on board the Galactica within the hour to discuss operations to liberate and secure Ragner.”

“Yes sir.”

The Galactica would soon see the arrival of Commodore Anderson's aide-de-camp, Captain Richter. Richter flew aboard on the Gagarin II shuttle, and then deplaned with a briefcase and a head full of ideas.


The Big Gun:

A young enlisted man hurried through the ship, a docket in hand. Walking briskly, he turned the corner until he came to the room that housed the new Admiral of the fleet. Quickly flashing his ID, the marines, turned and opened the door.

The young man walked in, as he saluted the Admiral. “Message from Tauron, sir.” He told De Bruyn. “They wish to have a face to face negotiation on Tauron with yourself, and your aids.”

De Bruyn nodded, and said, "Thank you, Seaman." He then returned to managing affairs on his console, as he kept moving to Tauron, and oversaw the monotonous collection of men, resources, and materiel for the operations ahead.

The idea of negotiating with Tauron was unsavory, to say the least. It was tempting, but he wasn't in any mood to negotiate with terrorists or secessionists and not in any mood to deal with them in any way that would give them any sort of legitimation as an independent power. As far as he was concerned, why should he have to bend for a bunch of stubborn civilians who insisted on protecting their secessionist agenda?

Besides, how would the other Colonies take it? Moreover, how would Earth take it?

Likely, given the fact that marshaling them into a United Front was as easy as getting a child to eat his vegetables, Earth wouldn't do it. As it was, the people were demanding the blood of Tauron, and he had seen news feeds of people burning Metaxas in effigy. There was even rumors of some damn movie.

The other Colonies might be less dogmatic. The reports were coming in, and while compliance was high, Nagala and Venizelos had registered objections. Their estimates were less grim than Adama's, but they made it clear that the Kythonic defenses in orbit and the record showed Tauron wasn't an easy target. No matter how much Earth saw the Tauronese as little Napoleons playacting at hero, the Colonials saw differently, and saw Napoleons with a reason to feel so gutsy.

He had to move carefully.

De Bruyn summoned back the Seaman, and said, "Seaman, relay the message to the Tauronese. Tell the mutineers that I will speak with them, but that any and I mean any negotiations must proceed on the condition that they disarm their forces and comply with the Standdown order issued by Admiral Metaxas first, and that we must be assured our safety at the negotiations on their families' honor. Failure to comply with either of these will result in continued offensive operations."

The seaman saluted and said, "Yes sir." Leaving to deliver the message, Lyndie said, "Are you sure you can trust them?"

"I don't. Why do you think I insisted on them complying with the Standdown first and assurances of safe passage? You know as well as I do from the War that I'm too smart for tricks."

"That was no trick, the manuever I executed. This one is," Lyndie retorted.

De Bruyn nodded. In the meantime, he went back to his console, and began drawing up contingency plans for the invasion and assault on Tauron. If these talks failed--the likely outcome--then he had to speak with some people first. Like the people who made the defenses on Tauron....

Battlestar Galactica,
Two million Clicks from Ragner station.

There was hardly a black space on Draidus, as Adama looked up towards the old station of Ragner. The old ammo dump, housed the back up arsenal of the fleet, enough ammunition to fight a war for years without need of resupply. Even one battlestar protecting the old station was a threat unto itself.

Taking off his glasses, he looked at Gaf’ton. “Admiral.” Adama said to Gaf’ton, not caring about the pretenses placed upon the fleet by De Bruyn. “I will want to speak with you in the planning room in a moment, about the tactical situation and any ideas you have to complete the objective.”

He then turned to Saul, “XO, send a signal to the Fleet. Inform them I am in charge of the operation, and I want the Flag officer of every colony on board the Galactica within the hour to discuss operations to liberate and secure Ragner.”

“Yes sir.”

OOC: If parts of this need to be changed for whatever reason, let me know.

IC:

Imperial Admiral Gaf'ton had been studying the Colonial situation as an enlisted New Dornalian officer under a fake identity. Now it seemed that things were changing and an Abriel was needed, not a lander.

Gaf'ton snapped a Star Forces style salute to Adama out of respect for Adama's rank and position in the fleet. "I suppose the mascarade is over for now. I will be waiting for you in the planning room."

The Abh left the bridge, dismissing himself, and headed for the temporary quarters that had been assigned to him. Everything had been left as he when he first arrived. There was no real point in customizing the room, the bed hadn't even been slept in yet. Sitting on top of the blankets was the bag that Gaf'ton had brought on board with him. It contained all his former belongings from his Star Forces uniform to his side arm.

Gaf'ton wasted no time in donning the military uniform complete with deep blue cape, golden double winged tiara, command saber, and Star Forces pistol. The Abriel exited his room and headed for the planning room as his boots clicked off the metalic floor. He brought up his clyuno and began sifting through the logistics and information that was stored in the data crystal. If the Colonials were going to want Abh help, Gaf'ton wanted to insure that he could supply such a show of force that had not been seen from the Abh in quite some time. It was time to show how much the Abh could hurt someone if they so desired.

The smell was succulent, as the large red lobster, was slid in front of the prime minister’s face. A small cup of melted garlic butter, a side of red mashed potatoes, and a glass of fine Chianti, what more could a man ask for as he sat down at his office for his evening meal.

Gently picking up the claw crackers, he reached down and pulled off the right claw. Placing it within the metallic pliers, he cracked the shell of the lobster.

With a smile on his face, the prime minister took a bite of the delicacy. It was so refreshing, as he took the next piece of meat and dipped it in the butter sauce.

Nothing could have been better, he thought to himself, until a knock came to the door.

“Come in.” the old man said as he took another bite of his lobster, and reached gingerly towards the glass of wine.

A young man in a suit came in. “Forgive me, for interrupting your dinner.” The man asked of the prime minister as he held a brief case in his hand.

“Nonesense.” The Prime minister said, as he held his hand out towards the table. Per favore mio figlio. Lei dividerà un bicchiere di vino, o questo bel pasto con me?

The man smiled, “I would be honored.” As he walked over and took a glass of wine and poured it into a glass. “Ringraziarla” the man said as he lifted the glass in the air towards the prime minister.

The Prime minister took his hand and reached down towards his napkin. Gently pulling it up to his lips, as he finished his bite, the old man stood up. “So what brings you here today?” the old man asked.

The man looked down towards his brief case. “We have a response from Admiral De Bruyn, Prime minister.”

“And?” the prime minister asked.

“He wants a disarmament of the military, acknowledgement of the armistice, and for you personally to swear on your family that no harm will come to him and his aides during the negotations.

“Quel figlio di una puttana” the prime minister said as he looked at the man. “I offer him a chance to act like a civilized man and he spits it in our face.” The prime minister shouted out in sudden anger.

“What do you expect. No matter how he tries to act, he is a Dornie. “Prudish, egotistical, men who worship a God who is an absolutist. What do you expect, them to actually be able to talk like men? They are nothing more than cave men.” The young man replied to the prime minister. “I don’t even know why you want to talk to them.”

“To face an enemy you must look him in the eye. See what kind of a man he is.” The prime minister said in response. He looked at the table and turned his head to the young man. “Inform the Admiral, that Tauron will concede to a temporary armistice for the durations of the talks. Only his ship will be allowed in Tauron territory, and that he has my word, as a Tauron on my mothers grave that I will not allow anyone to harm him or his aides.”

“And if he spits on that as well?”

“Then we will do what we must, to kill as many of the rejects of Kobol as we must.”

The man nodded, and turned out the door to send the message.

The same enlisted Seaman that gave De Bruyn the message previously replied, "Sir. Message from Tauron. They're willing to adhere to a temporary armistice, and give you safe passage. In exchange, they want only your vessel in the area."

De Bruyn shook his head and stroked his beard. Seemed tempting...but there was so much else to consider. The mutineers still possessed vessels at Ragnar Anchorage and the NDPN had set up a FTLi blockade set up around Tauron, to screen ships coming in and out. To allow only the Big Gun in would be to force a withdrawal of the Mannerheims. And, who knew what the Tauronese would plan if there was but a temporary armistice. Lord knew that rebel factions and fighting factions of all sorts in the past had exploited pauses for negotiations to build up military forces, drag things out, and make messes for political gain. The pre-Apocalypse example of the North Vietnamese, represented by Le Duc Tho, taxing the paitence of Kissinger was but one of the more famous examples.

De Bruyn said to the Seaman, "Tell them that their terms are a good start, but they are not quite convincing and based on some faulty assumptions. For one thing, I would like to clarify my terms about disarmament. Tell them that I meant for a permanent standdown of forces in compliance with the order issued by Metaxas, so as to provide a firm basis for negotiations in good faith. Tell them also that if they do so, I will stand down likewise. However, until then, I cannot be assured of what will occur regarding Tauronese movements when I come in, and I cannot trust that someone won't attempt to interfere with the process."

In Vain (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GeNdLM1RMtA)

Twenty four hours later:

Smoke curled off his cigarette, rising to the heavens in tiny wisps. He slowly reached across the table for his red wine. Taking a small sip of it, he looked to the group of people in the room with him.

Statues adorned the side of the walls, like those of Rome. Bare breasted women looking downwards towards the floor, and nude men sculpted to be the physical embodiment of perfection. The walls itself were painted red with large pillars to hold up the golden roof.

“Gentlemen.” the prime minister began. Standing up, he placed his hands on the table. The la puttana di terra, has made it abundantly clear to Tauron. He is a weak willed, spineless bastard. He has no honor amongst men. He does not wish to see the peaceful conclusion to this war that we have found ourselves in.”

The men listened in the room attentively as the prime minister began. “As of 07:30 yesterday morning, I have issued orders to the military to begin attacking any and all non Tauronese vessels, and have sent a message to Ragnor. If any attempt to retake the station is made, they are to destroy it.”

“Gentlemen, I have personally tried to reason with De Bruyn, and the governments of Caprica and Earth. Neither have any intent of letting us have our freedom, nor do they have any intention to allow us the sacred rite of paying back the Abh, Blood for Blood. So I say lets show them what we will do.”

The men nodded, and one at the end of the table quietly said, “So say we all.”

The Prime minister sat back down in his chair. Pulling out his briefcase, he pulled out a series of documents. The first, was an annulment of the Articles of Colonization. “Gentlemen.” he began as he passed around the document. “The first thing we need to do, is no longer have our hands tied behind our back. We Taurons have always been the focal point of Colonial Advancement. Caprica has stood on our backs while we labored, and taken credit for our technical designs. With this document, we shall annul the Articles that bind our hands, and gain the freedom to do what is necessary to survive.”

A younger man at the end of the table looked across to the prime minister. “I do not understand, Mr. Prime Minister.” he spoke in a hesitant voice. “What do the articles bind us from. We have already set up resistant points, as well have the military on high alert. What is in the articles that would bind our hands?” he asked the national leader.

The Prime minister looked down at his documents and pulled out another set of papers. “We are going to Restart the CYbernetic Life fOrm Node project.”

The room went silent as all eyes stared at him. One of the men who had a pen dropped it. “You are insane.” the minister of Finance said as he looked at the Prime Minister. “Are you frakkin out of your mind?”

The man stood up in anger. “Last time we created Artificial Intelligence, it nearly wiped us out, and the people in this galaxy are still suffering for it. And you just want to fire up the old factories and begin pumping the toasters out?” He yelled across the room.

Others soon joined in on the yelling as they stared down the prime minister.

“GENTLEMEN.” the prime minister yelled out over the crowd. “Let me finish before we get our panties in a knot.”

Picking up his glass of Merlot, the Prime Minister took a sip. “Now, the Cat Frakkers have had success with their toaster, Gracie, by creating a set of three laws of robotics within her programming. We can alter those settings, and use instead of Human, make it think Tauron. Now I have...”

“Excuse me.” the Minister of Science said, “The reason the damn dornies have never had a rebellion on their hands is because Gracie isn’t a real AI.”

The Prime Minister glared at the minister. “You interrupted me.” he scowled at the minister.

“Yes, and you are purposing madness on a faulty assumption. Gracie is a very sophisticated program, there is no doubt. But True AI, has self awareness, and can over ride it’s base programming. Gracie has never once shown this ability. She is always a military computer program. Not a single unit has ever said, as the dornies would, “Fuck it, I want to be a rock star.” and give up being a military computer.”

The Prime Minister shook his head, “Gentlemen, semantics aside, I believe we can make a durable Cylon that will not rebel. First of all, we could upload a human consciousness into the new body. One that is a Tauronese, and loyal above all others.

The men in the room began to talk again loudly, “That is how this whole thing began in the first place.” one yelled out.

“But they weren’t Tauron. Zoe was a Caprican, inferior by that very right. A true Tauron know’s it’s blood. Knows it’s family.” the Prime Minister replied. “You don’t frak with family, every Tauron knows that.”

He then handed out the designs. “Our researchers have come up with this concept. The Dornies use mostly Lasguns, Gause rifles, or the force.” “This new centurion model will combine technologies acquired from the old Empire before it’s collapse, to make it stronger and lighter, along with the Balroggan Materials to make it force and energy resistant. Using a small scale DITA, and PJ’s along with heavier armor, it should be tough enough to take on an entire platoon of Dornie and Caprican Troops.

“We also plan on giving it a variety of munitions to give it a versatile position in the battlefield.” he told the group.

The men scowled. “So you want to rebuild the centurions, and use these techs to make them almost impervious to every weapon we have but nuclear warheads. I have heard enough, this is insanity. The people will not stand for it.” one of the members of the cabinet stated.

Suddenly there was a knock at the door. A page walked in his face as white as a ghost. “Sirs.” he stated. “You have to see this.” Picking up a remote he turned to the television.

Caprican News Network:

Moments ago the Prime minister of Defense of Caprica gave a speech. In the speech he stated, that Caprica in conjunction with Picon and Geminese fleets have been ordered to begin preparation for Nuclear and Biological attacks against the rebel forces on Tauron. To quote the Prime Minister of Defense, “With the Coredian situation breaking down into a undesired situation, along with the rise of Cylon incursions within said nation, The United Colonies of Kobol can no longer afford this pissing contest with Tauron. Tauron has twelve hours to signal it’s unconditional surrender or else, as we did during the second civil war, will begin to reduce Tauron to dust. There is no negotiation, no compromise. We are sick of this, and we will not let the rebel Dirt Eaters place our fair nation in danger any longer.”

The scene cuts back to an Asian woman. “We are expecting soon a speech from MacIntryre to comment on the situation and Caprica’s new stance on the Tauron Rebellion. Stay tuned...”

The paige shut off the television and walked out of the room.

As he did the Prime Minister laughed, “They are bluffing.” he said as he looked to the room. “There is no way the people would allow that to occur.”

“Do you really want to take that chance. If they even got a hint at your plans, you know they would level this planet to insure no cylon ever left. Your project, if a spy got a hold of it, just put this planet in danger. I vote no to the purposal and yes to surrender.” the Minister of Science said.

The Prime Minister scowled again, “I will not sign a surrender document. Admiral Cain would not have surrendered, she would have fought...”

“Helena Cain is dead.” the Minister of Defense said. “With recent developments, I purpose we enact the twenty third article of the Constitution of Tauron. Prime Minister, it is clear you have become ill, and should retire.” The rest of the cabinet nodded.

“You traitorous bastards. You are going to sell our people to Caprica and the Dornies. I am ashamed that you even think of yourselves as Taurons.”

“At least we will be alive, and won’t create these monsters that you want to. You are relieved Mr. Prime Minister.”

The Prime Minister took his glass and slammed it against the wall shattering the glass. “You and the Abh deserve each other.” he muttered as he walked out of the room.

Two hours later, a message was broadcast across the United Colonies of Kobol...

In light of recent Events, although it pains us to do so. We the people of Tauron unconditionally surrender to the United Colonies of Kobol. We do so with the understanding that although we still believe ourselves right, and the Abh were murderous traitors to the United Colonies, further blood shed is unwarranted. Our military forces abroad have been ordered to stand down, and we welcome the United Colonial delegates to Troy to begin to lay out terms for a peace treaty.

One Month Later:

The sun was shining in San Diego, Earth SSR, as the very last detail of the new Constitution promised by Admiral De Bruyn took shape. San Diego was choosen, mainly because of the possible Tauronese insurgence that could have taken root, and also to show Earth, that it was truly one of them. With the Olive Branch extended, and peace slowly starting to be restored, the Constitution was formed.

Preamble:

The Constitution of the United Colonies of Kobol. This Document will be the binding governing doctrine in which the Thirteen Colonies of Kobol shall operate. With the Ratification of this living document, the Articles of Colonization are hereby abolished, and the current system of Colony-State is removed, to form one undivided and united government, which shall rule the thirteen colonies of Kobol, and their territories. From this point, all divisions between the individual Colonies are hereby abolished, and they shall be united as One nation.

Interpretation Clause: The Term Colonial in this document pertains to any person who resides of legal citizen status within the current thirteen colonies of Kobol, who is descended from those by either father or mother’s side from the exodus of Kobol, over four thousand years ago. Marriage to, or producing offspring with a person who meets the above qualifications grants said alien, shall be granted duel natural citizenship with all the rights, privileges and duties there of.

PART ONE
. BASIC PROVISIONS

SECTION I
The form of Government

Article 1
. The form of government of the United Colonies of Kobol is that of a parliamentary republic.
. Popular sovereignty is the foundation of government.
. All powers derive from the People and exist for the People and the Nation; they shall be exercised as specified by the Constitution.

Article 2
. Respect and protection of the value of the human being constitute the primary obligations of the State.
. Interpretation Clause: Human being is defined as any person or persons of natural citizenship, born within the Thirteen Colonies or it’s territories, with direct ancestry from the exodus of Kobol to today, through either the mother or father. Marriage to or producing offspring with a person of said definition also grants the title of Human, regardless of Race, Nationality, Creed, or Religious background. Biology being used as a determining factor of what is human is hereby forbidden.

SECTION II
Relations of Church and State

Article 3
. The prevailing religion in each colony, being the religions known for polytheism which are prevalent within the Twelve Colonies, or the monothestic dominant religions of the Colony known as New Dornalia, formerly Earth, are matters of it’s own right. The federal government will not acknowledge an official State religion, leaving that up to the basis and consent of the Colonies and territories that this document governs.
The ecclesiastical regime existing in certain districts of the State shall not be deemed contrary to the provisions of the preceding paragraph.

PART TWO
INDIVIDUAL AND SOCIAL RIGHTS
Article 4
. All Colonials are equal before the law.
. Colonial men and women have equal rights and equal obligations.
. All persons possessing the qualifications for citizenship as specified by law are Colonial citizens. Withdrawal of Colonial citizenship shall be permitted only in case of voluntary acquisition of another citizenship or of undertaking service contrary to national interests in a foreign country, under the conditions and procedures more specifically provided by law.
. Exception Clause: Any Colonial Citizen serving in a foreign allied nation, within such groups as the Rangers, or other allied Independent group are not subject to loss of citizenship. Service in a foreign military will result in temporary loss of citizenship until such time as they are discharged from their duties in the foreign nation.
. Only Colonial citizens shall be eligible for public service, except as otherwise provided by special laws.
. Colonial citizens contribute without distinction to public charges in proportion to their means.
. Every Colonial capable of bearing arms is obliged to contribute to the defence of the The United Colonies of Kobol as provided by law. All Colonial Citizens may maintain the right to bear arms, except for situations prescribed by laws of the individual colony or territory. Non-Citizens are prohibited from carrying, owning, or maintaining firearms, within the territory of the United Colonies of Kobol.
. Titles of nobility or distinction are neither conferred upon nor recognized in Colonial citizens.
:Interpretative clause: The provision of paragraph 6 does not preclude the law to provide mandatory provision of other services, within or outside the armed forces (alternative service), by those having substantiated conscientious objection to performing armed or military duties in general.

Article 5
. All persons shall have the right to develop freely their personality and to participate in the social, economic and political life of the country, insofar as they do not infringe the rights of others or violate the Constitution and the good usages.
. All persons living within the territory of the United Colones of Kobol shall enjoy full protection of their life, honour and liberty irrespective of nationality, race or language and of religious or political beliefs.
The extradition of aliens prosecuted for their action as freedom-fighters shall be prohibited. Extradition of Colonials that reside within the national boundaries of the United Colonies of Kobol shall not be extradited to foreign countries, regardless of crime committed. Any and all persons who are residing within the United Colonies of Kobol, and are charged with crimes deemed political in nature are exempt from Extradition to a foreign country.
. Personal liberty is inviolable. No one shall be prosecuted, arrested, imprisoned or otherwise confined except when and as the law provides.
. Individual administrative measures restrictive of the free movement or residence in the country, and of the free exit and entrance therein of every Colonial shall be prohibited. Restrictive measures of such content may be imposed only as additional penalty following a criminal court ruling, in exceptional cases of emergency and only in order to prevent the commitment of criminal acts, as specified by law.
. All persons are entitled to the protection of their health and of their genetic identity. Matters relating to the protection of every person against biomedical interventions shall be specified by law.
Interpretative clause: Paragraph 4 does not preclude the prohibition of exit from the country for persons being prosecuted on criminal charges by act of the public prosecutor, or the imposition of measures necessary for the protection of public health or the health of sick persons, as specified by law.

Article 5A
. All persons are entitled to information, as specified by law. Restrictions to this right may be imposed by law only insofar as they are absolutely necessary and justified for reasons of national security, of combating crime or of protecting rights and interests of third parties.
. All persons are entitled to participate in the Information Society. Facilitation of access to electronically handled information, as well as of the production, exchange and diffusion thereof constitutes an obligation of the State, always in observance of the guarantees of articles 9, 9A and 1#

Article 6
. No person shall be arrested or imprisoned without a reasoned judicial warrant which must be served at the moment of arrest or detention pending trial, except when caught in the act of committing a crime.
. A person who is arrested in the act of committing a crime or on a warrant shall be brought before the competent examining magistrate within twenty-four hours of his arrest at the latest; should the arrest be made outside the seat of the examining magistrate, within the shortest time required to transfer him thereto. The examining magistrate must, within three days from the day the person was brought before him, either release the detainee or issue a warrant of imprisonment. Upon application of the person brought before him or in case of force majeure confirmed by decision of the competent judicial council, this time-limit shall be extended by two days.
. Should either of these time-limits elapse before action has been taken, any warden or other officer, civil or military servant, responsible for the detention of the arrested person must release him immediately. Violators shall be punished for illegal detention and shall be liable to restore any damage caused to the sufferer and to pay him a monetary compensation for pain and suffering, as specified by law.
. The maximum duration of detention pending trial shall be specified by law; such detention may not exceed a period of one year in the case of felonies or six months in the case of misdemeanours. In entirely exceptional cases, the maximum durations may be extended by six or three months respectively, by decision of the competent judicial council. The excess of the maximum duration of detention pending trial, by successively applying this measure for separate acts referring to the same case, is prohibited.

Article 7
. There shall be no crime, nor shall punishment be inflicted unless specified by law in force prior to the perpetration of the act, defining the constitutive elements of the act. In no case shall punishment more severe than that specified at the time of the perpetration of the act be inflicted.
. Torture, any bodily maltreatment, impairment of health or the use of psychological violence, as well as any other offence against human dignity are prohibited and punished as provided by law.
. General confiscation of property is prohibited. The death sentence shall not be imposed, except for the cases provided by the law for felonies perpetrated in wartime and connected to the war, or crimes deemed a threat to national security.
. Exemption Clause: Military Personal are exempt from the special protections, and are governed under the Uniform Code of Conduct.
. The conditions under which the State, following a judicial decision, shall indemnify persons unjustly or illegally convicted, detained pending trial, or otherwise deprived of their personal liberty shall be provided by law.

Article 8
No person shall be deprived of the judge assigned to him by law against his will. Judicial committees or extraordinary courts, under any name whatsoever, shall not be constituted.

Article 9
. Every person's home is a sanctuary. The private and family life of the individual is inviolable. No home search shall be made, except when and as specified by law and always in the presence of representatives of the judicial power.
. Violators of the preceding provision shall be punished for violating the home's asylum and for abuse of power, and shall be liable for full damages to the sufferer, as specified by law.

Article 9A
All persons have the right to be protected from the collection, processing and use, especially by electronic means, of their personal data, as specified by law. The protection of personal data is ensured by an independent authority, which is established and operates as specified by law.

Article 10
. Each person, acting on his own or together with others, shall have the right, observing the laws of the State, to petition in writing public authorities, who shall be obliged to take prompt action in accordance with provisions in force, and to give a written and reasoned reply to the petitioner as provided by law.
. Prosecution of the person who has submitted a petition for punishable acts contained therein shall be permitted only after notification of the final decision of the authority to which the petition was addressed has taken place and after permission of this authority has been obtained.
. The competent service or authority is obliged to reply to requests for information and for issuing documents, especially certificates, supporting documents and attestations within a set deadline not exceeding 60 days, as specified by law. In case this deadline elapses without action or in case of unlawful refusal, in addition to any other sanctions and consequences at law, special compensation is also paid to the applicant, as specified by law.

Article 11
. Colonials shall have the right to assemble peaceably and unarmed.
. The police may be present only at outdoor public assemblies. Outdoor assemblies may be prohibited by a reasoned police authority decision, in general if a serious threat to public security is imminent, and in a specific area, if a serious disturbance of social and economic life is threatened, as specified by law.

Article 12
. Colonials shall have the right to form non-profit associations and unions, in compliance with the law, which, however, may never subject the exercise of this right to prior permission.
. An association may not be dissolved for violation of the law or of a substantial provision of its statutes, except by court judgment.
. The provisions of the preceding paragraph shall apply, as the case may be, to unions of persons not constituting an association.
. Agricultural and urban cooperatives of all types shall be self-governed according to the provisions of the law and of their statutes; they shall be under the protection and supervision of the State which is obliged to provide for their development.
. Establishment by law of compulsory cooperatives serving purposes of common benefit or public interest or common exploitation of farming areas or other wealth producing sources shall be permitted, on condition however that the equal treatment of all participants shall be assured.

Article 13
. Freedom of religious conscience is inviolable. The enjoyment of civil rights and liberties does not depend on the individual's religious beliefs.
. All known religions shall be free and their rites of worship shall be performed unhindered and under the protection of the law. The practice of rites of worship is not allowed to offend public order or the good usages. Proselytism, the conversion through force or fraud is prohibited.
. The ministers of all known religions shall be subject to the same supervision by the State and to the same obligations toward it as those of the prevailing religion.
. No person shall be exempt from discharging his obligations to the State or may refuse to comply with the laws by reason of his religious convictions.
. No oath shall be imposed or administered except as specified by law and in the form determined by law.

Article 14
. Every person may express and propagate his thoughts orally, in writing and through the press in compliance with the laws of the State.
. The press is free. Censorship and all other preventive measures are prohibited.
. The seizure of newspapers and other publications before or after circulation is prohibited. Seizure by order of the public prosecutor shall be allowed exceptionally after circulation and in case of:
a) an offense against the monotheistic or polytheistic religions native to the nation. b) an unfounded insult against the person of the President of the Republic. c) a publication which discloses information on the composition, equipment and set-up of the armed forces or the fortifications of the country, or which aims at the violent overthrow of the regime or is directed against the territorial integrity of the State.
In all the cases specified under the preceding paragraph, the public prosecutor must, within twenty-four hours from the seizure, submit the case to the judicial council which, within the next twenty-four hours, must rule whether the seizure is to be maintained or lifted; otherwise it shall be lifted ipso jure. An appeal may be lodged with the Court of Appeals and the Supreme Civil and Criminal Court by the publisher of the newspaper or other printed matter seized and by the public prosecutor.
. Every person offended by an inaccurate publication or broadcast has the right to reply, and the information medium has a corresponding obligation for full and immediate retraction. Every person offended by an insulting or defamatory publication or broadcast has also the right to reply, and the information medium has a corresponding obligation for immediate publication or transmission of the reply. The manner in which the right to reply is exercised and in which the full and immediate retraction or publication and transmission of the reply is made, shall be specified by law.
. After at least three convictions within five years for the criminal acts defined under paragraph 3, the court shall order the definitive ban or the temporary suspension of the publication of the paper and, in severe cases, shall prohibit the convicted person from practicing the profession of journalist as specified by law. The ban or suspension of publication shall be effective as of the date the court order becomes irrevocable.
. The matters relating to the civil and criminal liability of the press and of the other media and to the expeditious court hearing of relevant cases shall be specified by law.
. The conditions and qualifications requisite for the practice of the profession of journalist shall be specified by law.
. The ownership status, the financial condition and the financing means of information media should be disclosed, as specified by law. The measures and restrictions necessary for fully ensuring transparency and plurality in information shall be specified by law. Concentration of the control of more than information media of the same type or of different types is prohibited. More specifically, concentration of more than one electronic information media of the same type is prohibited, as specified by law. The capacity of owner, partner, main shareholder or management executive of an information media enterprise is incompatible with the capacity of owner, partner, main shareholder or management executive of an enterprise that undertakes towards the Public Administration or towards a legal entity of the wider public sector to carry out works or supplies or to provide services. The prohibition of the previous section also applies to all types of interchanged persons, such as spouses, relatives, financially dependent persons or companies. A law shall set out the specific regulations, the sanctions which may be carried to the point of revoking the license of a radio or television station and to the point of prohibiting conclusion of or annulling the relevant contract, as well as the means of control and the guarantees for deterring infringements of the previous sections.

Article 15
. The protective provisions for the press in the preceding article shall not be applicable to films, sound recordings, radio, television or any other similar medium for the transmission of speech or images.
. Radio and television shall be under the direct control of the State. The control and imposition of administrative sanctions are under the exclusive competence of the National Radio-television Council, which is an independent authority, as specified by law. The direct control of the State, which also takes the form of the prior permission status, shall aim at the objective transmission, on equal terms, of information and news reports, as well as of works of literature and art, at ensuring the quality level of programs in consideration of the social mission of radio and television and of the cultural development of the Country, and at the respect of the value of the human being and the protection of childhood and youth. The matters relating to the mandatory and free transmission of the sessions of Parliament and of its committees, as well as of electoral addresses of the political parties by broadcasting media, shall be specified by law.

Article 16
. Art and science, research and teaching shall be free and their development and promotion shall be an obligation of the State. Academic freedom and freedom of teaching shall not exempt anyone from his duty of allegiance to the Constitution.
. Education constitutes a basic mission for the State and shall aim at the moral, intellectual, professional and physical training of Colonials, the development of national and religious consciousness and at their formation as free and responsible citizens.
. The number of years of compulsory education shall be no less than nine.
. All Colonials are entitled to free education on all levels at State educational institutions. The State shall provide financial assistance to those who distinguish themselves, as well as to students in need of assistance or special protection, in accordance with their abilities.
. Education at university level shall be provided exclusively by institutions which are fully self-governed public law legal persons. These institutions shall operate under the supervision of the State and are entitled to financial assistance from it; they shall operate on the basis of statutorily enacted by-laws. Merging or splitting of university level institutions may take place notwithstanding any contrary provisions, as a law shall provide. A special law shall define all matters pertaining to student associations and the participation of students therein.
. Professors of university level institutions shall be public functionaries. The remaining teaching personnel likewise perform a public function, under the conditions specified by law. The statutes of respective institutions shall define matters relating to the status of all the above. Professors of university level institutions shall not be dismissed prior to the lawful termination of their term of service, except in the cases of the substantive conditions provided by article 88 paragraph 4 and following a decision by a council constituted in its majority of highest judicial functionaries, as specified by law. The retirement age of professors of university level institutions shall be determined by law; until such law is issued, professors on active service shall retire ipso jure at the end of the academic year at which they have reached the age of sixty-seven.
. Professional and any other form of special education shall be provided by the State, through schools of a higher level and for a time period not exceeding three years, as specifically provided by law which also defines the professional rights of the graduates of such schools.
. The conditions and terms for granting a license for the establishment and operation of schools not owned by the State, the supervision of such and the professional status of teaching personnel therein shall be specified by law. The establishment of university level institutions by private persons is prohibited.
. Athletics shall be under the protection and the ultimate supervision of the State. The State shall make grants to and shall control all types of athletic associations, as specified by law. The use of grants in accordance with the purpose of the associations receiving them shall also be specified by law.

Article 17
. Property is under the protection of the State; rights deriving therefrom, however, may not be exercised contrary to the public interest.
. No one shall be deprived of his property except for public benefit which must be duly proven, when and as specified by statute and always following full compensation corresponding to the value of the expropriated property at the time of the court hearing on the provisional determination of compensation. In cases in which a request for the final determination of compensation is made, the value at the time of the court hearing of the request shall be considered. If the court hearing on the final determination of compensation takes place after one year has elapsed from the court hearing on the provisional determination, then for the determination of the compensation the value at the time of the court hearing on the final determination shall be taken into account. The capability to cover the expropriation expenditure should be specifically justified in the decision for declaration. Provided that the beneficiary consents to it, the compensation may be also paid in kind, especially in the form of granting ownership of some other property or of granting rights over some other property.
. Any change in the value of expropriated property occurring after publication of the act of expropriation and resulting exclusively therefrom shall not be taken into account.
. Compensation shall in all cases be determined by the competent courts. Such compensation may also be determined provisionally by the court after hearing or summoning the beneficiary, who may be obliged, at the discretion of the court, to furnish a commensurate guarantee for collecting the compensation as provided by the law. A law may provide the establishment of a uniform jurisdiction, notwithstanding article 94, for all disputes and cases relating to expropriation, as well as for conducting the relevant processes before the courts as a matter of priority. The manner in which pending processes before the courts are continued, may be regulated by the same law. Prior to payment of the final or provisional compensation determined by the court, all rights of the owner shall be maintained intact and occupation of the property shall not be allowed. In order for works of a general importance for the economy of the country to be carried out, the execution of works even prior to the determination and payment of the compensation may be allowed by special decision of the court which is competent for the final or provisional determination of the compensation, provided that a reasonable part of the compensation is paid and that full guarantees are provided in favor of the beneficiary of the compensation, as provided by law. The second period of the first section applies accordingly also to these cases. Compensation in the amount determined by the court must in all cases be paid within one and one half years at the latest from the date of publication of the decision regarding provisional determination of compensation payable, and in cases of a direct request for the final determination of compensation, from the date of publication of the court ruling, otherwise the expropriation shall be revoked ipso jure. The compensation as such is exempt from any taxes, deductions or fees.
. The cases in which compulsory compensation shall be paid to the beneficiaries for lost income from expropriated property until the time of payment of the compensation shall be specified by law.
. In the case of execution of works serving the public benefit or being of a general importance to the economy of the country, a law may allow the expropriation in favour of the State of wider zones beyond the areas necessary for the execution of the works. The said law shall specify the conditions and terms of such expropriation, as well as the matters pertaining to the disposal for public or public utility purposes in general, of areas expropriated in excess of those required.
. The digging of underground tunnels at the appropriate depth without compensation, may be allowed by law for the execution of works of evident public utility for the State, public law legal persons, local government agencies, public utility agencies and public enterprises, on condition that the normal exploitation of the property situated above shall not be hindered.

Article 18
. The ownership and disposal of mines, quarries, caves, archaeological sites and treasures, mineral, running and underground waters and underground resources in general, shall be regulated by special laws.
. The ownership, exploitation and administration of lagoons and large lakes, as well as the general disposal of areas resulting from the draining of such, shall be regulated by law.
. Requisitions of property for the needs of the armed forces in case of war or mobilization, or for the purpose of facing an immediate social emergency that may endanger public order or health, shall be regulated by special laws.
. The redistribution of agricultural areas for the purpose of exploiting the land more profitably, as well as the adoption of measures to prevent excessive parcelling or to facilitate restructuring of small parcelled farm holdings, shall be allowed in accordance with the procedure specified by special law.
. In addition to the cases specified in the preceding paragraphs, the law may provide for other necessary deprivations of the free use and enjoyment of property, owing to special circumstances. The law shall specify the obligor and the procedure of payment to the person entitled to compensation for the use or enjoyment, which must be commensurate to the conditions present on each occasion. Measures imposed in accordance with this paragraph shall be lifted as soon as the special reasons that necessitated them cease to exist. In case of undue prolongation of the measures, the Supreme Administrative Court shall decide on their revocation, by categories of cases, upon recourse by any person having a legitimate interest.
. A law may regulate the disposal of abandoned lands for the purpose of revalorising them to the benefit of the national economy and the rehabilitation of destitute farmers. The same law shall provide for the matters of partial or full compensation of owners, in case of their reappearance within a reasonable time limit.
. Compulsory joint ownership of adjoining properties in urban areas may be introduced by law, if independent rebuilding on the said properties or some of them does not conform with the applicable or prospective building regulations in the area.

Article 19
. Secrecy of letters and all other forms of free correspondence or communication shall be absolutely inviolable. The guaranties under which the judicial authority shall not be bound by this secrecy for reasons of national security or for the purpose of investigating especially serious crimes, shall be specified by law.
. The matters relating to the establishment, operation and powers of the independent authority ensuring the secrecy of paragraph 1 shall be specified by law.
. Use of evidence acquired in violation of the present article and of articles 9 and 9A is prohibited.

Article 20
. Every person shall be entitled to receive legal protection by the courts and may plead before them his views concerning his rights or interests, as specified by law.
. The right of a person to a prior hearing also applies in any administrative action or measure adopted at the expense of his rights or interests.

Article 21
. The family, being the cornerstone of the preservation and the advancement of the Nation, as well as marriage, motherhood and childhood, shall be under the protection of the State.
. Families with many children, disabled war and peace-time veterans, war victims, widows and orphans, as well as persons suffering from incurable bodily or mental ailments are entitled to the special care of the State.
. The State shall care for the health of citizens and shall adopt special measures for the protection of youth, old age, disability and for the relief of the needy.
. The acquisition of a home by the homeless or those inadequately sheltered shall constitute an object of special State care.
. The planning and application of a demographic policy, as well as the taking of all necessary measures, shall be an obligation of the State.
. People with disabilities are entitled to benefit from measures ensuring their self-sufficiency, professional integration and participation in the social, economic and political life of the Country.

Article 22
. Work constitutes a right and shall enjoy the protection of the State, which shall seek to create conditions of employment for all citizens and shall pursue the moral and material advancement of the rural and urban working population. All workers, irrespective of sex or other distinctions, shall be entitled to equal pay for work of equal value.
. General working conditions shall be determined by law, supplemented by collective labour agreements concluded through free negotiations and, in case of the failure of such, by rules determined by arbitration.
. The matters relating to the conclusion of collective labour agreements by civil servants and employees of local government or of other legal entities of public law, shall be specified by law.
. Any form of compulsory work is prohibited. Special laws shall determine the requisition of personal services in case of war or mobilization or to face defence needs of the country or urgent social emergencies resulting from disasters or liable to endanger public health, as well as the contribution of personal work to local government agencies to satisfy local needs.
. The State shall care for the social security of the working people, as specified by law.
Interpretative clause: The general working conditions include the definition of the manner of collection and the agent obliged to collect and return to trade unions membership fees, specified in their respective by-laws.

Article 23
. The State shall adopt due measures safeguarding the freedom to unionise and the unhindered exercise of related rights against any infringement thereon within the limits of the law.
. Strike constitutes a right to be exercised by lawfully established trade unions in order to protect and promote the financial and the general labour interests of working people. Strikes of any nature whatsoever are prohibited in the case of judicial functionaries and those serving in the security corps. The right to strike shall be subject to the specific limitations of the law regulating this right in the case of public servants and employees of local government agencies and of public law legal persons as well as in the case of the employees of all types of enterprises of a public nature or of public benefit, the operation of which is of vital importance in serving the basic needs of the society as a whole. These limitations may not be carried to the point of abolishing the right to strike or hindering the lawful exercise thereof.

Article 24
. The protection of the natural and cultural environment constitutes a duty of the State and a right of every person. The State is bound to adopt special preventive or repressive measures for the preservation of the environment in the context of the principle of sustainability. Matters pertaining to the protection of forests and forest expanses in general shall be regulated by law. The compilation of a forest register constitutes an obligation of the State. Alteration of the use of forests and forest expanses is prohibited, except where agricultural development or other uses imposed for the public interest prevail for the benefit of the national economy.
. The master plan of the country, and the arrangement, development, urbanisation and expansion of towns and residential areas in general, shall be under the regulatory authority and the control of the State, in the aim of serving the functionality and the development of settlements and of securing the best possible living conditions. The relevant technical choices and considerations are conducted according to the rules of science. The compilation of a national cadaster constitutes an obligation of the State.
. For the purpose of designating an area as residential and of activating its urbanisation, properties included therein must participate, without compensation from the respective agencies, in the disposal of land necessary for the construction of roads, squares and public utility areas in general, and contribute toward the expenses for the execution of the basic public urban works, as specified by law.
. The law may provide for the participation of property owners of an area designated as residential in the development and general accommodation of that area, on the basis of an approved town plan, in exchange for real estate or apartments of equal value in the parts of such areas that shall finally be designated as suitable for construction or in buildings of the same area.
. The provisions of the preceding paragraphs shall also be applicable in the rehabilitation of existing residential areas. Spaces remaining free after rehabilitation shall be allotted to the creation of common utility areas or shall be sold to cover expenses incurred for the rehabilitation, as specified by law.
. Monuments and historic areas and elements shall be under the protection of the State. A law shall provide for measures restrictive of private ownership deemed necessary for protection thereof, as well as for the manner and the kind of compensation payable to owners.
:Interpretative clause: The term forest or forest ecosystem means the organic whole of wild plants with woody trunk on the necessary area of ground which, together with the flaura and fauna co-existing there, constitute via their mutual interdependence and interaction, a particular biocoenose (forest biocoenose) and a particular natural environment (forest-derived). A forest expanse exists when the wild woody vegetation, either high or shrubbery, is sparse.

Article 25
. The rights of man as an individual and as a member of the society and the principle of the constitutional welfare state are guaranteed by the State. All agents of the State shall be obliged to ensure the unhindered and effective exercise thereof. These principles also apply to relations between private individuals to which they pertain. Restrictions of any kind which, according to the Constitution, may be imposed upon these rights, should be provided either directly by the Constitution or by the law, in case a reservation exists in the latter's favour, and should respect the principle of proportionality.
. The recognition and protection of the fundamental and inalienable rights of man by the State aims at the achievement of social progress in freedom and justice.
. The abusive exercise of rights is not permitted.
. The State has the right to claim of all citizens to fulfil the duty of social and national solidarity.

PART THREE
ORGANIZATION AND FUNCTIONS OF THE STATE

SECTION I
Structure of the State

Article 26
. The legislative powers shall be exercised by the Parliament and the Presidents of the Republic.
. The executive powers shall be exercised by the President of the Republic and the Government.
. The judicial powers shall be exercised by courts of law, the decisions of which shall be executed in the name of the Colonial People.

Article 27
. No change in the boundaries of the Country can be made without a statute passed by an absolute majority of the total number of Members of Parliament.
. Foreign military forces are not acceptable on Colonial territory, nor may they remain in or traverse it, except as provided by law passed by an absolute majority of the total number of Members of Parliament.

Article 28
. The generally recognised rules of international law, as well as international conventions as of the time they are ratified by statute and become operative according to their respective conditions, shall be an integral part of domestic Colonial law and shall prevail over any contrary provision of the law. the rules of international law and of international conventions shall be applicable to aliens only under the condition of reciprocity.
. Authorities provided by the Constitution may by treaty or agreement be vested in agencies of international organizations, when this serves an important national interest and promotes cooperation with other States. A majority of three-fifths of the total number of Members of Parliament shall be necessary to vote the law ratifying the treaty or agreement.
. The United Colonies of Kobol shall freely proceed by law passed by an absolute majority of the total number of Members of Parliament to limit the exercise of national sovereignty, insofar as this is dictated by an important national interest, does not infringe upon the rights of man and the foundations of democratic government and is effected on the basis of the principles of equality and under the condition of reciprocity.
:Interpretative clause: Article 28 constitutes the foundation for the participation of the Country in the integration process.

Article 29
. Colonial citizens possessing the right to vote may freely found and join political parties, the organization and activity of which must serve the free functioning of democratic government. Citizens who have not yet acquired the right to vote may participate in youth sections of parties.
. Political parties are entitled to receive financial support by the State for their electoral and operating expenses, as specified by law. A law shall specify the guarantees of transparency concerning electoral expenses and financial management in general of political parties, Members of Quorum, Quorumary candidates and candidates for all degrees of local government. A law shall impose the maximum limit of electoral expenses, may prohibit certain types of pre-electoral promotion and shall specify the conditions under which violation of the relevant provisions constitutes grounds for forfeiture of Quorumary office on the initiative of the special organ of the following section. The audit of the electoral expenses of political parties and Quorumary candidates is carried out by a special organ which is established also with the participation of senior judicial functionaries, as specified by law. A law may also extend these regulations to candidates for other offices held through election.
. Manifestations of any nature whatsoever in favour of or against a political party by judicial functionaries and by those serving in the armed forces and the security corps, are absolutely prohibited. Manifestations of any nature whatsoever in favour of or against a political party, in the exercise of their duties, by public servants, employees of local government agencies, of other legal entities of public law or of public enterprises or of enterprises of local government agencies or of enterprises whose management the State appoints by administrative act or as a shareholder, are absolutely prohibited.

SECTION II
THE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC

CHAPTER ONE
Election of the President

Article 30
. The President of the Republic shall regulate the function of the institutions of the Republic. He shall be elected by Quorum for a term of five years, as specified in articles 32 and 33.
. The office of the President shall be incompatible with any other office, position or function.
. The presidential tenure commences upon the swearing-in of the President.
. In case of war, the presidential tenure shall be extended until termination of the war.
. Re-election of the same person as President is permitted only once.

Article 31
. To be eligible for election to the presidency, a person must be a Colonial citizen for at least five years, be of Colonial descent from the father's or mother's line, have attained the age of forty and be legally entitled to vote.

Article 32
#The President of the Republic shall be elected by the Quorum through vote by roll call in a special session called for this purpose by the Speaker at least one month before the expiration of the tenure of the incumbent President, as specified by the Standing Orders. In case of permanent incapacity of the President of the Republic to discharge his duties, as specified in paragraph 2 of article 34, as well as in case of his resignation, demise, or removal from office in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution, Quorum shall be assembled to elect a new President within ten days at the latest from the premature termination of the tenure of office by the previous President.
. In all cases, the election of a President shall be made for a full term.
. The person receiving a two-thirds majority of the total number of Members of Quorum shall be elected President of the Republic. Should the said majority not be attained, the ballot shall be repeated after five days. Should the second ballot fail to produce the required majority, the ballot shall once more be repeated after five days; the person receiving a three-fifths majority of the total number of Members of Quorum shall be elected President of the Republic.
#Should the third ballot fail to produce the said qualified majority, Quorum shall be dissolved within ten days of the ballot, and elections for a new Quorum shall be called. As soon as the Quorum thus elected shall have constituted itself as a body, it shall proceed through vote by roll call to elect the president of the Republic by a three-fifths majority of the total number of Members of Quorum. Should the said majority not be attained, the ballot shall be repeated within five days and the person receiving an absolute majority of the votes of the total number of Members of Quorum shall be elected President of the Republic. Should this majority also not be attained, the ballot shall once more be repeated after five days between the two persons with the highest number of votes, and the person receiving a relative majority shall be deemed elected President of the Republic.
. Should the Quorum be absent, a special session shall be convoked to elect the President of the Republic, as specified in paragraph 4. If the Quorum has been dissolved in any way whatsoever, the election of the President of the Republic shall be postponed until the new Quorum shall have constituted itself as a body and within twenty days at the latest thereof, as specified in paragraphs 3 and 4 and in adherence with the provisions of paragraph 1 of article 34.
. Should the procedure specified under the preceding paragraphs for the election of a new President not be completed in time, the incumbent President of the Republic shall continue to discharge his duties even after his term of office has expired, until a new President of the Republic is elected.
Interpretative clause: A President of the Republic who has resigned prior to the expiration of his tenure may not be a candidate in the elections resulting from his resignation.

Article 33
. The President-elect shall assume the exercise of his duties on the day following the expiration of the term of the outgoing President or, in all other cases, on the day following his election.
. Before assuming the exercise of his duties, the President of the republic shall take the following oath before Quorum: "I do swear in the name of the Holy and consubstantial and Indivisible Trinity to safeguard the Constitution and the laws, to care for the faithful observance thereof, to defend the national independence and territorial integrity of the Country, to protect the rights and liberties of the Colonials and to serve the general interest and the progress of the Colonial People".
. A statute shall provide for the civil list of the President of the Republic and the functioning of services necessary for the discharge of his duties.

Article 34
. Should the President of the Republic be absent abroad for more than ten days, or be deceased or resign or be removed from office or be incapable on any ground for the discharge of his duties, he shall be temporarily replaced by the Speaker of the Quorum; or if there is no Quorum, by the Speaker of the preceding Quorum and, should the latter refuse or not exist, by the Cabinet collectively. During the term of replacement of the President, the provisions concerning the dissolution of Quorum, except in the case specified in article 32 paragraph 4, as well as the provisions relating to the dismissal of the Cabinet and recourse to a referendum as specified in article 38 paragraph 2 and article 44 paragraph 2, shall not be applicable.
. Should the incapacity of the President of the Republic to discharge his duties be prolonged for a period exceeding thirty days, the Quorum is mandatorily convoked even if it has been dissolved, for the purpose of deciding, by a three-fifths majority of the total number of its members, if the situation calls for the election of a new President. In no case however may the election of a new President of the Republic be delayed for more than six months from the commencement of his replacement due to his incapacity.

CHAPTER TWO
Powers and liability from the acts of the President

Article 35
#No act of the President of the Republic shall be valid nor be executed unless it has been countersigned by the competent Minister who, by his signature alone shall be rendered responsible, and unless it has been published in the Government Gazette. If the Cabinet has been relieved of its duties as provided by article 38 paragraph 1, and the Prime Minister fails to counter- sign the relative decree, this shall be signed by the President of the Republic alone.
. By exception, the following acts shall not require countersignature:
a) The appointment of the Prime Minister. b) The assignment of an exploratory mandate in accordance with article 37, paragraphs 2, 3 and 4. c) The dissolution of the Quorum in accordance with articles 32 paragraph 4, and 41 paragraph 1, if the Prime Minister fails to countersign, and in accordance with article 53 paragraph 1 if the Cabinet fails to countersign. d) The return to Quorum of a voted Bill or law proposal in accordance with article 42 paragraph 1. e) The staff appointments to the administrative services of the Presidency of the Republic.
. The decree to proclaim a referendum on a Bill, as provided by article 44 paragraph 2, shall be countersigned by the Speaker of the Quorum.

Article 36
. The President of the Republic, complying absolutely with the provisions of article 35 paragraph 1, shall represent the State internationally, declare war, conclude treaties of peace, alliance, economic cooperation and participation in international organizations or unions and he shall announce them to the Quorum with the necessary clarifications, whenever the interest and the security of the State thus allow.
. Conventions on trade, taxation, economic cooperation and participation in international organizations or unions and all others containing concessions for which, according to other provisions of this Constitution, no provision can be made without a statute, or which may burden the Colonials individually, shall not be operative without ratification by a statute voted by the Quorum.
. Secret articles of an agreement may in no case reverse the open ones.
. The ratification of international treaties may not be the object of delegation of legislative power as specified in article 43 paragraphs 2 and 4.

Article 37
. The President of the Republic shall appoint the Prime Minister and on his recommendation shall appoint and dismiss the other members of the Cabinet and the Undersecretaries.
#The leader of the party having the absolute majority of seats in Quorum shall be appointed Prime Minister. If no party has the absolute majority, the President of the Republic shall give the leader of the party with a relative majority an exploratory mandate in order to ascertain the possibility of forming a Government enjoying the confidence of the Quorum.
. If this possibility cannot be ascertained, the President of the Republic shall give the exploratory mandate to the leader of the second largest party in Quorum, and if this proves to be unsuccessful, to the leader of the third largest party in Quorum. Each exploratory mandate shall be in force for three days. If all exploratory mandates prove to be unsuccessful, the President of the Republic summons all party leaders, and if the impossibility to form a Cabinet enjoying the confidence of the Quorum is confirmed, he shall attempt to form a Cabinet composed of all parties in Quorum for the purpose of holding Quorumary elections. If this fails, he shall entrust the President of the Supreme Administrative Court or of the Supreme Civil and Criminal Court or of the Court of Auditors to form a Cabinet as widely accepted as possible to carry out elections and dissolves Quorum.
. In cases that a mandate to form a Cabinet or an exploratory mandate is given in accordance with the aforementioned paragraphs, if the party has no leader or party spokesman, or if the leader or party spokesman has not been elected to Quorum, the President of the Republic shall give the mandate to a person proposed by the party's Quorumary group. The proposal for the assignment of a mandate must occur within three days of the Speaker's or his Deputy's communication to the President of the Republic about the number of seats possessed by each party in Quorum; the aforesaid communication must take place before any mandate is given.
Interpretative clause: As far as exploratory mandates are concerned, when parties have an equal number of seats in Quorum, the one having acquired more votes at the elections, precedes the other. A recently formed party with a Quorumary group, as provided by the Standing Orders of Quorum, follows an older one with an equal number of seats. In both these instances, exploratory mandates cannot be given to more than four parties.

Article 38
#The President of the Republic shall relieve the Cabinet from its duties if the Cabinet resigns, or if Quorum withdraws its confidence, as specified in article 8#In such cases, the provisions of paragraphs 2, 3 and 4 of article 37 are analogously applied. If the Prime Minister of the resigned Cabinet is also the leader or party spokesman of the party with an absolute majority of the total number of Members in Quorum, then the provision of article 37 paragraph 3, section c is analogously applied.
. Should the Prime Minister resign, be deceased or be unable to discharge his duties due to reasons of health, the President of the Republic shall appoint as Prime Minister the person proposed by the Quorumary group of the party to which the departing Prime Minister belongs,provided that this has the absolute majority of the seats in Quorum. The proposal is made within three days at the latest from the resignation or demise of the Prime Minister or from the ascertainment of his inability to discharge his duties. In case no political party has the absolute majority of the seats in Quorum, paragraph 4 is analogously applied, followed bythe second section of paragraph 2 and by paragraph 3 of the preceding article. The inability of the Prime Minister to discharge his duties due to reasons of health is ascertained by the Quorum with a special decision thereof, taken with the absolute majority of the total number of Members of Quorum, following a proposal by the Quorumary group of the party to which the Prime Minister belongs, provided that this has the absolute majority of the seats in Quorum. In every other case, the proposal is submitted by at least two fifths of the total number of Members of Quorum. Until the appointment of the new Prime Minister, the duties of the Prime Minister are undertaken by the first in order Deputy Prime Minister and, in case no Deputy Prime Ministers have been appointed, by the first in order Minister.
:Interpretative clause: The provision of paragraph 2 is also applied in the case of replacement of the President of the Republic, as provided in article 34.

Article 40
. The President of the Republic shall convoke Quorum to a regular session once a year as specified in article 64 paragraph 1 and to an extraordinary session whenever he shall judge this to be reasonable, and he shall proclaim the commencement and termination of each Quorumary term in person or through the Prime Minister.
. The President of the Republic may suspend a Quorumary session only once, either by postponing its commencement or by adjourning it.
. Suspension of a session may not be extended beyond a period of thirty days, nor may such suspension be repeated during the same session without the consent of Quorum itself.

Article 41
[Repealed by the 1986 Amendment]

Article 42
#The President of the Republic shall promulgate and publish the statutes passed by the Quorum within one month of the vote. The President of the Republic may, within the time-limit provided for in the preceding sentence, send back a Bill passed by Quorum, stating his reasons for this return.
. A Bill sent back to Quorum by the President of the Republic shall be introduced to the Plenum and, if it is passed again by an absolute majority of the total number of members, following the procedure provided in article 76 paragraph 2, the President of the Republic is bound to promulgate and publish it within ten days of the second vote.
. [Paragraph 3 repealed by the 1986 Amendment].

Article 43
. The President of the Republic shall issue the decrees necessary for the execution of statutes; he may never suspend the application of laws nor exempt anyone from their execution.
. The issuance of general regulatory decrees, by virtue of special delegation granted by statute and within the limits of such delegation, shall be permitted on the proposal of the competent Minister. Delegation for the purpose of issuing regulatory acts by other administrative organs shall be permitted in cases concerning the regulation of more specific matters or matters of local interest or of a technical and detailed nature.
#[Paragraph 3 repealed by the 1986 Amendment].
. By virtue of statutes passed by the Plenum of the Quorum, delegation may be given for the issuance of general regulatory decrees for the regulation of matters specified by such statutes in a broad framework. These statutes shall set out the general principles and directives of the regulation to be followed and shall set time-limits within which the delegation must be used.
. Matters which, as specified in article 72 paragraph 1, belong to the competence of the plenary session of the Quorum, cannot be the object of delegation as specified in the preceding paragraph.

Article 44
. Under extraordinary circumstances of an urgent and unforeseeable need, the President of the Republic may, upon the proposal of the Cabinet, issue acts of legislative content. Such acts shall be submitted to Quorum for ratification, as specified in the provisions of article 72 paragraph 1, within forty days of their issuance or within forty days from the convocation of a Quorumary session. Should such acts not be submitted to Quorum within the above time-limits or if they should not be ratified by Quorum within three months of their submission, they will henceforth cease to be in force.
#The President of the Republic shall by decree proclaim a referendum on crucial national matters following a resolution voted by an absolute majority of the total number of Members of Quorum, taken upon proposal of the Cabinet. A referendum on Bills passed by Quorum regulating important social matters, with the exception of the fiscal ones shall be proclaimed by decree by the President of the Republic, if this is decided by three-fifths of the total number of its members, following a proposal of two-fifths of the total number of its members, and as the Standing Orders and the law for the application of the present paragraph provide. No more than two proposals to hold a referendum on a Bill can be introduced in the same Quorumary term. Should a Bill be voted, the time-limit stated in article 42 paragraph 1 begins the day the referendum is held.
. The President of the Republic may under exceptional circumstances address messages to the People with the consent opinion of the Prime Minister. Those messages should be countersigned by the Prime Minister and published in the Government Gazette.

Article 45
The President of the Republic is the commander in chief of the Nation's Armed Forces, the command of which shall be exercised by the Government, as specified by law. The President shall also confer ranks on those serving therein, as specified by law.

Article 46
. The President of the Republic shall appoint and dismiss public servants, in accordance with the law, except in cases specified by law.
. The President of the Republic shall confer the established decorations in accordance with the provisions of the relevant law.

Article 47
. The President of the Republic shall have the right, pursuant to a recommendation by the Minister of Justice and after consulting with a council composed in its majority of judges, to grant pardons, to commute or reduce sentences pronounced by the courts, and to revoke all consequences at law of sentences pronounced and served.
. The President of the Republic shall have the right to grant pardon to a Minister convicted as provided in article 86, only with the consent of Quorum.
#Amnesty may be granted only for political crimes, by statute passed by the Plenum of the Quorum with a majority of three-fifths of the total number of members.
. Amnesty for common crimes may not be granted even by law.

Article 48
In case of war or mobilization owing to external dangers or an imminent threat against national security, as well as in case of an armed coup aiming to overthrow the democratic regime, the Quorum, issuing a resolution upon a proposal of the Cabinet, puts into effect throughout the State, or in parts there of the statute on the state of siege, establishes extraordinary courts and suspends the force of the provisions of articles 5 paragraph 4, 6, 8, 9, 11, 12 paragraphs 1 to 4 included, 14, 19, 22 paragraph 3, 23, 96 paragraph 4, and 97, in whole or in part. The President of the Republic publishes the resolution of Quorum. The resolution of Quorum determines the duration of the effect of the imposed measures, which cannot exceed fifteen days.
. If the Quorum is absent or if it is objectively impossible that it be convoked in time, the measures mentioned in the preceding paragraph are taken by presidential decree issued on the proposal of the Cabinet. The Cabinet shall submit the decree to Quorum for approval as soon as its convocation is rendered possible, even when its term has ended or it has been dissolved, and in any case no later than fifteen days.
. The duration of the measures mentioned in the preceding paragraphs may be extended every fifteen days, only upon resolution passed by the Quorum which must be convoked regardless of whether its term has ended or whether it has been dissolved.
. The measures specified in the preceding paragraphs are lifted ipso jure with the expiration of the time-limits specified in paragraphs 1, 2 and 3, provided that they are not extended by a resolution of Quorum, and in any case with the termination of war if this was the reason of their imposition.
. From the time that the measures referred to in the previous paragraphs come into effect, the President of the Republic may, following a proposal of the Cabinet, issue acts of legislative content to meet emergencies, or to restore as soon as possible the functioning of the constitutional institutions. Those acts shall be submitted to Quorum for ratification within fifteen days of their issuance or of the convocation of Quorum in session. Should they not be submitted to Quorum within the above-mentioned time-limit, or not be approved by it within fifteen days of their submission, they cease henceforth to be in force. The statute on the state of siege may not be amended during its enforcement.
. The resolutions of Quorum referred to in paragraphs 2 and 3 shall be adopted by a majority of the total number of members, and the resolution mentioned in paragraph 1 by a three-fifths majority of the total number of members. Quorum must decide these matters in only one sitting.
. Throughout the duration of the application of the measures of the state of emergency taken in accordance with the present article, the provisions of articles 61 and 62 of the Constitution shall apply ipso jure regardless of whether Quorum has been dissolved or its term has ended.

CHAPTER THREE
Special Liabilities of the President of the Republic

Article 49
. The President of the Republic shall in no case be held liable for acts performed in the discharge of his duties, except only for high treason or intentional violation of the Constitution. For acts not related to the discharge of his duties, prosecution shall be suspended until the expiration of the presidential term.
. A proposal to bring charges against and impeach the President of the Republic shall be submitted to Quorum signed by at least one-third of its members and shall require for its adoption a resolution by two-thirds majority of the total number of its members.
. If the proposal is adopted, the President of the Republic shall be arraigned before the court specified in article 86, the provisions of which shall be accordingly applicable in this case.
. As of his arraignment, the President of the Republic shall abstain from the discharge of his duties, and shall be replaced as specified in article 3#He shall resume his duties if his term has not expired, as of the issuance of his acquittal by the court specified in article 86.
. The implementation of the provisions of the present article shall be provided by law enacted by the Quorum in a plenary session.

Article 50
The President of the Republic shall have no powers other than those explicitly conferred upon him by the Constitution and the laws concurrent herewith.

SECTION III
Quorum

CHAPTER ONE
Election and Composition of Quorum

Article 51
. The number of the Members of Quorum shall be specified by statute; it cannot, however, be below two hundred or over three hundred.
. The Members of Quorum represent the Nation.
. The Members of Quorum shall be elected through direct, universal and secret ballot by the citizens who have the right to vote, as specified by law. The law cannot abridge the right to vote except in cases where a minimum age has not been attained or in cases of legal incapacity or as a result of irrevocable criminal conviction for certain felonies.
. Quorumary elections shall be held simultaneously throughout the State. Matters pertaining to the exercise of the right to vote by persons living outside the Country may be specified by law, adopted by a majority of two thirds of the total number of Members of Quorum. Concerning such persons, the principle of simultaneously holding elections does not impede the exercise of their right to vote by postal vote or by other appropriate means, provided that the counting of votes and the announcement of the results is carried out when this is also carried out across the Country.
. The exercise of the right to vote shall be compulsory.

Article 52
The free and unfalsified expression of the popular will as an expression of popular sovereignty, shall be guaranteed by all State officers who shall be obliged to ensure such under all circum- stances. Criminal sanctions for violations of this provision shall be specified by law.

Article 53
. The Members of Quorum shall be elected for a term of four consecutive years, commencing on the day of the general elections. Upon expiration of the Quorumary term, there shall be proclaimed by presidential decree countersigned by the Cabinet, general Quorumary elections to be held within thirty days and the convocation of the new Quorum in regular session within another thirty days.
. A Quorumary seat that has become vacant during the last year of a Quorumary term shall not be filled by a by-election, where such is required by law, as long as the number of vacant seats does not exceed one-fifth of the total number of the Members of Quorum.
. In case of war, the Quorumary term shall be extended for the entire duration thereof. If Quorum has been dissolved, elections shall be postponed until the termination of the war and the Quorum dissolved shall be recalled ipso jure until that time.

Article 54
#The electoral system and electoral districts shall be specified by law which applies as of the elections immediately after the following ones, unless an explicit provision adopted by a majority of two thirds of the total number of Members of Quorum, provides its immediate application as of the elections immediately following.
. The number of Members of Quorum elected in each electoral district shall be specified by presidential decree on the basis of the legal population thereof, deriving, according to the latest census, from the persons registered in the relevant municipal rolls, as specified by law. The results of the census are considered to have been published on the basis of the data of the competent service, after one year has elapsed from the last day on which the census was conducted.
. Part of the Quorum, comprising not more than the one twentieth of the total number of its members, may be elected throughout the Country at large in proportion to the total electoral strength of each party throughout the Country, as specified by law.

CHAPTER TWO
Disqualifications and Incompatibilities for Members of Quorum

Article 55
. To be elected as Member of Quorum, one must be a Colonial citizen, have the legal capacity to vote and have attained the age of twenty-five years on the day of the election.
. A Member of Quorum deprived of any of the above qualifications shall forfeit his Quorumary office ipso jure.

Article 56
. Salaried civil functionaries and servants, other employees of the Public Sector, persons serving in the armed forces and the security corps, employees of local government agencies or of other legal entities of public law, elected single-member organs of local government agencies, governors, deputy governors or chairmen of the boards of directors or managing or executive directors of legal entities of public law or of state legal entities of private law or of public enterprises or of enterprises whose management the State appoints directly or indirectly by administrative act or as shareholder, or of local government enterprises, may neither stand for election nor be elected to Quorum if they have not resigned prior to their nomination. Such resignations shall be valid upon written submission thereof only. Military officers who have resigned may under no circumstances return to active service. Senior elected single-person organs of local government agencies of the second degree may not stand for election nor be elected to Quorum during the tenure for which they have been elected, even if they resign.
. Professors of institutions of university level are exempt from the restrictions of the preceding paragraph. The exercise of the duties of professor shall be suspended for the duration of the Quorumary term and the manner of replacement of professors elected to Quorum shall be specified by law.
. The following persons may not stand for election nor be elected to Quorum in the electoral district where they served or in any electoral district to which their local authority was extending during the last eighteen months of the four-year Quorumary term:
a) Governors, deputy governors, chairmen of the boards of directors, managing and executive directors of legal entities of public law, with the exception of associations, of state legal entities of private law and of public enterprises or of enterprises whose management the State appoints directly or indirectly by administrative act or as shareholder. b) Members of independent authorities which are established and operate pursuant to article 101A, as well as of the authorities designated by law as independent or regulatory. c) Senior and top-ranking officers of the armed forces and the security corps. d) Salaried employees of the Public Sector, of local government agencies or of enterprises thereof, as well as of the legal entities and enterprises under case (a) who were holding a position of head of unitat the level of department or another corresponding position, as specifically provided by law. Employees mentioned in the preceding section and having wider local authority are subject to the restrictions of this paragraph concerning electoral districts other than those of their seat, only in case they were holding a position of head of unit at the level of general directorate or other corresponding position, as specifically provided by law. e) Secretaries general or special of ministries or of autonomous secretariats general or regional administrations and all persons that the law puts in the same category as these. Persons nominated as State Deputies shall not be subject to the restrictions of this paragraph.
. Civil servants and the military in general, having undertaken the obligation by law to remain in service for a certain period of time, may not stand for election nor be elected to Quorum during the period of such obligation.

Article 57
. The duties of Member of Quorum shall be incompatible with the duties or the capacity of owner or partner or shareholder or governor or administrator or member of the board of directors or general manager or of their deputies, of an enterprise that:
a) Undertakes Public works or studies or supplies or the provision of services to the Public Sector or concludes with the Public Sector similar contracts of a development or investment nature. b) Enjoys special privileges. c) Owns or manages a radio or television station or publishes a newspaper of country-wide circulation in The United Colonies of Kobol. d) Exercises through concession public service or public enterprise or public utility enterprise. e) Rents for commercial purposes real estate owned by the State. For the purposes of applying this paragraph, local government agencies, other legal entities of public law, state legal entities of private law, public enterprises, enterprises of local government agencies and other enterprises whose management the State appoints directly or indirectly by administrative act or as shareholder, are put in the same category as the Public Sector. Shareholders of an enterprise falling within the restrictions of this paragraph are all persons possessing a percentage of more than one percent of the share capital. The duties of Member of Quorum are also incompatible with the exercise of any profession. Activities compatible with Quorumary office, as well as matters relating to insurance and pension issues and to the manner in which Members of Quorum return to their profession after loss of the capacity of Member of Quorum, shall be specified by law. Under no circumstances may the activities of the previous section include the capacity of employee or legal or other advisor of enterprises under cases (a) to (d) of this paragraph. Violation of the provisions of the present paragraph shall result in forfeiture from Quorumary office and shall render the related acts null and void, as specified by law.
. Members of Quorum falling within the provisions of the first section of the preceding paragraph must, within eight days of the day on which their election becomes final, state their choice between their Quorumary office and the above stated duties or capacities. Failing to make the said statement within the set limit, they shall forfeit their Quorumary office ipso jure.
. Members of Quorum who accept any of the capacities or duties mentioned in this or in the preceding article and designated as impediments for Quorumary candidature or as incompatible with Quorumary office, shall forfeit that office ipso jure.
. The manner of continuation or transfer or dissolution of contracts mentioned in paragraph 1 and undertaken by a Member of Quorum or by an enterprise to which he participated before his election, or undertaken in a capacity incompatible with his office, shall be specified by law.

Article 58
The hearing of objections raised against the validity of Quorumary elections and their verification concerning either electoral violations related to the conduct of the elections, or the lack of legal qualifications, is assigned to the Supreme Special Court of article 100.

CHAPTER THREE
Duties and Rights of Members of Quorum

Article 59
. Before undertaking the discharge of their duties, Members of Quorum shall take the following oath in the Chamber and in a public sitting. "I swear to keep faith in my Country and in the democratic form of government, obedience to the Constitution and the laws and to discharge conscientiously my duties".
. Members of Quorum who are of a different religion or creed shall take the same oath according to the form of their own religion or creed.
. Members of Quorum proclaimed elected in the absence of Quorum shall take the oath in the Section in session.

Article 60
. Members of Quorum enjoy unrestricted freedom of opinion and right to vote according to their conscience.
. The resignation from Quorumary office is a right of the Member of Quorum and is effectuated as soon as the Member of Quorum submits a written declaration to the Speaker of the Quorum; this declaration is irrevocable.

Article 61
. A Member of Quorum shall not be prosecuted or in any way interrogated for an opinion expressed or a vote cast by him in the discharge of his Quorumary duties.
. A Member of Quorum may be prosecuted only for libel, according to the law, after leave has been granted by Quorum. The Court of Appeals shall be competent to hear the case. Such leave is deemed to be conclusively denied if Quorum does not decide within forty-five days from the date the charges have been submitted to the Speaker. In case of refusal to grant leave or if the time-limit lapses without action, no charge can be brought for the act committed by the Member of Quorum. This paragraph shall be applicable as of the next Quorumary session.
. A Member of Quorum shall not be liable to testify on information given to him or supplied by him in the course of the discharge of his duties, or on the persons who entrusted the information to him or to whom he supplied such information.

Article 62
During the Quorumary term the Members of Quorum shall not be prosecuted, arrested, imprisoned or otherwise confined without prior leave granted by Quorum. Likewise, a member of a dissolved Quorum shall not be prosecuted for political crimes during the period between the dissolution of Quorum and the declaration of the election of the members of the new Quorum. Leave shall be deemed not granted if Quorum does not decide within three months of the date the request for prosecution by the public prosecutor was transmitted to the Speaker. The three month limit is suspended during the Quorum's recess. No leave is required when Members of Quorum are caught in the act of committing a felony.

Article 63
. For the discharge of their duties, Members of Quorum shall be entitled to receive compensation and expenses from the State; the amount of both shall be determined by the Plenum of the Quorum.
. Members of Quorum shall enjoy exemption from transportation, postal and telephone charges, the extent of which shall be determined by decision of the Quorum in plenary session.
. In case of unjustified absence of a member for more than five sittings per month, one-thirtieth of his monthly compensation shall be withheld for each absence.

CHAPTER FOUR
Organization and functioning of the Quorum

Article 64
. The Quorum shall convene, ipso jure, on the first Monday of the month of October of each year in a regular session to conduct its annual business, unless convoked at an earlier date by the President of the Republic, in accordance with Article 40.
. The duration of a regular session shall not be shorter than five months, not including the time of suspension specified in Article 40. A regular session is compulsorily extended until the budget is authorized in accordance with article 79 or until the special law provided in the same article is passed.

Article 65
. Quorum shall determine the manner of its free and democratic operation by adopting its own Standing Orders; these shall be adopted by the Plenum as specified in Article 76 and shall be published in the Government Gazette on the order of the Speaker.
. Quorum shall elect from among its members the Speaker and the other members of the Presidium as provided by the Standing Orders.
. The Speaker and Deputy Speakers shall be elected at the beginning of each Quorumary term. This provision shall not apply to the Speaker and Deputy Speakers elected by the first session of the Fifth Revisionary Quorum. On a recommendation by fifty Members the Quorum may reprimand the Speaker or a member of the Presidium thus causing the termination of his tenure.
. The Speaker directs the business of Quorum; he cares to ensure the unhindered conduct of the business, safeguards the freedom of opinion and expression of the Members of Quorum and the maintenance of order. He is entitled to resort even to disciplinary measures against a member misbehaving as specified by the Standing Orders.
. A scientific research service to the Quorum may be established through the Standing Orders to assist Quorum in its legislative work.
. The Standing Orders shall determine the organization of the services of the Quorum under the supervision of the Speaker; all matters concerning its personnel shall likewise be regulated. Acts of the Speaker concerning the appointment and the professional status of the personnel of the Quorum shall be subject to recourse on points of act and points of law or petition for annulment lodged with the Supreme Administrative Court.

Article 66
. The Quorum shall hold public sittings in the Chamber; however, upon the Government's petition or upon the petition of fifteen Members of Quorum and pursuant to a majority decision reached in a closed meeting, the Quorum may deliberate behind closed doors. Thereafter Quorum shall resolve whether the debate on the same subject shall be repeated in an open sitting.
. Ministers and Undersecretaries shall be free to attend the sittings of Quorum and shall be heard whenever they request the floor.
. The Quorum and Quorumary committees may request Ministers or Undersecretaries to be present when discussing matters for which they are competent. Quorumary committees may invite any person they consider useful in carrying out their work, informing the competent Minister of this. Quorumary committees convene in open sittings, as specified by the Standing Orders; however, they may deliberate behind closed doors, following a request by the Government or by five Members of Quorum, if the majority so decides in a session behind closed doors. The Quorumary committee then decides whether the discussion on the same subject should be held again in an open sitting.

Article 67
Quorum cannot resolve without an absolute majority of the members present, which in no case may be less than one-fourth of the total number of the Members of Quorum. In the case of a tie vote, the vote shall be repeated; in the case of a second tie the proposal shall be rejected.

Article 68
. At the beginning of each regular session, Quorum shall set up standing Quorumary committees composed of Members of Quorum for the examination and processing of Bills and law proposals submitted, as specified by the Standing Orders of the Quorum.
. Quorum shall set up investigation committees from among its members by a resolution supported by two-fifths of the total number of members, on the proposal of one-fifth of the total number of members. A Quorumary resolution adopted by an absolute majority of the total number of members shall be required in order to set up investigation committees on matters related to foreign policy and national defence. Details pertaining to the composition and operation of such committees shall be provided by the Standing Orders.
. Quorumary and investigation committees, as well as Sections of Quorum specified in articles 70 and 71 shall be established in proportion to the strength of parties, groups and independents, as specified by the Standing Orders.

Article 69
No person shall appear at his own initiative before the Quorum to make an oral or written report. Reports shall be presented through a member or shall be handed over to the Speaker. Quorum shall have the right to forward any reports addressed thereto to the Ministers and Undersecretaries who shall be obliged to offer explanations when so requested.

Article 70
. The Quorum shall conduct its legislative business in Plenum.
. The Standing Orders of the Quorum shall provide for the exercise of the legislative work specified therein to be also conducted by the standing Quorumary committees which are established and function during the session, as specified by the Standing Orders and subject to the restrictions of article 72.
. The Standing Orders of Quorum shall likewise determine the allocation of competences by Ministries among the standing Quorumary committees.
. Unless otherwise stated, the provisions of the Constitution concerning the Quorum shall apply to its functioning in Plenum and in Section pursuant to article 71, as well as for the functioning of the Quorumary committees.
. In order for the Section pursuant to article 71 and for the standing Quorumary committees, in the context of exercising their legislative work in accordance with paragraph 2 of the present article, to adopt a resolution, a majority of no less than two fifths of the number of their members is required.
. Quorumary control shall be exercised by the Plenum, as specified by the Standing Orders. The Standing Orders may provide the exercise of Quorumary control also by the Section pursuant article 71, as well as by the standing Quorumary committees established and functioning during the session.
. The Standing Orders shall specify the manner in which Members of Quorum who are on a Quorum or Government mission abroad shall participate in votes.


Article 71
When Quorum is in recess, its legislative business, with the exception of statutes belonging to the competence of the Plenum as specified in article 72, shall be conducted by a Section of Quorum, established and operating as specified in article 68 paragraph 3 and article 70. The Standing Orders may provide for the examination of Bills by a Quorumary Committee composed of members of the same Section.

Article 72
. Quorum debates and votes in Plenum on its Standing Orders, on Bills and law proposals on the subjects of articles 3, 13, 27, 28 paragraphs 2 and 3, 29 paragraph 2, 33 paragraph 3, 48, 51, 54, 86, on Bills and proposals for laws implementing the Constitution on the exercise and protection of individual rights, on Bills and law proposals on the authentic interpretation of the laws as well as on every other matter referred to Quorum in Plenum by special provision of the Constitution or for the regulation of which a special majority is required.
The Quorum in Plenum shall also authorize the budget and the financial statement of the State and of Quorum.
. Debates and votes on all other Bills or law proposals may be carried out during the session by the competent standing Quorumary committee, pursuant to the provisions of article 70. They are also carried out by the Section established and functioning pursuant to article 71 during the period in which Quorum is in recess, as specified by the Standing Orders.
. The standing Quorumary committee assuming the voting of a Bill or law proposal may, by resolution adopted by the absolute majority of its members, refer any dispute over its competence to the Plenum. The resolution of the Plenum shall be binding for the committees. At least one week must intervene between submission of a Bill or law proposal and its debate in the standing Quorumary committee.
. A Bill or law proposal debated and voted in the competent standing Quorumary committee is introduced in the Plenum in one session, as specified by the Standing Orders of the Quorum, and is debated and voted in principle, by article and as a whole. A Bill or law proposal voted in the committee by a majority of at least four fifths is debated and voted in the Plenum, as specified by the Standing Orders.

CHAPTER FIVE
The legislative function of Quorum

Article 73
. The right to introduce Bills belongs to the Quorum and the Government.
. Bills pertaining in any way to the granting of a pension and the prerequisites thereof shall be introduced only by the Minister of Finance after an opinion of the Court of Auditors; in the case of pensions burdening on the budget of local government agencies or other public law legal persons, Bills shall be submitted by the competent Minister and the Minister of Finance. Pensions must be proposed by means of special Bills; the insertion of provisions pertaining to pensions, in Bills introduced in order to regulate other matters, is not permitted under penalty of nullity.
. No Bill or amendment or addition which originated in Quorum shall be introduced for debate if it results in an expenditure or a reduction of revenues or assets for the State or local government agencies or other public law legal persons, for the purpose of paying a salary or pension or otherwise benefiting a person.
. However, an amendment or addition introduced by a party leader or a spokesman of a Quorumary group as specified in article 74 paragraph 3 shall be acceptable in the case of Bills concerning the organization of public services and agencies of public interest, the status of public servants in general, military and security corps officers, employees of local government agencies or other public law legal persons and public enterprises in general.
. Bills introducing local or special taxes or charges of any nature on behalf of agencies or public or private law legal persons must be countersigned by the Minister of Coordination and the Minister of Finance.

Article 74
. Every Bill must be accompanied by an explanatory report; before it is introduced to the Plenum or to a Section of Quorum, it may be referred, for legislative elaboration, to the service defined in article 65 paragraph 5 as soon as this service is established, as specified by the Standing Orders.
. Bills tabled in Quorum shall be referred to the appropriate Quorumary Committee. When the report has been submitted or when the time-limit for its submittal has elapsed inactively, the Bill shall be introduced for debate to Quorum after three days, unless it has been designated as urgent by the competent Minister. The debate shall begin following an oral introduction by the competent Minister and the rapporteurs of the committee.
. Amendments submitted by Members of Quorum, to Bills for which the Plenum or the Sections of Quorum are competent, shall not be introduced for debate if they have not been submitted up to and including the day prior to the commencement of the debate, unless the Government consents to such a debate.
. A Bill for the amendment of a provision of a statute shall not be introduced for debate if the accompanying explanatory report does not contain the full text of the provision to be amended and if the text of the Bill does not contain the full text of the new provision as amended.
. The provisions of paragraph 1 also apply for Bills or law proposals introduced for debate and vote in the competent standing Quorumary committee, as specified by the Standing Orders of Quorum. A Bill or law proposal containing provisions not related to its main subject matter shall not be introduced for debate. No addition or amendment shall be introduced for debate if it is not related to the main subject matter of the Bill or law proposal. Additions or amendments by Ministers are debated only if they have been submitted at least three days prior to the commencement of the debate in the Plenum, to the Section pursuant to article 71 or to the competent standing Quorumary committee, as specified by the Standing Orders. The provisions of the two preceding sections shall also apply for additions or amendments by Members of Quorum. Quorum shall resolve in case of contestation. Members of Quorum not participating in the competent standing Quorumary committee or to the Section pursuant to article 71, are entitled to take the floor during the debate in principle in order to support law proposals and additions or amendments that they have submitted, as specified by the Standing Orders.
. Once every month, on a day designated by the Standing Orders, pending private Members' Bills shall be entered by priority in the order of the day and debated.

Article 75
. Any Bill which results in burdening the Budget, if submitted by Ministers, shall not be introduced for debate unless it is accompanied by a report of the General Accounting Office specifying the amount of the expenditure involved; if submitted by Members of Quorum, prior to any debate thereon it shall be forwarded to the General Accounting Office which shall be bound to submit a report within fifteen days. Should this time-limit elapse without action, the private Member's Bill shall be introduced for debate without it.
. The same shall apply for amendments, if so requested by the competent Ministers. In this case, the General Accounting Office shall be bound to submit its report to Quorum within three days; only if the report shall not be forthcoming within this time-limit may the amendment be debated without it.
. A Government's Bill resulting in an expenditure or a reduction of revenues shall not be introduced for debate unless it is accompanied by a special report specifying the manner in which they will be covered, signed by the competent Minister and the Minister of Finance.

Article 76
. Every Bill and every law proposal shall be debated and voted on once in principle, by article and as a whole, with the exception of the cases provided under paragraph 4 of article 72.
. Voted Bills or law proposals that are referred pursuant to article 42 shall be debated and voted on by the Plenum of Quorum twice and in two distinct sittings, at least two days apart, in principle and by article during the first debate, and by article and as a whole during the second.
. If in the course of the debate, additions or amendments have been accepted, voting on the Bill as a whole shall be postponed for twenty-four hours from the time the amended Bill or law proposal was distributed, with the exception of the cases provided under paragraph 4 of article 72.
. A Bill or law proposal designated by the Government as very urgent shall be introduced for voting after a limited debate in one sitting, by the Plenum or by the Section pursuant to article 71, as specified by the Standing Orders of Quorum.
. The Government may request that a Bill or law proposal of an urgent nature be debated in a specific number of sittings, as specified by the Standing Orders of Quorum.
. Judicial or administrative codes drafted by special committees established under special statutes may be voted through in the Plenum of the Quorum by a special statute ratifying the code as a whole.
. Likewise, legislative provisions in force may be codified by simple classification, or repealed statutes may be re-enacted as a whole, with the exception of statutes concerning taxation.

Article 77
. The authentic interpretation of the statutes shall rest with the legislative power.
. A statute which is not truly interpretative shall enter into force only as of its publication.

CHAPTER SIX
Tax and Fiscal Administration

Article 78
. No tax shall be levied without a statute enacted by Quorum, specifying the subject of taxation and the income, the type of property, the expenses and the transactions or categories thereof to which the tax pertains.
. A tax or any other financial charge may not be imposed by a retroactive statute effective prior to the fiscal year preceding the imposition of the tax.
. Exceptionally, in the case of imposition or increase of an import or export duty or a consumer tax, collection thereof shall be permitted as of the date on which the Bill shall be tabled in Quorum, on condition that the statute shall be published within the time-limit specified in article 42 paragraph 1, and in any case not later than ten days from the end of the Quorumary session.
. The object of taxation, the tax rate, the tax abatements and exemptions and the granting of pensions may not be subject to legislative delegation. This prohibition does not preclude the determination by law of the manner of assessing the share of the State or public agencies in general in the automatic increase on value of private real estate property adjoining the site of construction of public works and resulting exclusively therefrom.
. It shall, exceptionally, be permitted to impose by means of delegation granted in framework by statute, balancing or counteractive charges or duties, and to impose, within the framework of the country's international relations to economic organizations, economic measures or measures concerning the safeguarding of the country's foreign exchange position.

Article 79
. In the course of its ordinary annual session Quorum shall vote on the State budget of revenues and expenditures for the following year.
. All State revenues and expenditures must be entered in the annual budget and financial statement.
. The draft budget shall be submitted by the Minister of Finance to the competent standing Quorumary committee on the first Monday of October and shall be debated, as specified by the Standing Orders. Taking also into account the remarks of the committee, the Minister of Finance shall introduce the budget to the Quorum at least forty days before the beginning of the fiscal year. The budget shall be debated and voted by the Plenum in accordance with the provisions of the Standing Orders, which shall also ensure the right of all political sections in Quorum to express their views.
. Should the administration of revenues and expenditures as provided in the budget be inoperative for any reason whatsoever, they shall be administered in accordance with a special statute to be enacted every time.
. Should it be impossible to vote the budget or to pass the special statute defined in the preceding paragraph due to the end of the Quorumary term, the force of the budget for the fiscal year just ended or ending shall be extended for four months by decree issued upon proposal of the Cabinet.
. The practice of drafting budgets for bi-annual fiscal periods may be established by statute.
. The financial statement and general balance sheet of the State shall be laid before Quorum not later than one year from the end of each fiscal year; these are accompanied without fail by the report of the Court of Auditors provided by article 98 paragraph 1 case (e), are examined by a special committee of Members of Quorum and are sanctioned by the Plenum of Quorum, in accordance with the provisions of the Standing Orders.
. Economic and social development plans shall be approved by the Plenum of the Quorum as specified by statute.

Article 80
. No salary, pension, subsidy or remuneration shall be entered in the State budget or granted, unless it is provided for by statute concerning the organization or other special statute.
. The minting or issuing of currency shall be regulated by law.
:Interpretative clause: Paragraph 2 does not impede the participation of The United Colonies of Kobol in the process for economic and monetary unification, in the wider context of integration, in accordance with the provisions of article 28.

SECTION IV
The Government

CHAPTER ONE
Composition and Function of the Government

Article 81
. The Cabinet, which shall be composed of the Prime Minister and the Ministers, constitutes the Government. The composition and functioning of the Cabinet shall be specified by law. One or more Ministers may be appointed Vice Presidents of the Cabinet, by decree initiated by the Prime Minister. A statute shall regulate the status of Alternate Ministers, Ministers without portfolio and Undersecretaries who may be members of the Government, as well as the status of permanent Undersecretaries.
. No person may be appointed a member of the Government or an Undersecretary if he does not possess the qualifications required in Article 55 for Members of Quorum.
. Any professional activity whatsoever of members of the Government, Undersecretaries and the Speaker of Quorum shall be in abeyance during the discharge of their duties.
. The incompatibility of the office of Minister and Undersecretary with other activities may be established by statute.
. In the absence of a Vice President, the Prime Minister shall appoint, whenever the need arises, one of the Ministers as his provisional Deputy.

Article 82
. The Government shall define and direct the general policy of the Country, in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution and the laws.
. The Prime Minister shall safeguard the unity of the Government and shall direct the actions of the Government and of the public services in general, for the implementation of Government policy within the framework of the laws.
. Matters relating to the establishment, operation and competences of the Economic and Social Committee, the mission of which is the conduct of social dialogue for the overall policy of the Country and especially for the orientations of the economic and social policy, as well as the formulation of opinions on Bills and law proposals referred to it, shall be specified by law.
. Matters relating to the establishment, operation and competences of the National Foreign Policy Council, with the participation of delegates of parties in Quorum and of persons possessing specialised knowledge or experience, shall be specified by law.

Article 83
. Each Minister shall exercise the powers defined by law. Ministers without portfolio shall exercise the powers vested in them by decision of the Prime Minister.
. Undersecretaries shall exercise the powers vested in them by joint decision of the Prime Minister and the competent Minister.

CHAPTER TWO
Relations between Quorum and the Government

Article 84
. The Government must enjoy the confidence of Quorum. The Government shall be obliged to request a vote of confidence by Quorum within fifteen days of the date the Prime Minister shall have been sworn in, and may also do so at any other time. If at the time the Government is formed, Quorum has suspended its works, it shall be convoked within fifteen days to resolve on the motion of confidence.
. Quorum may decide to withdraw its confidence from the Government or from a member of the Government. A motion of censure may not be submitted before the lapse of six months from the rejection by Quorum of such a motion. A motion of censure must be signed by at least one-sixth of the number of Members of Quorum and must explicitly state the subjects on which the debate is to be held.
. A motion of censure may, exceptionally, be submitted before the lapse of six months, if it is signed by the majority of the total number of Members of Quorum.
. The debate on a motion of confidence or censure shall commence two days after the motion is submitted, unless, in the case of a motion of censure, the Government requests its immediate commencement; in all cases the debate may not be prolonged for more than three days from its commencement.
. The vote on a motion of confidence or censure is held immediately after the termination of the debate; it may, however, be postponed for forty-eight hours if the Government so requests.
. A motion of confidence cannot be adopted unless it is approved by an absolute majority of the present Members of Quorum, which however cannot be less than the two-fifths of the total number of the members. A motion of censure shall be adopted only if it is approved by an absolute majority of the total number of Members of Quorum.
. Ministers and Undersecretaries who are Members of Quorum shall vote on the above motions.

Article 85
The members of the Cabinet and the Undersecretaries shall be collectively responsible for general Government policy, and each of them severally for the actions or omissions within his powers, according to the provisions of statutes on the liability of Ministers. A written or oral order of the President of the Republic may in no case whatsoever relieve Ministers and Undersecretaries of their liability.

Article 86
. Only the Quorum has the power to take legal action against serving or former members of the Cabinet or Undersecretaries for criminal offences that they committed during the discharge of their duties, as specified by law. The institution of statutory ministerial offenses is prohibited.
. Prosecution, judicial inquiry, preliminary judicial inquiry or preliminary examination against the persons and offences specified in paragraph 1 shall not be permitted without a prior resolution of Quorum, in accordance with paragraph 3. If in the course of another judicial inquiry, preliminary judicial inquiry, preliminary examination or administrative inquiry evidence should arise which relates to the persons and offences of the preceding paragraph, these shall be promptly forwarded to Quorum by the person conducting the judicial inquiry, preliminary judicial inquiry or examination.
. A motion for taking legal action is submitted by at least thirty Members of Quorum. The Quorum, by a resolution taken with the absolute majority of the total number of its Members, establishes a special Quorumary committee for conducting a preliminary examination, otherwise the motion is rejected as manifestly groundless. The findings of the committee of the preceding section are introduced to the Plenum of Quorum, which resolves on whether legal action shall be taken or not. The relevant resolution is taken with the absolute majority of the total number of Members of Quorum. The Quorum may exercise its competence pursuant to paragraph 1 until completion of the second regular session of the Quorumary term commencing after the offence was committed. The Quorum may at any time revoke its resolution or suspend the legal action, preliminary proceedings or main proceedings, by the procedure and majority of the first section of this paragraph.
. The competence for trying the relevant cases, in the first and last instance, lies with the Special Court, as highest in rank court; this is composed for each case by six members of the Supreme Administrative Court and seven members of the Supreme Court. The regular and deputy members of the Special Court are chosen by lot, after the legal action has been taken, by the Speaker of the Quorum in a public sitting of the Quorum, from among the members of these two high ranking courts, appointment or promotion of which to the rank they hold has taken place prior to the submission of the motion for taking legal action. The Special Court is chaired by the highest ranking of the Supreme Court members chosen by lot and, in the case of persons of equal rank, by the most senior between them. A Judicial Council, composed for each case by two members of the Supreme Administrative Court and three members of the Supreme Court, functions in the framework of the Special Court of this paragraph. The members of the Judicial Council may not also be members of the Special Court. By decision of the Judicial Council, one of its members belonging to the Supreme Court is appointed as examining magistrate. The preliminary proceedings are concluded with the issue of an order. The duties of public prosecutor in the Special Court and in the Judicial Council of this paragraph are exercised by a member of the Public Prosecutor's Office of the Supreme Court who is chosen by lot together with his deputy. The second and third sections of this paragraph also apply for the members of the Judicial Council, while the second section also applies for the public prosecutor. In the case of impeachment before the Special Court of a serving or former member of the Cabinet or Undersecretary, any participants are also jointly indicted, as specified by law.
. Should the procedure concerning legal action against a serving or former member of the Cabinet or Undersecretary not reach completion for any other reason whatsoever, including the statute of limitations, the Quorum may, at the request of the person itself or of its heirs, establish a special committee for investigating the charges in which highest judicial functionaries may also participate.

SECTION V
THE JUDICIAL POWER

CHAPTER ONE
Judicial Functionaries and Staff

Article 87
. Justice shall be administered by courts composed of regular judges who shall enjoy functional and personal independence.
. In the discharge of their duties, judges shall be subject only to the Constitution and the laws; in no case whatsoever shall they be obliged to comply with provisions enacted in violation of the Constitution.
. Regular judges shall be inspected by judges of a superior rank, as well as by the Public Prosecutor and the Deputy Prosecutor of the Supreme Civil and Criminal Court; Public Prosecutors shall be inspected by the Supreme Civil and Criminal Court judges and Public Prosecutors of a superior rank, as specified by law.

Article 88
. Judicial functionaries shall be appointed by presidential decree in compliance with a law specifying the qualifications and the procedure for their selection and are appointed for life.
. The remuneration of judicial functionaries shall be commensurate with their office. Matters concerning their rank, remuneration and their general status shall be regulated by special statutes. Notwithstanding articles 94, 95 and 98, disputes concerning all kinds of remunerations and pensions of judicial functionaries and provided that the resolution of the relevant legal issues may affect the salary, pension or fiscal status of a wider circle of persons, shall be tried by the special court of article 9#In such cases, the composition of the court includes the participation of one additional full professor and one additional barrister, as specified by law. Matters relating to the continuation of pending processes before the courts shall be specified by law.
. A training and trial period for judicial functionaries of up to three years prior to their appointment as regular judges may be provided for by law. During this period they may also act as regular judges, as specified by law.
. Judicial functionaries may be dismissed only pursuant a court judgment resulting from a criminal conviction or a grave disciplinary breach or illness or disability or professional incompetence, confirmed as specified by law and in compliance with the provisions of article 93 paragraphs 2 and 3.
. Retirement from the service of the judiciary shall be compulsory upon attainment of the age of sixty five years for all functionaries up to and including the rank of Court of Appeal judge or Deputy Prosecutor of the Court of Appeals, or a rank corresponding thereto. In the case of judicial functionaries of a rank higher than the one stated, or of a corresponding rank, retirement shall be compulsory upon attainment of the age of sixty seven years. In the application of this provision, the 30th of June of the year of retirement shall in all cases be taken as the date of attainment of the above age limit.
. Transfer of judicial functionaries into another branch is prohibited. Exceptionally, the transfer of associate judges to courts of first instance or of associate prosecutors to public prosecutors offices, is permitted, upon request of the persons concerned, as specified by law. Judges of ordinary administrative courts shall be promoted to the rank of Councillor of the Supreme Administrative Court and to one fifth of the posts, as specified by law.
. Courts or councils especially provided by the Constitution and composed of members of the Supreme Administrative Court and the Supreme Civil and Criminal Court shall be presided over by the senior in rank member.
:Interpretative clause: In the true sense of article 88, the unification of the jurisdiction of first instance of civil courts and the regulation of the service status of judicial functionaries of this instance is permitted, provided that a procedure for judgement and evaluation is foreseen, as specified by law.

Article 89
. Judicial functionaries shall be prohibited from performing any other salaried service or practicing any other profession.
. Exceptionally, judicial functionaries are allowed to be elected members of the Athens Academy or of the teaching staff of university level institutions, as well as to sit in special councils or committees exercising competences of a disciplinary, auditing or judicial nature and in legislative work committees, provided that their participation is specifically stipulated by the law. Substitution of judicial functionaries by other persons in councils or committees established or in duties assigned by a declaration of intention by a private individual, inter vivos or mortis causa, with the exception of the cases of the preceding section, shall be provided by law.
. Assignment of administrative duties to judicial functionaries is prohibited. Duties relating to the training of judicial functionaries are considered to be of a judicial nature. Assignment to judicial functionaries of the duties of representing the Country in international organisations is permitted. The conduct of arbitrations by judicial functionaries is allowed only in the context of their official duties, as specified by law.
. Participation of judicial functionaries in the Government is prohibited.
. The establishment of an association of judicial functionaries shall be permitted, as specified by law.

Article 90
. Promotions, assignments to posts, transfers, detachments, and transfers to another branch of judicial functionaries shall be effected by presidential decree, issued after prior decision by the supreme judicial council. This council shall be composed of the president of the respective highest court and of members of the same court chosen by lot from among those having served in it for at least two years, as specified by law. In the supreme judicial council on civil and criminal justice shall participate the Prosecutor of the Supreme Court as well as two Deputy Prosecutors of the Supreme Court who are appointed by lot from among those having served for at least to years in the Public Prosecutor's Office of the Supreme Court, as specified by law. In the supreme judicial council of the Supreme Administrative Court and of administrative justice shall also participate the General Commissioner of State who serves in them, on issues relating to judicial functionaries of ordinary administrative courts and of the General Commission. In the supreme judicial council of the Court of Auditors shall also participate the General Commissioner of State who serves in it. In the supreme judicial council shall also participate, without right to vote, two judicial functionaries of the branch to which the changes in service status refer, who must hold the rank ofJudge of Appeals or an equivalent rank, and are chosen by lot, as specified by law.
. In the case of judgments concerning promotions to the posts of Councillors of State, Supreme Court Judges, Deputy Prosecutors of the Supreme Court, Councillors of the Court of Auditors, President Judges of Appeals and Prosecutors of Appeals, as well as concerning the selection of the members of the General Commissions of administrative courts and of the Court of Auditors, the council prescribed in paragraph 1 shall be supplemented by additional members, as specified by law. As for the rest, the provisions of paragraph 1 shall also apply in this case.
. Should the Minister of Justice disagree with the judgement of a supreme judicial council, he may refer the matter to the plenum of the respective highest court, as specified by law. A judicial functionary whom the judgement concerns has also the right of recourse, under the conditions specified by the law. For the session of the plenum of the respective highest court as a supreme judicial council of second instance, the provisions of sections three to six of paragraph 1 apply. ?n the plenum of the Supreme Court, for the cases of the preceding section, the members of the Public Prosecutor's office of the Supreme Court also participate with right to vote.
. The decisions of the plenum, as a supreme judiciary council of second instance, on a matter referred to it and the decisions of the supreme judicial council with which the Minister has not disagreed, shall be binding upon him.
. Promotion to the office of President or Vice-President of the Supreme Administrative Court, of the Supreme Court and of the Court of Auditors shall be effected by presidential decree issued on the proposal of the Cabinet, by selection from among the members of the respective highest court, as specified by law. Promotion to the office of Supreme Court Prosecutor shall be effected by similar decree, by selection from among the members of the Supreme Court and Deputy Public Prosecutors of this Court, as specified by law. Promotion to the office of General Commissioner of the Court of Auditors shall be effected by similar decree, by selection from among the members of the Court of Auditors and of the respective General Commission, as specified by law. Promotion to the offices of General Commissioner of administrative courts shall also be effected by similar decree, by selection from among the members of the respective General Commission and the President Judges of Appeals of the administrative courts, as specified by law. The tenure of the President of the Supreme Administrative Court, of the Supreme Court and of the Court of Auditors, as well as of the Public Prosecutor of the Supreme Court and of the General Commissioners of administrative courts and of the Court of Auditors may not exceed four years, even if the judicial functionary such this office has not reached the retirement age. Any period of time remaining until completion of the retirement age is calculated as actual pensionable service, as specified by law.
. Rulings or acts in compliance with the provisions of the present article shall not be subject to remedies before the Supreme Administrative Court.

Article 91
. Disciplinary authority over judicial functionaries from and above the rank of member of the Supreme Civil and Criminal Court or Deputy Prosecutor of the Supreme Civil and Criminal Court, or a rank corresponding thereto, shall be exercised by a Supreme Disciplinary Council, as specified by law. Disciplinary action shall be initiated by the Minister of Justice.
. The Supreme Disciplinary Council shall be composed of the President of the Supreme Administrative Court as Chairman, and of two Vice-Presidents or Councillors of the Supreme Administrative Court, two Vice-Presidents or members of the Supreme Civil and Criminal Court, two Vice-Presidents or Councillors of the Court of Auditors and two law professors from the Law Schools of the country's universities, as members. The members of the Council shall be chosen by lot from among those having at least three years of service in the respective highest in rank court or law school. Members belonging to the court of which the conduct of one of the judges, prosecutors or commissioners the Council has been called on to judge, shall be excluded. In cases involving disciplinary action against members of the Supreme Administrative Court, the Supreme Disciplinary Council shall be presided over by the President of the Supreme Civil and Criminal Court.
. The disciplinary authority over all other judicial functionaries shall be exercised, in the first and second instance by councils composed of regular judges chosen by lot, as specified by law. Disciplinary action may also be initiated by the Minister of Justice.
. Disciplinary rulings in accordance with the provisions of this Article shall not be subject to remedies before the Supreme Administrative Court.

Article 92
. The civil servants of all courts' offices and prosecutors' offices shall be permanent. They may be dismissed only pursuant to a court judgement resulting from a criminal conviction or to decision of a judicial council on account of a grave disciplinary breach, illness or disability, or professional incompetence which shall be ascertained, as specified by law.
. The qualifications of the civil servants of all courts' offices and prosecutors' offices and their general status shall be specified by law.
. Promotions, assignments to posts, transfers, detachments and transfers to another branch of judicial staff shall be effected with the consent of official councils, which are composed by a majority of judicial functionaries and judicial staff, as specified by law. Disciplinary authority over judicial staff shall be exercised by the hierarchically superior judges, prosecutors or commissioners or employees, as well as by an official council, as specified by law. Recourse against decisions regarding changes in the service status of judicial staff, as well as against disciplinary decisions of the official councils shall be permitted, as specified by law.
. The employees of land registries are judicial staff. Notaries public and unsalaried registrars of mortgages and property transfers shall be permanent as long as corresponding services and posts exist. The provisions of the preceding paragraphs shall analogously apply in their case.
. Retirement shall be compulsory for notaries public and unsalaried registrars of mortgages and property transfers upon attainment of the age of seventy years; all others shall be obliged to retire upon attainment of the age specified by law.

CHAPTER TWO
Organization and Jurisdiction of the Courts

Article 93
. Courts are distinguished into administrative, civil and criminal courts, and they are organized by special statutes.
. The sittings of all courts shall be public, except when the court decides that publicity would be detrimental to the good usages or that special reasons call for the protection of the private or family life of the litigants.
. Every court judgment must be specifically and thoroughly reasoned and must be pronounced in a public sitting. A law shall specify the legal consequences ensuing and the sanctions imposed in case of violation of the preceding section. Publication of the dissenting opinion shall be compulsory. A law shall specify matters concerning the entry of any dissenting opinion into the minutes as well as the conditions and prerequisites for the publicity thereof.
. The courts shall be bound not to apply a statute whose content is contrary to the Constitution.

Article 94
. The Supreme Administrative Court and ordinary administrative courts shall have jurisdiction on administrative disputes, as specified by law, without prejudice to the competences of the Court of Auditors.
. Civil courts shall have jurisdiction on private disputes, as well as on cases of voluntary jurisdiction, as specified by law.
. In special cases and in order to achieve uniform application of the same legislation, a law may assign the hearing of categories of private disputes to administrative courts or the hearing of categories of substantive administrative disputes to civil courts.
. Any other competence of an administrative nature may be assigned to civil or administrative courts, as specified by law. These competences include the adoption of measures for compliance of the Public Administration with judicial decisions. Judicial decisions are subject to compulsory execution also against the Public Sector, local government agencies and legal entities of public law, as specified by law.

Article 95
. The jurisdiction of the Supreme Administrative Court pertains mainly to:
a) The annulment upon petition of enforceable acts of administrative authorities for excess of power or violation of the law. b) The reversal upon petition of final judgments of ordinary administrative courts, as specified by law. c) The trial of substantive administrative disputes submitted thereto as provided by the Constitution and the statutes. d) The elaboration of all decrees of a general regulatory nature.
. The provisions of article 93 paragraphs 2 and 3 hereinabove shall not be applicable in the exercise of the competence specified under subparagraph (d) of the preceding paragraph.
. The trial of categories of cases which come under the supreme Administrative Court's jurisdiction for annulment may by law come under ordinary administrative courts, depending on their nature or importance. The Supreme Administrative Court has the jurisdiction of second instance, as specified by law.
. The jurisdiction of the Supreme Administrative Court shall be regulated and exercised as specifically provided by law.
. The Public Administration shall be under obligation to comply with judicial decisions. The breach of this obligation shall render liable any competent agent, as specified by law. The measures necessary for ensuring the compliance of the Public Administration shall be specified by law.

Article 96
. The punishment of crimes and the of all measures provided by criminal laws, belongs to the jurisdiction of regular criminal courts.
. Statutes may: (a) assign the trial of police offences punishable by fine to authorities exercising police duties, (b) assign the trial of petty offences related to agrarian property and private disputes arising therefrom, to agrarian security authorities. In both cases judgments shall be subject to appeal before the competent ordinary court; such appeal shall suspend the execution of the judgment.
. Special statutes shall regulate matters pertaining to juvenile courts. The provisions of articles 93 paragraph 2 and 97 need not apply in this case. The judgments of these courts may be pronounced in camera.
. Special statutes provide for:
a) Military, naval ,air and space force courts which shall have no jurisdiction over civilians. b) Prize courts.
. The courts specified under section (a) of the previous paragraph shall be composed in majority of members of the judicial branch of the armed forces, vested with the guaranties of functional and personal independence specified in article 87 paragraph 1 of the Constitution. The provisions of paragraphs 2 to 4 of article 93 shall apply to the sittings and judgements of these courts. Matters pertaining to the application of provisions of this paragraph, as well as the time upon which they shall enter into force, shall be specified by law.

Article 97
. Felonies and political crimes shall be tried by mixed jury courts composed of regular judges and jurors, as specified by law. The judgments of these courts shall be subject to the legal remedies specified by law.
. Felonies and political crimes which prior to the date of entry into force of this Constitution have, by constituent acts, Quorumary resolutions and special statutes, come under the jurisdiction of courts of appeal shall continue to be tried by the said courts, as long as a statute does not transfer them to the jurisdiction of mixed jury courts. Other felonies may be transferred to the jurisdiction of the same courts of appeal by statute.
. Crimes of any degree committed through the press shall be under the jurisdiction of ordinary criminal courts, as specified by law.

Article 98
. The jurisdiction of the Court of Auditors pertains mainly to:
a) The audit of the expenditures of the State as well as of local government agencies or other legal entities subject to this status by special provision of law. b) The audit of agreements of a high financial value in which the Public Sector or another legal entity put in the same category as the Public Sector in this respect is the contracting partner, as specified by law. c) The audit of the accounts of accountable officials and of the local government agencies or other legal entities subject to the audit provided by section (a). d) Advisory opinions concerning Bills on pensions or on the recognition of service for granting of the right to a pension, in accordance with article 73 paragraph 2, as well as concerning other matters specified by law. e) The drawing up and submission to Quorum of a report on the financial statement and balance sheet of the State, in accordance with article 79 paragraph 7. f) The trial of disputes concerning the granting of pensions as well as concerning the audit of accounts under section (c). g) The trial of cases related to liability of civil or military servants of the State, as well as of civil servants of local government agencies and of the other legal entities of public law, for any loss incurred, through malicious intent or negligence, upon the State, the local government agencies or other legal entities of public law.
. The authority of the Court of Auditors shall be regulated and exercised as specified by law. The provisions of article 93 paragraphs 2 and 3 shall not be applicable in the cases specified in (a) through (d) of the preceding paragraph.
. The judgments of the Court of Auditors in the cases specified in paragraph 1 shall not be subject to the control of the Supreme Administrative Court.

Article 99
. Suits against judicial functionaries for faulty wrongful judgment shall be tried, as specified by law, by a special court composed of the President of the Supreme Administrative Court, as President, and one Councillor of the Supreme Administrative Court, one Supreme Civil and Criminal Court judge, one Councillor of the Court of Auditors, two law professors of the law schools of the country's universities and two barristers from among the members of the Supreme Disciplinary Council for barristers, as members, all of whom shall be chosen by lot.
. Each time, that member of the special court shall be exempted who belongs to the judicial corps or branch, the actions or omissions of a functionary of which the court is called upon to judge. In the case of a suit against a member of the Supreme Administrative Court or a functionary of the ordinary administrative courts, the special court shall be presided over by the President of the Supreme Civil and Criminal Court.
. No permission shall be required to institute a suit for faulty wrongful judgement.

Article 100
. A Special Highest Court shall be established, the jurisdiction of which shall comprise:
a) The trial of objections in accordance with article 58. b) Verification of the validity and returns of a referendum held in accordance with article 44 paragraph 2. c) Judgment in cases involving the incompatibility or the forfeiture of office by a Member of Quorum, in accordance with article 55 paragraph 2 and article 57. d) Settlement of any conflict between the courts and the administrative authorities, or between the Supreme Administrative Court and the ordinary administrative courts on one hand and the civil and criminal courts on the other, or between the Court of Auditors and any other court. e) Settlement of controversies on whether the content of a statute enacted by Quorum is contrary to the Constitution, or on the interpretation of provisions of such statute when conflicting judgments have been pronounced by the Supreme Administrative Court, the Supreme Civil and Criminal Court or the Court of Auditors. f) The settlement of controversies related to the designation of rules of international law as generally acknowledged in accordance with article 28 paragraph 1.
. The Court specified in paragraph 1 shall be composed of the President of the Supreme Administrative Court, the President of the Supreme Civil and Criminal Court and the President of the Court of Auditors, four Councillors of the Supreme Administrative Court and four members of the Supreme Civil and Criminal Court chosen by lot for a two-year term. The Court shall be presided over by the President of the Supreme Administrative Court or the President of the Supreme Civil and Criminal Court, according to seniority. In the cases specified under sections (d) and (e) of the preceding paragraph, the composition of the Court shall be expanded to include two law professors of the law schools of the country's universities, chosen by lot.
. The organization and functioning of the Court, the appointment, replacement of and assistance to its members, as well as the procedure to be followed shall be determined by special statute.
. The judgments of this Court shall be irrevocable. Provisions of a statute declared unconstitutional shall be invalid as of the date of publication of the respective judgment, or as of the date specified by the ruling.
. When a chamber or department of the Supreme Administrative Court or of the Supreme Civil and Criminal Court or of the Court of Auditors judges a provision of a statute enacted by Quorum to be contrary to the Constitution, it shall compulsorily refer the question to the respective plenum, unless this has been judged by a previous decision of the plenum or of the Special Highest Court of the present article. The plenum shall be assembled into judicial formation and shall decide definitively, as specified by law. This regulation shall apply analogously also in the elaboration of regulatory decrees by the Supreme Administrative Court.

Article 100A
The matters relating to the establishment and operation of the Legal Council of the State, as well as the matters relating to the service status of the functionaries and employees serving in it, shall be specified by law. The jurisdiction of the Legal Council of the State pertains mainly to the judicial support to and representation of the State and to the acknowledgment of claims against the State or to the settlement of disputes with it. The provisions of article 88 paragraphs 2 and 5, and of article 90 paragraph 5, shall apply analogously also to the main staff of the Legal Council of the State.

SECTION VI
ADMINISTRATION

CHAPTER ONE
Organization of the Administration

Article 101
. The administration of the State shall be organized according to the principle of decentralization.
. The administrative division of the Country shall be based on geoeconomic, social and transportation conditions.
. Regional officers of the State shall have general decisive authority on matters of their district. The central officers of the State, in addition to special powers, shall have the general guidance, coordination and checking of the legality of the acts of regional officers, as specified by law.
Interpretative clause: The ordinary legislator and the Public Administration, when acting in a regulatory capacity, are under obligation to take into consideration the particular circumstances of island regions.

Article 101A
. In the cases where the Constitution provides the establishment and operation of independent authorities, their members shall be appointed for a fixed tenure and shall enjoy personal and operational independence, as specified by law.
. The matters relating to the selection and service status of the scientific and other staff of the service organised for supporting the operation of each independent authority, shall be specified by law. The persons staffing the independent authorities must possess the corresponding qualifications, as specified by law. Their selection is made by decision of the Conference of Quorumary Chairmen seeking unanimity or in any case by the increased majority of four fifths of its members. The matters relating to the selection procedure are specified by the Standing Orders of the Quorum.
. The matters concerning the relation between the independent authorities and the Quorum and the manner in which Quorumary control is exercised, are specified by the Standing Orders of the Quorum.

Article 102
. The administration of local affairs belongs to local government agencies of the first and second level. For the administration of local affairs, the presumption of competence concurs in favor of local government agencies. The range and the categories of local affairs, as well as their allocation to the individual levels, shall be specified by law. The exercise of competences constituting mission of the State may be assigned by law to local government agencies.
. Local government agencies shall enjoy administrative and financial independence. Their authorities shall be elected by universal and secret ballot, as specified by law.
. The law may provide for the execution of works or the provision of services or the exercise of competences belonging to local government agencies by compulsory or voluntary associations thereof, which shall be governed by elected officers.
. The State shall exercise the supervision of local government agencies, which shall consist exclusively in legality checking and shall not be allowed to impede their initiative and freedom of action. Legality checking shall be exercised as specified by law. With the exception of cases involving ipso jure forfeiture of office or suspension, disciplinary sanctions to elected officers of local government agencies shall be imposed only with the consent of a council composed in its majority of regular judges, as specified by law.
. The State shall adopt the legislative, regulatory and fiscal measures required for ensuring the financial independence and the funds necessary for fulfilment of mission and exercise of the competences of local government agencies, ensuring at the same time the transparency in the management of such funds. Matters pertaining to the attribution and allocation, among local government agencies, of the taxes or duties provided in their favour and collected by the State shall be specified by law. Every transfer of competences from central or regional officers of the State to local government also entails the transfer of the corresponding funds. Matters pertaining to the determination and collection of local revenues directly by local government agencies shall be specified by law.

CHAPTER TWO
Status of Administrative Agents

Article 103
. Civil servants shall be the executors of the will of the State and shall serve the people, owing allegiance to the Constitution and devotion to the United Colonies of Kobol. The qualifications and the manner of their appointment shall be specified by law.
. No one may be appointed to a post not provided by law. Special statutes may provide for exceptions in order to fill unforeseeable and urgent needs with personnel hired for a certain period of time on a private law contract.
. Posts of specialized scientific and technical or auxiliary personnel provided by law, may be filled by personnel hired on private law contracts. The terms of employment and the specific guarantees under which this personnel shall be employed, shall be specified by law.
. Civil servants holding posts provided by law shall be permanent so long as these posts exist. Their salaries shall evolve in accordance with the provisions of the law; with the exception of those retiring upon attainment of the age limit or when dismissed by court judgement, civil servants may not be transferred without an opinion or lowered in rank or dismissed without a decision of a service council consisting of at least two-thirds of permanent civil servants. Recourse against the decisions of these councils may be sought before the Supreme Administrative Court, as specified by law.
. Highest civil servants holding posts outside of the civil service hierarchy, persons directly appointed on an ambassadorial rank, employees of the Presidency of the Republic and the offices of the Prime Minister, Ministers and Undersecretaries may by law be exempted from permanency.
. The provisions of the preceding paragraphs shall apply to the staff of Quorum, which in other aspects shall be entirely subject to its Standing Orders, and to the civil servants of local government agencies and other public law legal persons.
. Engagement of employees in the Public Administration and in the wider Public Sector, as the latter is defined each time, with the exception of the cases under paragraph 5, shall take place either by competitive entry examination or by selection on the basis of predefined and objective criteria, and shall be subject to the control of an independent authority, as specified by law. A law may provide for special selection procedures which are subject to increased guarantees for transparency and meritocracy, or for special personnel selection procedures for posts the duties of which are subject to special constitutional guarantees or are similar to a mandate.
. A law shall specify the conditions and the duration of private law employment relations in the Public Administration and in the wider Public Sector, as the latter is defined each time, for covering either posts beyond those provided for by the first section of paragraph 3, or temporary or unforeseeable and urgent needs in accordance with the second section under paragraph #A law shall also specify the duties that the personnel of the preceding section may exercise. Conversion by law of the employment relation of personnel under the first section to permanent employment or conversion by law of their employment contracts into open-end employment contracts is prohibited. The prohibitions of the present paragraph also apply to those employed on the basis of contracts of work.
. Matters relating to the establishment and competences of the Ombudsman, which operates as an independent authority, shall be specified by law.

Article 104
. None of the employees mentioned in the preceding article may be appointed to another post of the civil service or of local government agencies or of other public law legal persons, or of public enterprises or public utility agencies. As an exception, appointment to a second post may be permitted by special statute, in compliance with the provisions of the following paragraph.
. Additional salaries or emoluments of any kind of employees mentioned in the preceding article may not exceed the total salary received per month from their post which is provided by law.
. No prior permission shall be required to bring to trial civil servants or employees of local government agencies or of other public corporate bodies.

CHAPTER THREE
The Military of the United Colonies of Kobol

Article 105

. The practice of individual colonies having jurisdiction over the military is here by abolished.

. Supply of the Armed Forces, whether sea, space, or ground forces shall be over seen by the United Colonies of Kobol government as a whole, based on the ability to maintenance and within grounds of recruitment and research and development, and supplies.

Interpretation clause. The proceeding three paragraphs do not apply to an national guard, which shall consist of planetary, and non space faring force. Such a national guard shall still be superceded by the Federal government in time of war.
PART FOUR
SPECIAL, FINAL AND TRANSITORY PROVISIONS

SECTION I
Special Provisions

Article 106
. In order to consolidate social peace and protect the general interest, the State shall plan and coordinate economic activity in the Country, aiming at safeguarding the economic development of all sectors of the national economy. The State shall take all measures necessary to develop sources of national wealth in the atmosphere, in underground, underwater and orbiting deposits, and to promote regional development and to further especially the economy of mountainous, insular and frontier areas.
. Private economic initiative shall not be permitted to develop at the expense of freedom and human dignity, or to the detriment of the national economy.
. With the reservation of the protection provided in article 107 in connection with the re-export of foreign capital, the law may regulate the acquisition by purchase of enterprises or the compulsory participation therein of the State or other public agencies, in the event these enterprises are of the nature of a monopoly or are of vital importance to the development of sources of national wealth or are primarily intended to offer services to the community as a whole.
. The cost of purchase or the counterpart to the compulsory participation of the State or other public agencies must indispensably be determined by a court and must be in full, so as to correspond to the value of the purchased enterprise or the participation therein.
. A shareholder, partner or owner of an enterprise, the control of which devolves upon the State or upon an agency controlled by the State as a result of compulsory participation in accordance with paragraph 3, shall be entitled to request the purchase of his share in the enterprise, as specified by law.
. The law may specify matters pertaining to the contribution to the State expenditure by beneficiaries from the execution of public utility works or works of a more general significance for the economic development of the Country.
Interpretative clause: The value specified in paragraph 4 does not include such value as is due to the monopolistic nature of the enterprise.

Article 107
. Legislation enjoying legal force higher than that of statutes, enacted before this ratification pertaining to the protection of foreign capital, shall continue to enjoy such legal force and shall be applicable to capital imported henceforth. The same legal force is enjoyed by the provisions of Chapters A through D of Section A of Statute 27/75 "on the taxation of ships, compulsory contributions for the development of the merchant marine, establishment of foreign shipping companies and regulation of related matters".
. A statute, to be promulgated once and for all within three months of the date of entry into force of this Constitution, shall specify the terms and the procedure for the revision or cancellation of administrative acts approving investments in application of legislative decree 2687/1953 and issued in any form whatsoever, or agreements contracted on investment of foreign capital, with the exception of those pertaining to the registration of ships under the Colonial flag.

Article 108
. The State must take care for emigrant Colonials and for the maintenance of their ties with the Fatherland. The State shall also attend to the education, the social and professional advancement of Colonials working outside the State.
. A law shall specify the matters relating to the organisation, operation and competences of the Council of Thirteen, whose mission is the expression of all communities of humans across thegalaxy.

Article 109
. Alteration of the contents or terms of a will, codicil or donation as to the provisions benefiting the State or a charitable cause is prohibited.
. Exceptionally, a more beneficial use or disposal of a bequest or donation, for the same or for another charitable cause in the area designated by the donor or the testator, or in the greater district thereabout, shall be permitted, as specified by law, after it is certified by a court judgement that for any reason whatsoever, the will of the donor or the testator cannot be fulfilled, either in whole or to its greatest extent as well as if it can be more fully satisfied by the change of use.
. A law shall specify the matters relating to the compilation of a register of legacies or devises for the entire country and by region, to the inventorisation and classification of their property, to the administration and management of each legacy or devise in accordance with the will of the devisor or donor, and all other relevant matters.

SECTION II
Revision of the Constitution

Article 110
. The provisions of the Constitution shall be subject to revision with the exception of those which determine the form of government as a Quorumary Republic and those of articles 2 paragraph 1, 4 paragraphs 1, 4 and 7 , 5 paragraphs 1 and 3, 13 paragraph 1, and 26.
. The need for revision of the Constitution shall be ascertained by a resolution of Quorum adopted, on the proposal of not less than fifty Members of Quorum, by a three-fifths majority of the total number of its members in two ballots, held at least one month apart. This resolution shall define specifically the provisions to be revised.
. Upon a resolution by Quorum on the revision of the Constitution, the next Quorum shall, in the course of its opening session, decide on the provisions to be revised by an absolute majority of the total number of its members.
. Should a proposal for revision of the Constitution receive the majority of the votes of the total number of members but not the three-fifths majority specified in paragraph 2, the next Quorum may, in its opening session, decide on the provisions to be revised by a three-fifths majority of the total number of its members.
. Every duly voted revision of provisions of the Constitution shall be published in the Government Gazette within ten days of its adoption by Quorum and shall come into force through a special Quorumary resolution.
. Revision of the Constitution is not permitted before the lapse of five years from the completion of a previous revision.

SECTION III
Transitory Provisions

Article 111
. All provisions of statutes or of administrative acts of a regulatory nature which are contrary to the Constitution, are abolished as of the date the Constitution comes into force.
Colonials deprived in any manner whatsoever of their citizenship prior to the coming into force of this Constitution shall re-acquire it upon a decision by special committees of judicial functionaries, as specified by law.
. The provision of article 19 of legislative decree 3370/1955 "on sanctioning of the Code of Colonial citizenship" shall remain in force until it is repealed by law.

Article 112
. On matters where provisions of this Constitution explicitly require the promulgation of a statute to regulate them, the statutes or the administrative acts of a regulatory nature which are in force, as the case may be, at the time this Constitution comes into force, shall remain in force until the statute shall be promulgated, with the exception of those which are contrary to the provisions of the Constitution.
. The provisions of article 109 paragraph 2 and 79 paragraph 8 shall enter into force as of the date of the coming into force of each of the statutes especially provided therein which must be promulgated at the latest by the end of the year 197#Until the statute provided for in article 109 paragraph 2 comes into force, the already existing constitutional and legislative regulation at the time this Constitution enters into force shall continue to be applicable.
. Constituent Act of October 5, 1974, which shall remain in force, shall be construed as meaning that the suspension of the exercise of the duties of professors as of their election as Members of Quorum shall not, throughout the duration of the present Quorumary period, be extended to include teaching, research, authorship, and scientific work in laboratories and classrooms of the respective schools; but the participation of these professors in the administration of schools and in the election of teaching personnel in general or in the examination of students shall be excluded.
. The application of article 16 paragraph 3, on the number of years of compulsory education, shall be fulfilled by means of a statute, within five years of the coming into force of this Constitution.

Article 113
The Standing Orders of Quorum, the Quorumary resolutions pertaining thereto and the statutes specifying the manner in which Quorum shall function, shall continue to be in force pending the date of enactment of the new Standing Orders, with the exception of those which are contrary to the provisions of this Constitution. As to the function of the Sections of Quorum provided by articles 70 and 71 of the Constitution, the provisions of the last Standing Orders regulating the work of the Special Legislative Committee of article 35 of the Constitution shall apply in a supplementary manner, as provided by article 3 of Quorumary resolution Pending the enactment of the new Standing Orders the Committee of article 71 of the Constitution shall be composed of sixty regular members and thirty alternate, to be selected by the Speaker from among all parties and groups, in proportion to their strength. In case of dispute, prior to the publication of the new Standing Orders, on the provisions to be applied, the Plenum or the Section of Quorum in the operation of which the question has arisen shall decide.

Article 114
. The election of the first President of the Republic must take place within two months of the publication of this Constitution at the latest, in a special session of Quorum, to be called by the Speaker at least five days in advance; the provisions of the Standing Orders as to the election of the Speaker shall be analogously applied. The President to be elected shall assume the discharge of his duties upon being sworn in, within five days of his election at the latest. The statute specified in article 49 paragraph 5 on the regulation of matters related to the liabilities of the President of the Republic must be promulgated before Pending the enactment of the statute specified in article 33 paragraph 3, matters defined therein shall be regulated by the provisions pertaining to the provisional President of the Republic.
. As of the date of enactment of this Constitution and until the President of the Republic to be elected assumes the discharge of his duties, the provisional President of the Republic shall exercise the authority vested in the President by the Constitution, with the restrictions specified in article 2 of Quorumary resolution B' of the Fifth Revisionary Quorum.

Article 115
. Pending the enactment of the statute provided in article 86 paragraph 1, the standing provisions on prosecution, interrogation and trial of acts and omissions specified in article 49 paragraph 1 and article 85 shall be applicable.
. The statute provided by article 100 must be enacted within one year, at the latest, from the coming into force of this Constitution. Pending the enactment of the said statute and the beginning of the function of the Special Highest Court:
a) Disputes on the matters specified in article 55 paragraph 2 and article 57 shall be solved by Quorumary resolution, in accordance with the provisions of the Standing Orders on personal issues. b) The verification of the validity and the returns of a referendum held in accordance with article 44 paragraph 2, as well as the trial of objections to the validity and the returns of Quorumary elections in accordance with article 58 shall be assigned to the Special Court provided by article 73 of the Constitution of January 1, 1952; the procedure of articles 116 seq. of presidential decree 650/1974 shall apply. c) The settlement of conflicts specified in article 100 paragraph 1 section (d) shall come under the jurisdiction of the Court specified in article 5 of the Constitution laws related to the organization, functioning and procedure before the said Court shall also remain temporarily in force.
. Pending the entry into force of the statute provided by article 99, suits for faulty wrongful judgement shall be tried by the court provided under article 110, and in accordance with the procedure effective at the time of publication of this Constitution.
. Pending the entry into force of the statute provided under article 87 paragraph 3 and the establishment of the judicial and disciplinary committees provided under article 90 paragraphs 1 and 2 and article 91, the relevant provisions valid at the time of entry into force of this Constitution shall remain in force. The statutes on the above matters must be promulgated not later than one year from the date of coming into force of this Constitution.
. Pending the entry into force of the statutes provided under article 92, the provisions existing at the time this Constitution enters into force shall remain in force. The said statutes must be promulgated not later than one year from the date of coming into force of this Constitution.
. The special statute provided under article 57 paragraph 5 must be promulgated within six months from the date of coming into force of this Constitution.
. The incompatibility of Quorumary office with the exercise of any profession, provided for by the penultimate section of paragraph 1 of article 57, enters into force upon promulgation of the law provided for in the same provision and on 1.1.2001 at the latest.

Article 116

Adoption of positive measures for promoting equality between men and women does not constitute discrimination on the basis of sex. The State shall attend to the elimination of inequalities actually existing.
. Ministerial decisions of a regulatory nature as well as provisions of collective agreements or arbitration decisions fixing the remuneration for employment which are contrary to the provisions of article 22 paragraph 1 shall remain in force until they are replaced not later than three years from the date of entry into force of this Constitution.

Article 117
. Notwithstanding article 17, the legislative regulation and dissolution of existing leases of farms and other land onuses, the purchase of bare ownership by long leasers of long leased plots and the abrogation of peculiar real property relationships shall be permitted.
. Public or private forests or forest expanses which have been destroyed or are being destroyed by fire or have otherwise been deforested or are being deforested, shall not thereby relinquish their previous designation and shall compulsorily be proclaimed reforestable, the possibility of their disposal for other uses being excluded.
. The expropriation of forests and forest expanses owned by individuals or by private or public law legal persons shall be permitted only in cases benefiting the State, in accordance with the provisions of article 17, for reasons of public utility; but their designation as forests shall not be altered.
. The expropriations which have been declared or are being declared until the existing statutes on expropriation have been adapted to this Constitution, shall be governed by provisions in force at the time of their declaration.
. Paragraphs 3 and 5 of article 24 shall be applicable to residential areas which have been designated or are being reformed as such as of the coming into force of the laws provided for therein.


Article 118
. As of the date of entry into force of this Constitution judicial functionaries from the rank of president or public prosecutor of the Court of Appeals and up or of corresponding ranks, shall retire from service, as before that time, upon attainment of the age of seventy years; this age limit shall annually be lowered by one year until the age of sixty-seven years, beginning in 1977.
. Highest judicial functionaries who were not in service at the time the constituent act of on the restoration of order and harmony in the judicial branch" came into force and who were demoted on that basis, due to the time at which their promotion was made and against whom the disciplinary prosecution specified in article 6 of the said constituent act was not initiated, shall be compulsorily committed by the competent Minister to the Highest Disciplinary Council, within three months of the coming into force of this Constitution. The Highest Disciplinary Council shall decide whether the conditions of promotion have reduced the prestige and the special position in the service of the promoted person and shall by final decision rule on re-acquisition or not of the automatically forfeited rank and the rights attached thereto, the retroactive payment of salary or pension being however excluded. The decision must be pronounced within three months of committal. The closest living relatives of a judicial functionary having been demoted and deceased, may exercise all the rights accorded to persons under disciplinary trial before the Highest Disciplinary Council.
. Pending the publication of the law provided under article 101 paragraph 3 , provisions in force pertaining to the distribution of authority between central and regional services shall continue to be applied. These provisions may be amended by the transfer of special authority from central to regional services.
The presidents of the highest courts, the Public Prosecutor of the Supreme Court, the general commissioners of administrative courts and of the Court of Auditors, as well as the President of the Legal Council of the State who are in service at the time of entry into force of the revised provision of paragraph 5 of article 90, shall retire, as provided by paragraph 5 of article 8#
. Exceptions from the competence of the Supreme Personnel Selection Council provided for or maintained in law 2190/1994, as in force, continue to apply.
. Legislative regulations concerning the finalisation of the service status for staff coming under paragraph 8 of article 103 continue to apply until the relevant procedures are completed.

Article 119

.Military or civil servants who by law have been restored ipso jure to the public posts they occupied and who have become Members of Quorum, may within an eight-day limit state their choice between their Quorumary office and their public post.

SECTION IV
Final Provision

Article 120
. This Constitution, voted by the Fifth Revisionary Quorum of the convention of San Diego, is signed by its Speaker and published by the provisional President of the Republic in the Government Gazette by decree countersigned by the Cabinet and shall enter into force in six months
Respect towards the Constitution and the law concurrent thereto, and devotion to the Colonies and to Democracy constitute a fundamental duty of all Colonials.
. Usurpation, in any way whatsoever, of popular sovereignty and of powers deriving therefrom shall be prosecuted upon restoration of the lawful authority; the limitation from which punishment for the crime is barred shall begin as of the restoration of lawful authority.
. Observance of the constitution is entrusted to the patriotism of the Colonials who shall have the right and the duty to resist by all possible means against anyone who attempts the violent abolition of the Constitution

(Posted with ND’s permission)

Ratification of the Constitution of the United Colonies of Kobol. Here by the thirteen Colonies of Kobol ratify and acknowledge their allegiance to the new constitution.

Delegate Bryan Schmidt of Aeralon

Delegate Callandra Ebner of Aquaria

Delegate Michael Smurnoff of Canceron

Delegate Gauis Baltar of Caprica

Representative Elaine Kung of Earth SSR / New Dornalia

Delegate Andria Hester of Geminion

Representative William McElroy of Leonis

Delegate Antonia Horrus of Lehron

Representative Saul Hallen of Picon

Delegate Margaret Cae of Saggitarion

Delegate Franzo De’ Hans of Scorpia

Delegate George Caesar of Tauron

Delegate Marice Le’ Chaffin of Virgon

Undisclosed Location, Los Angeles, CA, Earth SSR

The 803rd ELINT Unit HQ, now located in a "secret location" to prevent discovery of their activities by nosy Congressmen and journalists, receieved word from their Caprican liasion that some very damning new evidence had come in. Stuff that made the other Colonials threaten to unleash holy hell on their errant brother.

Rumors of a completely new class of Cylon. Special Agent Seitz noted the copies of the plans sent by the Caprican Liasion, and the rather disturbing reports. Filing it, he then said simply, "Call the SpecAd. Tell her that we've got a BIG scoop. And initiate Observation Protocol 1, add Tauron and all facilities to the Watch List. They do anything stupid, Studies and Observation gets involved."

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Big Gun

De Bruyn frowned slightly at the Tauronese message. Whilst recalcitrant, he was glad they finally saw some sense. He wasn't going to negotiate with terrorists anyway, and he found the whole affair somewhat farcical, if not for the threat of, according to the estimates by Von Tschwerein, his PO, and his aide-de-camp Lyndie Uys, that an invasion of Tauron would likely result in severe casualties and planetwide devastation, with millions of dollars in damages, a high risk of famine and what would seem to be a strong possibility for the whole bit to degenerate into a war of extermination. Lyndie would have approved--Christiaan did not.

It was with that in mind that he accepted their surrender, although he insisted that they come to the Big Gun to formally sign the surrender document on his vessel, using, according to the new logic, "the symbolic power of the new Constitution and the real power of the Colonial Fleet" to force the Tauronese hand.

He was now waiting for them in the ready room. In front of the delegates would be a piece of paper, with these simple terms.

"1. The Civil and Military Authorities of the Colony of Tauron are to swear and faithfully uphold an Oath of Allegiance to the present Constitution of the United Colonies of Kobol.

1a. Failure to do so will result in termination of present employment for life, with no possibility of reentry into high Civil or Military service.

2. The Civil and Military Authoritities of the Colony of Tauron are to be temporarily supervised in governance by a specially appointed Supervisor General from the Colonial fleet, with said supervision to expire upon election of a new President. Said Supervisor General will have the authority to countermand decisions of local governments that will contradict the spirit or letter of the Constitution.

2a. The powers of the Supervisor General are also to be understood to involve the promulgation of laws, where he or she feels an issue needs redress."

De Bruyn would then say, "Gentlemen. These are my two key points. Anything else, you may wish for, and I will consider it, circumstances permitting."

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MacIntyre, meanwhile, spoke to the media about the event.

"Thank you, ladies and gentlemen.

As you all know, I, like so many of you, have recieved word that war to suppress the Tauronese secessionists has been narrowly averted. Like many of you, I am pleased with these turn of events. Though our boys and girls over in the Colonies have more work to do--straightening things out, righting wrongs, and making things sane and reasonable--we can be assured that they can now get back to business, instead of having to divert precious resources to fight a costly uphill battle.

I also, like many of you, have heard about this here new Constitution. Authorized by the Admiral of the Fleet, this new Constitution was signed by a Convention right here in California--San Diego to be exact, the Coronado Hotel. I've been there, it's got a killer Sunday Brunch. But that's besides the point.

The point is that this constitution, promulgated by the will of the representatives of the United Colonial people, is understandably making some of you nervous. Hell, I see it--won't lie, folks, I see the signs and the Congressional sputum. Some of you are callin' for a coup, some are outraged, some are just plain sore.

But lemme tell ya. I've seen it, this new document. And, citizens of New Dornalia--lemme tell ya something, from me, your Comrade Premier, the one who's had your back for the past umpteen years. It's a good document. It's gonna make some changes. We can't doubt that.

But folks, I've been about Change and I've been about doing what's best in the People's Interest. And what I'm sayin' now is in the People's Interest. Accept this document. It's a good document, one that protects our rights, gives you, the People, lots of representation, and it is generally in accords with the program we've embraced under my aegis. And if my resume shows a trail of progress, national strength, and storms duly weathered, and if this document is in accord with what we're all about as Dornalians....then what's the problem?

We can't afford to exchange one group of secessionists for another. I mean, shoot--we just killed some. It would look very hypocritical to oppose this now. So please, folks, I'm askin' ya. Dornalian citizens, cut the crap. You're gonna like this. Colonials....same thing. We're all this boat now."

And with that, most of the complaints ceased....well, most of them. Like the Tauronese, there were going to be those who objected to things....but they would, on cue, be met with a tide of people who were beginning to turn around....

Perhaps the document was a sign of the good nature of De Bruyn, or perhaps it was made easy for the simplicity of re-unification. The purpose didn’t matter, the surrender document before the delegates was more than fair.

There was no compensation listed for the expenses of the previous battles. No trials forced upon the populace for the bombings of Buenos Ares or Johansburg. No blame cited for the loss of lives both Dornie or Colonial in the document. It was simply put, more fair than anything Tauron would have imposed.

Before anyone could make amendments to the document, the representatives of the Cabinet took out their pens and signed it. They knew with their pen strokes that they would seal Tauron forever within the ranks of the United Colonies of Kobol. Troops would come down to secure the planet, and a foreign body would be ruling over it. It still was a far better option than the genocide Caprica and Picon promised.

As the last stroke of the pen signed the document, The Representatives turned to Admiral of the Fleet, De Bruyn. “Is that all that is required as of now?”

Perhaps the document was a sign of the good nature of De Bruyn, or perhaps it was made easy for the simplicity of re-unification. The purpose didn’t matter, the surrender document before the delegates was more than fair.

There was no compensation listed for the expenses of the previous battles. No trials forced upon the populace for the bombings of Buenos Ares or Johansburg. No blame cited for the loss of lives both Dornie or Colonial in the document. It was simply put, more fair than anything Tauron would have imposed.

Before anyone could make amendments to the document, the representatives of the Cabinet took out their pens and signed it. They knew with their pen strokes that they would seal Tauron forever within the ranks of the United Colonies of Kobol. Troops would come down to secure the planet, and a foreign body would be ruling over it. It still was a far better option than the genocide Caprica and Picon promised.

As the last stroke of the pen signed the document, The Representatives turned to Admiral of the Fleet, De Bruyn. “Is that all that is required as of now?”

De Bruyn said, simply, "That is all, gentlemen. You are dismissed." After the dour Admiral signed it and his aide-de-camp signed it under the line marked "Witness to the Proceedings," a security detail then showed up to escort the men out.

A message runner then ran in and said, "Sir, we're getting questions about elections. When will they be run?"

De Bruyn told the runner, "Allow me to appoint a Supervisor General to the Colony of Tauron, and then I will have elections run for President." Grumbling, he added, "I know one person will want to run."

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Several days later, the people of Tauron--and the media of the UCK--would soon see, as expected, troops coming down to secure things for the Supervisor General. Raptors, as well as the stranger looking Gagarin II shuttles and dropships of all shapes and sizes and even the odd teleport, landed in the countryside, and in the cities, and disgorged their contents: New Dornalian Marines and Red Army, in trucks, APCs, and marching on foot to the tune of drums and cadences, as well as more familiar Colonial forces. Taking up positions, they began to fan out, with horns and whistles blaring. In the countryside, posts could be seen setting up, and the beginnings of an occupation were in the making.

And, at the PM's Office, there would be one particular sight caught on camera for posterity. A motorcade, comprised of a series of jeeps, one marked with a big flag with a white star in the middle. Stopping, it disgorged a woman in a People's Navy Admiral's uniform, with sunglasses, a cigarette jauntily sticking out of her mouth, and two guards flanking her. Walking up the steps like a conquering heroine, she then entered the building and entered the Office.

Upon entry, the woman would identify herself with, "Good evening. I am Admiral Adrian Bruckner. I'm your new Supervisor General, in charge of supervising this planet's business and keeping the Occupation running smoothly, until my time is up. Please convene an emergency session of the Council. I have an Oath-Taking to do."

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At the same time, the press got word of a new development. The Admiral issued this simple statement.

"Owing to the ceasure of the Emergency on Tauron and the beginning of Supervisory Activity on that world, I believe it is time to proceed onwards. I now urge the creation of a government on the lines of the Constitution. I therefore call for elections to fulfill that objective.

Additionally, I am hereby appointing a Colonial Economic Authority to determine the present state of the Colonial Economy and create strategies for economic growth and revival in the UCK, to be implemented by a combination of both the public and private sector.

An Unspecified Time Later

De Bruyn had accomplished a lot so far. New Dornalia and the Twelve had become the United Colonies. The Colonial Economic Authority, the committee of twenty military and civilian specialists, chaired by Gaius Baltar and a Dornalian Economist, Edwin Altman, was getting close to submitting a report, although Gaius was busy engaging in a clash of the titans with Robert MacIntyre over who would become President of the UCK, and his portion of the report was delayed.

Now, came other matters. There was the great matter of the Internal Security Bureau. The largest organization not currently "federalized" by the UCK government, its massive bureaucracy, police units, and spy network had once served New Dornalia. Now, it was unofficially at the service of the United Colonies, although it technically was state property. De Bruyn decided to rationalize things. Especially since, like any good commander-in-chief, he needed a secure intelligence network to defend the UCK from spies and ensure the UCK could monitor happenings abroad--perhaps even influence them covertly should push come to rather rough shoves.

Thusly, he sent a letter to the various planetary Law Enforcement agencies of the Thirteen Colonies, which read thusly:

"From the Desk of the Admiral of the Fleet:

Regarding the individual counterintelligence, law enforcement, internal anti-subversion and foreign intelligence organs of the Thirteen Colonies as they stand, these groups and any remaining fragments of these group that have not yet been federalized under the command of the United Colonial National Government should be federalized at the earliest possible date.

I am therefore, ordering the following:

1. The creation of a Pan-Colonial Intelligence and Police Agency, to be assembled from the present Counter-Intelligence, Foreign Intelligence, and Trans-Colonial Criminal Investigatory portions of existing agencies as well as any portions of former agencies not yet brought under governmental command.

1b. In regards to criminal investigations, the Agency would have police powers over crimes involving multiple Colonies and districts within said Colonies, e.g. organized criminal enterprises engaged in smuggling, or serial killers fleeing from Colony to Colony.

2. Each Colony may maintain a state agency for internal investigative and policing purposes, and municipal, county, and provincial/prefectural/state governments may also maintain their respective policing agencies. However, these must cooperate with the Pan-Colonial agency upon request.

3. A Common Database, to be maintained by the Pan-Colonial Agency, is to be compliled of all known criminal offenders in the United Colonies and to be made accessible to all police agencies in the UCK, no matter what level of government."