CHAPTER XII

GENERAL PROVISIONS

ARTICLE 275: National and legal holidays shall be celebrated by the Government and private and commercial enterprises.

ARTICLE 275-1: The national holidays are:

1. Independence Day, January 1;

2. Heroes'Day, january 2;

3. Agriculture and Labor Day, May 1;

4. Flag Day and University Day, may 18; and

5. Battle of Vertière Day, which is also ARMED FORCES DAY, November 18.

ARTICLE 275-2: Legal holidays shall be determined by law.

ARTICLE 276: The National Assembly may not ratify any international treaty, convention or agreement containing clauses contrary to this Constitution.

ARTICLE 276-1: International treaties, conventions and agreements are ratified in the form of a decree.

ARTICLE 276-2: Once international treaties or agreements are approved and ratified in the manner stipulated by the Constitution, they become part of the legislation of the country and abrogate any laws in conflict with them.

ARTICLE 277: The Haitian State may join an Economic Community of States insofar as the association agreement stimulates the social and economic development of the Haitian Republic and does not contain any clause contrary to this Constitution.

ARTICLE 278: No place or part of the territory may be declared in a state of siege except in the event of civil war or invasion by a foreign force.

ARTICLE 278-1: The act of the President of the Republic declaring a state of siege must be countersigned by the Prime Minister and by all of the Ministers and contain an immediate convocation of the National Assembly to decide on the desirability of the measure.

ARTICLE 278-2: The National Assembly decides with the Executive Branch as to what constitutional guarantees may be suspended in the pàrts of the territory placed under a state of siege.

ARTICLE 278-3: The state of siege is lifted if it is not renewed by a vote of the National Assembly every fifteen (15) days after its entry into force.

ARTICLE 278-4: The National Assembly shall be in session for the entire duration of the state of siege.

ARTICLE 279: Thirty (30) days after his election, the President of the Republic must deposit with the Clerk of the Court of First Instance of his domicile a notarized inventory of all his movable and immovable goods, and he shall do the same at the end of his term.

ARTICLE 279-1: The Prime Minister, the Ministers and Secretaries of State are subject to the same obligation within thirty (30) days of their installation and of the termination of their duties.

ARTICLE 280: No general expenditures or compensation whatever shall be granted to members of the major organs of the State for any special duties that may be assigned to them.

ARTICLE 281: In national elections, the State assumes responsibility, in proportion to the number of votes cast, for a portion of the expenses incurred in the election campaigns.

ARTICLE 281-1: Only parties that obtain nationally ten percent (100%) of the votes cast, with a minimum of five percent (5%) of the votes cast in one Department, are eligible to receive theses Government funds.

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