Principality of Vlachia

Preamble and History
I. Princely House of Bulat
Article 1: Of the House and Membership
Article 2: Titles, Heraldry and Patrons of the House
Article 3: Citizenship
Article 4: Register
Article 5: Adoption and Extramarital Issue
Article 6: Coming of Age
Article 7: Marriage
Article 8: Disciplinary Measures Against Members of the Princely House
Article 9: The Members of the Princely House with Right to Vote
II. The Family Council
Article 10: The Election of the Family Council
Article 11: Duties of the Family Council
III.The Reigning Prince
Article 12: Succession to the Throne
Article 13: Abdication and Renunciation of the Right to Succeed to the Throne
Article 14: Disciplinary Measures Against the Reigning Prince
Article 15: Removal from Office of the Reigning Prince and Declaration of the Reigning Prince’s incapacity
Article 16: Motion of no Confidence in the Reigning Prince
Article 17: Guardianship and regency
IV. Final Provisions
Article 18: The Status of this Constitution and Future Amendments

PREAMBLE AND HISTORY

The Princely House of Bulat is an ancient Vlach noble house which descends from the House of Kustražić and its parent house the House of Radulović that is from the old nobility of Bosnia and Hum. The Princely House of Bulat is, as said before, of Vlach origin, and belongs to that part of the bosnian-croatian nobility whose ethnicity is foreign. The Vlachs as a people descend from the region Wallachia in modern-day Romania whose name is eymologically derived from the Celtic tribal confederacy Volcae. This tribe was mentioned by many ancient historians such as Justin, Strabo, Gaius Julius Ceaser. The Celts came to Illyria in 290 BC in campaigns of conquest from Gaul of Narbonne (Latin: Gallia Narbonenesis) that is from the historical region in the south of France. From this region they progressed all the way to the Greek city-states and Anatolia in 289 BC. After them was the region Galatia called to which St. Paul the Apostle sends his Epistle in the New Testament. They are also mentioned by St. Jerome during his pilgrimage to the Holy Land, saying that they spoke a Celtic language in the 4th century AD. After this conquest the Celts will linger in the Dacian parts giving birth to a people which are today called Vlachs and which will spread across the Balkan peninsula during the early Middle Ages.

The oldest ancestor and progenitor of the noble house of Radulović was Radul (fl. 1137) a military commander in the army of King Bela II of Hungary (✶ c. 1109 – † 1141) during the conquest of the valley of the river Rama in 1137. He is mentioned in the Latin original as “Radulo Copiarum Belae Regis Hungariae Supremo Praefecto sua gens originem ducit” (Latin: Radul force of Bela King of Hungary leads his nation of origin). How Radul become the Vlach leader or came into the army of King Bela is not known since all other sources about him are from later times. The sons of Radul and the first members of the noble house of Radulović went to war with the first Bosnian ruler ban Borić († 1164) in alliance with King Bela’s son, King Geza II of Hungary (✶ 1130 – † 1162) against Byzantium. The noble house of Radulović then served the ban’s of the House of Kulinić. Ban Matej Ninoslav († c. 1250) speaks about the in his charter “Da hode Vlasi svobodno, ih dobit’k, tako kako su u bana Kulina hodili” (Old Slavic: For the Vlachs to walk freely with their gains, as they did during the time of Ban Kulin) showing the old rights and freedom of the independent Vlachs and their nobility in Bosnia.

The first known member of the noble House of Kustražić was Kuštra (✶ c. 1280) whose name is a nickname and denotes a person with curly hair. He was a participant of the Battle of Bliska (1322) and a knight in the service of ban Mladen II Šubić of Bribir (✶ c. 1270 – † c. 1343) who wanted to take the Croatian crown as the ban of Bosnia and unify the Illyrian lands under one crown. After the battle was lost, Kuštra went into service of the duke Nelipac II Nelipčić († 1344) and became the progenitor of the House of Kustražić, changing the surname of the house which was then politically unsuitable. The first historically traceable member of the House of Kustražić was catunar Juraj Kustražić (✶ c. 1300) who was a knight and nobleman under ban and Prince Nelipac II († 1344). His son was catunar Jerko Kustražić (✶ c. 1323 – † c. 1356) a knight and nobleman under prince Ivan Nelipčić († c. 1378). Jerko is buried in Cista Provo in Cetina on a necropolis which is protected as UNESCO world heritage and is found today in the Museum of Archeological Monuments in Split, Croatia. The descendant of Jerko and the progenitor of the noble House of Bulat was catunar Bulat Kustražić († 1440) who received his name from a type of steel called bulat that was used by medieval knights and was surely in the possession of the House of Kustražić. Bulat Kustražić was a knight and nobleman first under Prince Ivaniš Ivanović Nelipčić († 1435) and after the marriage of his daughter Katarina Nelipčić he served under ban and Prince Ivan VI Frankopan († 1436) who gave him the feudal estate Kraljske Mirine which became the ancestral seat of the House of Bulat and is locate in the village Biskupija near Knin, Croatia. This estate was according to tradition the place where the Croatian King Demetrius Zvonimir was murdered (1089) which is why the Orthodox branch of the family has St. Demetrius as its patron saint.

After Prince Ivan VI Frankopan was betrayed and poisoned by the Holy Roman Emperor Sigismund of Luxembourg, catunar Bulat Kustražić with the Vlach nobility faithful to Prince Frankopan went to war for his wife, Princess Katarina Frankopan (neé Nelipčić). After this Bulat Kustražić entered into the service of grand duke Stjepan Vukčić Kosača († 1466.) in which he lost his life during the conquest of Omiš and Poljice. He was buried on the necropolis in Trilj where on the tombstone there is a depiction of the escutcheon of the House of Radulović which is described as a tournament shield with a right bend. Also, on this tombstone he is depicted with his unknown wife and son through whom the entire noble house of Bulat is descended. After this the noble House of Bulat will never again receive a confirmation of their old nobility until 18th December 2018 which is 582 years after Prince Ivan VI confirmed the olf laws and rights of the Vlachs nobility on the castle Klis near Split, Croatia. By this, Petar pl. Bulat (✶ 1931 – † 2019.) who died three months after the confirmation was once again fully recognised as a nobleman. As his last male heir and head to the noble house of Bulat, he named Dominik Jakov pl. Bulat Vručinić, the son of his daughter Biljana pl. Bulat in a document both signed. A day after the death of Petar pl. Bulat his grandson Dominik Jakov pl. Buat Vručinić wrote the Charter on the Establishment of the Princely House of Bulat using his right as the last catunar who could choose and the last which could be chosen to elect a Vlach prince thus starting his work on the foundation of the Principality of Vlachia.

I. Princely House

Article 1: Of the House and Membership

1. The Princely House of Bulat is an autonomous family community founded on the 7th February 2019 with the Charter on the Establishment of the Princely House of Bulat using the right of the Vlach catunars from Cetina to choose among themselves their own prince, by whom the family aquired the title ‘prince of all the Vlachs’ as a hereditary title. Membership in the Princely House is gained by birth, marrige or the personal appointment of the head of the Princely House.
2. The historical foundation of the Princely House of Bulat is derived from its progenitor, a medieval nobleman called Bulat Kustražić († 1440) who was a knight and nobleman of the ban and Prince Ivan VI Frankopan (✶ c. 1410. – † 1436.) and is mentioned in the document known as Law for the Vlachs of Cetina written on the 18th March on the castle Klis. Bulat Kustražić died in service to grand duke Stjepan Vukčić Kosača († 1466) during the conquest of Omiš and Poljice.
3. The noble House of Bulat was renewed on 18th December 2018 with the confirmation of the Spanish King of Arms Dr. Alfonso de Ceballos-Escalera y Gila the viscount of Ayala, marquis of Floresta, duke of Ostuni who as the King of Arms for Castille i León had the legal right to verify the family pedigree and confirm the historical and genetic validity of the claim to the title catunar, which allowed the family to elect the Vlach prince.
4. All descendants of His Illustrious Highness Jacob, Prince of the Vlachs (✶ 1992) which are born in lawful marriage are members of the Princely House of Bulat. The women who are members by birth do not lose their membership in the house upon marriage but keep it, although the children born in such a marriage do not have a right to membership unless the head of the house declares otherwise in the case of the end of the direct male line.
5. The wife of the head of the house, as well as the wives of all other members of the Princely House of Bulat become members of the house upon marriage in accordance with this constitution. Membership in the house is terminated upon divorce from the date such an event if official. A widow, upon the death of her husband, continues to be a member of the house, while upon remmarriyng she loses her membership.
6. Although a person is a member of the Princely House of Bulat by birth, they retain the right to renounce their titles after coming of age with a written document to the head of the house and the Family Council. This decision is irreversible and irrevocable for the person that does it.

Article 2: Titles, Heraldry and Patrons of the House

1. The full title of the Reigning Prince and head of the Princley House of Bulat is: His Illustrious Highness __________, Prince of the Vlachs, catunar of Kustražić, župan of Fojnica
   The wife of the Reigning Prince shall use the following title: Her Illustrious Highness __________, Princess of the Vlachs
   The first son will have the following title until becoming the Reigning Prince: His Illustrious Highness __________ Hereditary Prince of all the Vlachs
2. All other members of the Princely House of Bulat bear the title: His/Her Illustrious Highness __________ Prince/Princess of Vlachia
3. The way of addressing the members of the Princely House of Bulat is: His Illustrious Highness. The short form of address will be written as H. I. H. Members of the Princely House of Bulat use the coat of arms of the Principality of Vlachia which is the coat of arms of noble House of Radulović. These arms are heraldically described as: argent a bend gules.
4. There are three main patron saints of the Princely House of Bulat: St. Demetrius, St. George and St. John the Baptist.

Article 3: Citizenship

1. All members of the Princely House of Bulat are by birth citizens of the Principality of Vlachia but are also free to possess the citizenship of any country. The Princely House of Bulat is not geographically limited due to the fact that the Principality of Vlachia is a sovereign subject in international law, although the residence of the head of the house is seen as the current seat of the family. In any form of exile, the head of the house keeps his headship and powers.
2. The members of the Princely House who find themselves in a situation where they are forced to lose their citizenship in their country of residence become the duty of all the members of the Princely House of Bulat which must help them. The avoidance of this duty is considered a transgression against the Princely House of Bulat and is subject to the Family Council and the exclusion of the house according to Article 8.

Article 4. Register

1. The Secretary Office of the head of the Princely House is charged with the duty of registering new members of the Princely House of Bulat, while it is the duty of the Family Council to oversee the correctness of the information regarding the registered members. This entails all the information about the member like: birth, death, education, documentation, awards, basic genealogy, etc.
2. All members of the Princely House have a duty to inform the head of the house in timely manner about all the events which must be recorded and registered. If any documents are needed in regards to the Princely House of Bulat, the head of the house must give them also in a timely manner.
3. The purpose of this register is not only to follow the branching of the family but to always know in every time who is the heir to the headship of the Princely House of Bulat and consequently of the Principality of Vlachia.
4. As long as it is necessary to issue new documents concerning the register of members, the head of the house is bound to do this via the secretary office with his signature or by himself.
5. The registered members are at every time transparent to the members of the Princely House of Bulat.
6. All other individuals who request the registered information may receive it only by approval of the head of the house.

Article 5: Adoption and Extramarital Issue

1. If a member of the Princely House of Bulat wishes to adopt a child outside of the family he must notify teh head of the house. Adoption can in no case give rise to membership in the Princely House of Bulat. Adoption can therefore never influence the line of succession.
2. The head of the house determines the title and coat of arms that the adopted child will bear.
   Only in the case that the Princely House of Bulat is dying out, there is a possibility of transference of the princely title to another individual who should be in relation to the family.
3. If an underaged member of the Princely House of Bulat by birth is adopted by a individual outside the house, the adopter must request permission and confirmation of the head of the house which is the Reigning Prince to determine if the adopted child is a member of the Princely House of Bulat.
4. Members of the Princely House of Bulat who had extramarital issue and recognized it are bound to inform the head of the house and the Family Council. This child will, with the agreement of the head of the house, be received into the Princely House of Bulat and recognized as a full member of the house depending on the marriage that should take place after such an event.

Article 6: Coming of Age

1. Regardless of sex, all members of the house become of rightful age upon reaching the 18th year of their life that is when the coming of age is recognized by the Principality of Vlachia.
2. Upon reaching legal adulthood, the members of the house must accordingly perform the duties given to them. Not performing these duties leads to disciplinary measures described in Article 8.
3. The head of the house can in cases of emergency such as the succession of the throne, regency or substitution declare a legal adult, a member of the Princely House of Bulat, even before he attains the required age laid down by the law. If the reigning prince is under-ages, the rule of the house passes to the Family Council until he attains the prescribed age.

Article 7: Marriage

1. Members of the Princely House of Bulat who intend to marry must inform the head of the house and the Reigning Prince to whose secretary office they must deliver all the information mentioned in Article 4. Members of the Princely House of Bulat which intend to marry must have an intention to live in an inseparable church marriage, to bear and raise members of the Princely House of Bulat and give assistance to each other. In addition to this, the members who want to marry must recognize the constitution of the Princely House of Bulat as well as the constitution of the Principality of Vlachia, their binding nature and sign a conditionalness statement that this will bind also their offspring.
2. Within a month from the approval of the marriage by the head of the house and the Reigning Prince, the members of the house who are of age have the right to notify the head of the house and file any complaints about the marriage in question. These complaints will be considered valid only if they are grounded and mean the following: the incapacity to enter a legal marriage, the detriment of the reputation and welfare of the Princely House of Bulat and the Principality of Vlachia. The head of the house and Reigning Prince will give his judgement on the issue after hearing both sides. The right to complain is explained in Article 11 among the rights of the members of the Princely House of Bulat and is limited to two weeks.
3. Without prejudice laid out in the second paragraph, the head of the house and the Reigning Prince will make the final decision and inform the Family Council.
4. If no objection is filed as described in the first paragraph or the existing objections have been unsucsseful as described in the second paragraph, the marriage will be recognized for the purposes of the constitution of the Princely House of Bulat. In accordance with this, the secretary office of the Principality of Vlachia will publically declare the engament and marriage. If the marriage does not take place within a year of the announcement, its recognition, in accordance with the purpose of the constitution will be revoked.
5. The marriage will be public and in the presence of the Reigning Prince, who can send two representatives and two witnesses who must be of legal age. In addition, the laws of the country where the weeding takes place must be respected at all times, except when they are in conflict with the laws of order of the Principality of Vlachia.
6. All the above paragraphs are equally binding to the Reigning Prince and head of the house when he decides to marry. The rights and duties he would have in case of a complaint, now pass to the Family Council.

Article 8: Disciplinary Measures Against Members

1. If the behavior of a member of the Princely House of Bulat had a harmful effect on the respect, dignity and welfare of the house or the state, the head of the house and Reigning Prince has a duty to undertake disciplinary measures.
2. In the disciplinary hearings undertaken by head of the house and Reigning Prince, the member of the Princely House of Bulat against whom the disciplinary measures are led will be able to present his defense and opinions of the disciplinary process as well as the charges laid out against him. Then, when it is necessary, the Reigning Prince may seek official assistance of the Principality of Vlachia. Finally, the member of the house may be also heard by the Reigning Prince in person.
3. After the member of the house has been notified about the disciplinary measure that is being led against him or her, they can contact the head of the house and the Family Council in written form with an explanation of their behavior. After the facts are ascertained, the head of the house will pronounce judgement about the disciplinary measures.
4. The head of the house can do the following: I) censure, II) loss of the right to vote and the right to stand for election for a specific period, III) loss of the princely title, membership in the house and right to any inheritance.
5. If the person in question lost his princely title for a certain amount of time, which can be twenty years at the most, the head of the house and the Reigning Prince can after a hearing give back the titles and measures against the individual member.
6. The right to complain is set in Article 11 and is available to all members of the Princely House against whom the disciplinary measure is undertaken according to the constitution.
7. At the end of the investigation, the final decision of the head of the house and the Reigning Prince will be publically revealed to all the members of the Princely House of Bulat.
8. Even after the decision that the disciplinary measure be undertaken becomes legally binding, the person against whom the investigation is being led remains a member of the house, although he or she can be limited by the final decision of the disciplinary measure. The length of the disciplinary measure is determined from the day it becomes legally binding until it expires upon whose expiration the disciplined member of the house receives back all his former rights and obligations. No further assistance of the head of the house is needed while the measure is effective nor after it finishes.
9. If a member of the house decides to marry while a disciplinary measure is being led against him, his wife will not be able to be received as a member of the Princely House of Bulat.
10. The cancelling of the disciplinary measure before its expiration is possible only in the form of a pardon which the head of the house and Reigning Prince can give. Before he pardons the member of the house he will ask to the agreement with those who were part of the final decision in the disciplinary measure.
11. No member of the house has a right to be pardoned.
12. The disciplinary investigation can only be prolonged as a conclusion of further disciplinary investigations.

Article 9: Member of the Princely House with the Right to Vote

1. All male members of the Princely House of Bulat which are of age (Article 6) and are egliable and in line to inherit the headship of the Princely House of Bulat and the Principality of Vlachia have a voting right. Abdication and renunciation of personal right to inherit the headship of the house and state (Article 13) and the renunciation of the exercise of powers and duties has no effect on his right to vote.
2. All members of the house with a voting right have a right to stand for election.
3. The following persons, born as members of the Princely House of Bulat do not have a voting right: I) members of the family who waive the exercise of certain rights or restrict their freedom of action by taking an oath or assuming specific obligations, II) members of the family who are under the influence of a regime capable of removing or restricting individual freedom given by the Triune God to take decisions, persecuting the Church etc., III) members of the family who have been disenfranchised pursuant to Article 8
4. In cases of doubt about certain members of the Princely House of Bulat the head of the house and Reigning Prince shall decide on their right to vote. The Reigning Prince shall immediately notify the concerned family member of his decision in writing and of the reasons on which it is based. The rights of appeal are laid down in Article 11 and will given to the concerned member of the house in respect of the Reigning Prince’s decision and they shall be available to the Reigning Prince where his decision is modified by the Family Council. Nevertheless any such appeal shall not have suspensory effect. If, as a result of such appeal, the right to vote of te member of the family concerned is recognized, any decisions taken in the meantime without the participation of that member cannot be challenged on the basis that the member of the family would have had the right to vote.
5. All members of the Princely House of Bulat with a right to vote, in their totality, constitutes the final decision-making and appeal body within the family. The chair shall be taken by the Regining Prince. He shall also be responsible for implementing the decisions taken by a vote. Voting shall be secret and by a ballot paper, and shall normally take place on the basis of a statement of the facts submitted to those entitled to vote, together with a list of questions, by means of written procedure (circular voting). If a ballot paper is not returned within two months, this shall be treated as abstention by the voter concerned. A proposal shall be accepted only if more then half of those entitled to vote to state their agreement. Where the vote relates to the modification of a decision of the Reigning Prince or to the amendment of this constitution, two-thirds of those entitled to vote must agree to the proposal for it to be accepted. A proposal shall be regarded as rejected if the necessary number of votes in favor is not achieved.
6. Where the vote directly relates to the person of a member of the house or his personal rights, that member of the family shall be prohibited from exercising his right to vote. This shall also apply to the Reigning Prince, without prejudice to his position as chairman.
7. The Reigning Prince can be required to conduct disciplinary proceedings against a member of the family within the meaning of Article 8, by a vote of at least ten percent of members of the Princely House of Bulat with the right to vote. Such a demand shall be lodged with the Reigning Prince, in writing, together with a statement of reasons and the necessary number of signatures. If the Reigning Prince, without due justification, fails to institute any proceedings at all under Article 8 under six months or institutes proceedings and fails to come to an initial decision within one year, the persons who submitted the proposal may appeal to the Family Council, to whom the Reigning Prince’s power of decision shall pass. The same rules shall apply by analogy to measures against the Reigning prince under Articles 14 and 15 with the proviso that in the case of delay the members of the Princely House of Bulat with the right to vote, in their totality, shall replace the Family Council.
8. So far as possible, the Reigning Prince shall convene a family gathering every five years, to which all members of the Princely House of Bulat with the right to vote shall be invited. The purpose of these family gatherings is to renew and strengthen common bonds, to discuss matters of common interest, to conduct elections and ballots insofar as the circular voting provided in the fifth paragraph appears to be impracticable. In the case of ballots taken on the occasion of a family gathering, the provisions relating to circular voting apply by analogy with the proviso that the documentation of the ballot, insofar as it is necessary, has been sent out two months before the family gathering.

II. The Family Council

Article 10: The Election of the Family Council

1. The Family Council shall be elected for a term of five years and shall consist of three members and three substitute members.
2. The election shall be written and secret, conducted in such a way that all members of the Princely House of Bulat entitled to vote and entitled to be elected are set out in a list from which they shall each choose six persons; any election not complying with this shall be invalid. The three members of the family with most votes shall be elected. The three members with the next highest number of votes shall be substitute members. In the case of equality of votes, the decision shall be taken by lot. The Reigning Prince may not be a member of the Family Council. In addition, the provisions relating to circular voting laid down in Article 9 shall apply by analogy.
3. If the election takes place on the occasion of a family gathering (Article 9) the electoral list shall be communicated two months before the family gathering.
4. If a member of the Family Council retires before the end of his term or is prevented from attending a meeting, he shall be replaced, in the first instance definitively and in the second instance temporarily by the next highest substitute member on the list.
5. If a member of substitute member of the Family Council validly loses his right to vote and stand in elections (Article 8 or Article 9), then he shall also lose his membership or substitute membership of the Family Council in respect to the remainder of the term for which he was elected.
6. If the Family Council is permanently without a quorum because of impediments or for any other reason, an election shall be held to elect the necessary supplementary members for the rest of the Council’s term. In such a case paragraphs, two and three shall apply by analogy.

Article 11: Duties of the Family Council

1. The highest ranking member of the Family Council according to the order of succession to the throne of the Principality of Vlachia (Article 12) shall be chairman of the Family Council and direct its meetings and ballots. If he is impeded from carrying out his tasks or if he retires, his rights and duties pass to the member of the Family Council with the next highest ranking, who shall deputize for the person replaced. A substitute member may substitute the chairman only if all three members of the Family Council are impeded or retire.
2. Each member of the family has the right to require a meeting of the Family Council to be called by the chairman, on providing reasons for such a step.
3. In addition to the other duties assigned to the Family Council in this constitution, it shall, in particular, constitute the appellate body hearing appeals against decisions of the Reigning Prince taken within the framework of this constitution. Any member of the Princely House of Bulat affected by a decision of the Reigning Prince, may within two months of notification of the decision, lodge a written appeal against it with the Family Council. Before taking any decision on the appeal, the Family Council is under a duty to seek the views of the Reigning Prince, who also has a period of two months within which to act. All appeals against the decisions of the Reigning Prince, unconnected with this constitution are to be rejected by the Family Council as inadmissible.
4. All admissable appeals shall have suspensory effect insofar as this constitution does not provide to the contrary.
5. An appeal against the decisions of the Family Council can be lodged with the members of the family with the right to vote, in their totality (Article 9), within two months, by the Reigning Prince or by any member of the family affected by it. The privisons of paragraph 3 and 4 shall apply by analogy to such an appeal, with the proviso that the party opposed to the appeal shall have the right to state his views.
6. If the number of members of the Princely House of Bulat with the right to vote, in their totality falls below twelve, the Family Council, as an institution, shall be suspended. In such a case all the powers of the Family Council shall pass to the members of the Princely House of Bulat with the right to vote in their totality.

III. The Reigning Prince

Article 12: Succession to the throne

1. Succession to the throne pursuant to this constitution shall be governed by the principle of primogeniture. This means that the first-born male of the eldest line is always called to succeed to the throne.The age of a dynastic line shall be calculated by reference to descent from His Illustrious Highness Jacob, Prince of the Vlachs (✶ 1992) the progenitor of the Princely House of Bulat. The rank of male members of the Princely House shall depend on their position in the order of succession. The resulting order of rank shall be recorded in the family register (Article 4).
2. The female members of the Princely House of Bulat are not distinguished by rank but by order of precedence. In the case of female members by birth (Article 1), precedence is determined by their date of birth within dynastic lines referred to in paragraph 1. In the case of female members by marriage (Article 1), precedence determined by the rank of their husband in the order of succession to the throne.
   Only persons who have the right to vote and to stand for election within the meaning of this constitution may succeed to the throne.
3. The person succeeding to the throne as Reigning Prince in accordance with the order of succession unites in his person the functions of head of state, head of the Princely House of Bulat and chairman of the princely foundations. These three functions may not be separated, subject only to the special case laid down in Article 17.
4. As head of state of the Principality of Vlachia, the Reigning Prince shall have the rights and duties more particularly described in the constitution in force at the entry into force of this constitution.
   As head of the Princely House of Bulat, the Reigning Prince shall safeguard the reputation, esteem and welfare of the Princely House of Bulat in accordance with the rights and duties laid down in this constitution. To this end, he shall have the assistance of the Family Council and of the members of the family with the right to vote in their totality.
5. As chairman of the princely foundations and as the usufructuary of the family’s assets, the Reigning Prince shall support members of the Princely House of Bulat who find themselves in financial difficulty, insofar as the income from the assets so permits.

Article 13: Abdication and Renunciation of the Right to Succeed to the Throne

1. Where the Reigning Prince abdicates, he must do so by express written declaration given to the Hereditary Prince or successor to the throne, to the Family Council and to the elected duke of the Supreme Council. Abdication is irrevocable and must be published in the official gazette or any other media.
2. All princes shall be entitled, on attaining their majority (Article 6), to renounce their right to succeed to the throne by express written declaration given to the Reigning Prince and to the Family Council. Such renunciation is irrevocable and applies only to the person making it. It does not affect the succession to the throne of the other members of the Princely House of Bulat.
3. Where the Reigning Prince abdicates or a prince renounces his right to succeed to the throne, the rank (Article 12) and precedence of his wife and any issue born after his renunciation shall be that which they would have enjoyed but for the said declaration, but only after that of the person who became Reigning Prince as a result of the said declaration, his wife and their issue.

Article 14: Disciplinary Measures Against the Reigning Prince

1. If the conduct of the Reigning Prince has an adverse effect on the reputation, esteem or welfare of the Princely House of Bulat or the Principality of Vlachia, the Family Council shall be authorized and under duty to take disciplinary measures against the Reigning Prince.
2. In disciplinary proceedings instituted against the Reigning Prince, the provisions of Article 8 shall apply by analogy with the following provisos: I) the powers otherwise exercised by the Reigning Prince by law in connexion with the proceedings shall be exercised by the Family Council II) The elected duke of the Supreme Council shall be informed confidentially before the disciplinary proceedings are instituted against the Reigning Prince and shall be notified of the reasons for them and of the Reigning Prince’s views thereon III) The only disciplinary sanction available against the Reigning Prince is either censure or removal from the throne. In this connexion the sanction of removal from the throne shall be imposed only where a censure of the Reigning Prince has persisted in the misconduct for which he was censured, or where the type, extent, duration or consequences of the misconduct was so grave that to impose the disciplinary sanction of a censure had to be seen as manifestly inadequate from the outset IV) Where the conclusion of the disciplinary proceedings is to have legal force, it shall be communicated to all members of the Princely House of Bulat and the elected duke of the Supreme Council V) If the conclusion of the disciplinary proceedings is the removal of the Reigning Prince from the throne, then this shall also be published in the official gazette or other media.

Article 15: Removal From Office of the Reigning Prince and Declaration of the Reigning Prince’s Incapacity

1. If, as a result of serious physical or mental illness, the Reigning Prince becomes permanently incapable of exercising the powers and duties assigned to him by this constitution to promote the reputation, esteem and welfare of the Princely House of Bulat or of the Principality of Vlachia, or if the circumstances set out in Article 9 arise in a permanent manner, the Family Council shall, after careful clarification of the facts, call on the Reigning Prince to abdicate.
2. If the Reigning Prince is unable or unwilling to accede to this request within an appropriate period of time or if the attempt to make contact with the Reigning Prince appears from the outset to have no prospect of success, the Family Council shall institute the procedure to relieve him of office or the procedure to have him declared incapable. The provisions of Article 14 shall apply by analogy to the procedures for removal from office and the provisions of the law of the Principality of Vlachia shall apply to the procedure for a declaration of incapacity in each case subject to the following: I) Insofar as the Reigning Prince is unable to represent himself, he shall be assisted by a temporary representative fo the purpose of the proceedings, appointed by the Family Council from suitable members of the family with the right to vote, other then the next person in line to succeed to the throne and his issue II) The physical or mental illness resulting in the Reigning Prince’s permanent incapacity for office shall be confirmed by reports drawn up by two experts independently of each other III) The procedure for a declaration of incapacity may be combined with the procedure for the removal from office.
   Where the Reigning Prince’s disability, referred to in paragraph 1 is only temporary but nonetheless so grave that major interests of the Princely House of Bulat or of the Principality of Vlachia would seem to require action to be taken, the Family Council shall call upon the Reigning Prince to remedy the situation by appointing a regent or substitute within the meaning of Article 17. If the Reigning Prince is unwilling to take such a step within a reasonable period, the rights and duties with regards to remedial measures pass to the Family Council.

Article 16: Motion of No Confidence in the Regening Prince

1. Where the citizens of the Principlaity of Vlachia have passed and notified a motion of no confidence in the Reigning Prince, which is admissible under the provisions of the Constitution, it shall be acted upon expeditiously in accordance with either Article 14 or Article 15, subject to the following: I) The Family Council has no right to take a decision but merely a right to make a proposal to the members of the Princely House with the right to vote, in their totality. The Family Council must exercise its right to make a proposal within two months, otherwise it shall be forfeit II) The members of the Princely House of Bulat with the right to vote in their totality shall take their decision within such a period that the total duration of the procedure conducted in accordance with this constitution, including the notification required under paragraph 2 does not exceed six months. If such period is exceeded, the motion of no confidence shall be considered to have been rejected out of hand.
2. The Supreme Council as the representation of the citizens of the Principlaity of Vlachia shall be given notice without delay of the decision taken or of any other manner in which the matter has been settled, and of the reasons thereof.

Article 17: Guardianship and Regency

1. A guardian or legal representative shall be appointed for a member of the Princely House of Bulat in all cases where a guardian or legal representative is to be appointed for a Vlachian citizen. In this connexion, the provisions of the law of the state shall apply by analogy, with the proviso that the decision shall be taken by the Reigning Prince in place of the court. In taking his decision, the Reigning Prince shall have regards, so far as possible, to the proposals of the next-of-kin of the member of the family for whom an appointment is made, unless there are substantial reasons for not doing so. The same applies, by analogy, where an appointment is to be made for the Reigning Prince, his consort or one of their children; but with the proviso that the decision shall be taken by the Family Council in place of the Reigning Prince.
2. Where the Reigning Prince is lawfully deposed in accordance with Article 14 or removed from office or declared incapable in accordance with Article 15, his rights and duties shall be exercised by a regent until his successor accedes to the throne. The member of the Princely House with the right to vote who is next in line to succeed to the throne shall become regent. Whilst the Reigning Prince is a minor some other member of the Princely House of Bulat who is a minor is in line of succession before the regent, the Family Council has the right to remove the regent where there are serious grounds for doing so. In this connexion, the procedure laid down in Article 14 shall apply by analogy, with the proviso that a prior censure is not needed in order to remove the regent. If the regent becomes incapable of exercising his office through no fault of his own, he shall be relieved of office by the Family Council. After the regent has been removed or relieved of office and as long as the conditions for a regency persist, the member of the Princely House of Bulat with the right to vote who is next in line to succeed the throne shall become regent.
3. The commencement and termination of a regency, and any change there to, shall be notified, on entry into force, to all members of the Princely House of Buat and to the elected duke of the Supreme Council and shall be published in the official gazette.
4. The regent cannot be appointed as guardian or legal representative of a Reigning Prince who is a minor or of an Hereditary Prince who is a minor.
5. It shall be open to the Reigning Prince to appoint the member of the Princely House with the right to vote which is next in line to succeed to the throne as regent or substitute. Such regency or substitution may relate to all three functions referred to in Article 12 or to any part thereof.

IV. Final Provisions

Article 18: The Status of this Constitution and Future Amendments

1. This constitution shall enter into force on the day of its promulgation.
2. The constitution of the Princely House fo Bulat can neither be amended nor repealed by the Constitution of the Principality of Vlachia. The same applies to any international treaty concluded by the Principality of Vlachia. If necessary, a corresponding proviso is to be included in any such treaty.
3. A proposal to amend this constitution may be put forward only by the Reigning Prince, the Family Council or at least ten percent of the members of the Princely House with the right to vote. A two-thirds majority of all members of the Princely House of Bulat with the right to vote is needed for the proposal to be adopted. Where an amendment is adopted after its having been proposed by the Family Council or by requisite number of members of the Princely House with the right to vote, the Reigning Prince may veto the change within two months. In such a case, however, the Reigning Prince must simultaneously put forward a detailed counter-proposal. If within a further period of ten months, the Reigning Prince and the proposers of the amendment are unable to agree on a common text to be put to a ballot, the members of the family with the right to vote shall choose between two proposals. In that connexion, each member of the Princely House of Bulat with the right to vote may vote for only one of the two proposals but may reject both of them. With regards to this ballot, the proposal for which there is a two-thirds majority of those entitled to vote shall be adopted.

This constitution and any amendments there to shall be published in the official gazette or other media.