their common goals declared in the charter of a public association. Article 6. Founders, members and participants in a public association 1. Founders of a public association are natural persons and public associations – legal entities that convened a congress (conference) or general (constituent) meeting to adopt the charter of the public association and form its governing and audit bodies. Founders of a public association shall have equal rights and bear equal obligations. 2. Members of a public association are natural persons whose interest to commonly pursue objectives of the public association in accordance with its charter is formalized by appropriate individual applications or documents that allow for keeping record of the number of the association’s members. Members of a public association shall have equal rights and bear equal obligations. Members of a public association have the right to elect and be elected to governing and audit bodies of the organization, and control the activity of governing bodies of the public association in accordance with its charter. Members of a public association enjoy their rights and bear obligations in accordance with the requirements of the charter, and may be expelled from the public association in a manner established by the charter for a failure to comply with these requirements. 3. Participants in a public association are natural persons who share the goals of the organization and/or its activities, take part in its activity without any compulsory formalization of conditions for such participation, unless otherwise provided for by the charter. Article 7. Organizational and legal forms of public associations A public association may be formed in one of the following organizational and legal forms: • public organization • public movement • body of public initiative Article 8. A Public Organization 1. A public organization is, as a rule, a membership-based public organization established on the basis of joint activities for the purpose of protecting common interests and attaining constituent goals of the citizens who joined the association. 2. The highest governing body of a public organization is its congress, conference or general meeting. The standing governing body of a public organization is an elected collegiate body that reports to the congress, conference or to the general meeting.