Gentlemen's covenant

The Gentlemen's covenant (Batavian: Herenverbond) is an agreement between Jonas and Gustaaf Vermeylen about the real-life control of Batavia. This agreement overrules the Batavian legislation, such as the Batavian constitution.

Necessity

After a turbulent course of the Batavian revival in mid-2018, there appeared to be distrust among the main initiators. Jonas and Gustaaf Vermeylen started a series of conversations in the fall of 2019, which eventually led to Gentlemen's covenant.

The main reason is that both Jonas and Gustaaf Vermeylen were at the basis of the earlier revival of Batavia in December 2006 and January 2007. This led to the Second Kingdom of Batavia, the glory days of the micronation. Collaboration between these players has proven to be the key. This realization was the reason to talk and agreements were recorded.

The purpose of the Gentlemen's covenant publication is not to leave other participants in the dark about the actual functioning of the board.

Text

Original text

Translation in the Common Language

1. Gezamenlijke en gelijkwaardige leiding over het project Batavië. De fictieve positie en rol zijn ondergeschikt. 2. Buitenlandse relaties moeten elkaars goedkeuring vinden. Alleen verdragen voor erkenning en uitwisseling van diplomaten behoeven geen goedkeuring. Verdergaande verdragen, zoals niet-aanvalsverdragen, militaire samenwerking, openstelling van grenzen, etc. moeten die goedkeuring wel hebben. 3. Territoriale beslissingen - het toevoegen, afstaan of wijzigen van territorium - moet elkaars goedkeuring vinden. De autonome gebieden zijn daarvan uitgesloten, maar het territoriaal beleid van autonome gebieden moet wel overlegd worden. 4. Beleid van onze eigen projecten wordt overlegd, echter we blijven soeverein over onze eigen projecten. Het overleg is bedoeld om de invloed van die projecten op Batavië te kunnen beheersen. 5. Oorlog en vrede moet elkaars goedkeuring vinden. Alleen als Batavië de oorlog wordt verklaard, is het een voldongen feit. Met die verstande dat Batavië afzijdig blijft van het Raspur-pact, de USSO en MTO.

1. Joint and equivalent management of the Batavia project. The fictional position and role are secondary. 2. Foreign relations must find each other's approval. Only treaties for the recognition and exchange of diplomats do not require approval. Far-reaching treaties, such as non-aggression treaties, military cooperation, opening up of borders, etc. must have that approval. 3. Territorial decisions - adding, giving up or changing territory - must be approved by each other. The autonomous regions are excluded from this, but the territorial policy of autonomous regions must be discussed. 4. Policy of our own projects is being discussed, but we remain sovereign over our own projects. The consultation is intended to control the impact of those projects on Batavia. 5. War and peace must find each other's approval. Only if Batavia is declared war, is it an accomplished fact. With the understanding that Batavia remains aloof from the Raspur Pact, the USSO and MTO.