Serbian Minister of Justice Zoran Stojkovic, US Ambassador to Serbia Michael Polt, President of the High Commercial Court Radomir Lazarevic and Director of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Keith Simmons signed today memorandums on cooperation and officially released into operation the new automated computerised Case Management System (CMS) at the Commercial Court in Belgrade.
Michael Polt, left, and Zoran Stojkovic
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CMS was developed as part of the $12.8 million Commercial Court Administration Strengthening programme (CCASA), funded by the American people through the USAID.
The first Memorandum confirms that both governments' joint commitment to further expand the automated Case Management System to other Serbian Commercial Courts as the final legacy of USAID’s CCASA programme.
The second Memorandum strengthens the terms of cooperation on USAID’s Bankruptcy and Enforcement Strengthening (BES) program and will directly address needed improvements in Serbia’s system of commercial enforcement.
Stojkovic told journalists that CMS will free judges and court staff from outdated and cumbersome registry books and paper files, and provide them with on-line information to monitor individual case progress.
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This automation will eliminate case delays, increase public transparency of court operations and dramatically reduce the potential for neglect or corruption in case administration, thus increasing public credibility of the judiciary, creating a positive environment for foreign and domestic investments, Stojkovic added.
CMS, which is already installed at the Novi Sad Commercial Court, will be installed in other Serbian commercial courts within the next 18 months.
Ambassador Polt said that the signed memoranda will help the Serbian judiciary to take a step forward in tackling corruption.
Some 260 staff members underwent a three-month course to work on CMS.