Q:
A:
Best, most competent people must be appointed for judges, prosecutors
Belgrade,
2 October 2007
Serbian Minister of Justice Dusan Petrovic said today that it is essential to establish the criteria for appointing the best and most competent candidates for judges and prosecutors.
Author:
Tanjug
At a roundtable discussion on the importance of clear and measurable criteria for electing and revoking judges and prosecutors in Serbia, held at the Belgrade Continental Hotel, Petrovic said that justice in any court proceeding can be achieved only if it is attained quickly.
Minister Petrovic said it is necessary to set up proper criteria in order to elect the best people for these key judicial positions.
He stressed that the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg has warned Serbia that procedures are not concluded in a reasonable deadline and added that in order to change this, clear and transparent criteria must be set up for the election, advancement and revocation of persons occupying these key positions.
Petrovic added that the current criteria for assessing the work of judicial functions concern the quality of the judge’s work, number of cases solved, abolished or altered, whereas on the other side, there is a special formula to calculate promptness of courts.
President of the Supreme Court of Serbia Vida Petrovic-Skero stressed that the Constitution and the Constitutional law prioritise the criteria for electing, advancing and revoking bearers of these judicial positions, adding that that is the best way to achieve the quality judiciary which Serbia needs.
The judiciary needs transparent and clearly-interpreted criteria, one of which is the competence of employees, said Petrovic-Skero.
Any voluntary interpretation of these criteria would question the autonomy of judges and the judiciary, she added.
Acting State Prosecutor Slobodan Radovanovic stressed that the prosecutors’ organisation sees the introduction of these criteria as a good way towards the reconstruction of this organisation.
The aim of a democratic society is to have serious, well-developed and independent judiciary, and the basis of it are competent, capable people of excellent professional and personal qualities, added Radovanovic.
Head of the OSCE Mission to Serbia Hans Ola Urstad said that Serbia is faced with a challenge, which is to adopt a set of judiciary-related laws and appoint judges of the Constitutional Court.
Special representative of the Council of Europe’s Secretary General Dennis Hubert said that the reform of the judiciary is an important step Serbia must make on its road to EU integrations.
Minister Petrovic said it is necessary to set up proper criteria in order to elect the best people for these key judicial positions.
He stressed that the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg has warned Serbia that procedures are not concluded in a reasonable deadline and added that in order to change this, clear and transparent criteria must be set up for the election, advancement and revocation of persons occupying these key positions.
Petrovic added that the current criteria for assessing the work of judicial functions concern the quality of the judge’s work, number of cases solved, abolished or altered, whereas on the other side, there is a special formula to calculate promptness of courts.
President of the Supreme Court of Serbia Vida Petrovic-Skero stressed that the Constitution and the Constitutional law prioritise the criteria for electing, advancing and revoking bearers of these judicial positions, adding that that is the best way to achieve the quality judiciary which Serbia needs.
The judiciary needs transparent and clearly-interpreted criteria, one of which is the competence of employees, said Petrovic-Skero.
Any voluntary interpretation of these criteria would question the autonomy of judges and the judiciary, she added.
Acting State Prosecutor Slobodan Radovanovic stressed that the prosecutors’ organisation sees the introduction of these criteria as a good way towards the reconstruction of this organisation.
The aim of a democratic society is to have serious, well-developed and independent judiciary, and the basis of it are competent, capable people of excellent professional and personal qualities, added Radovanovic.
Head of the OSCE Mission to Serbia Hans Ola Urstad said that Serbia is faced with a challenge, which is to adopt a set of judiciary-related laws and appoint judges of the Constitutional Court.
Special representative of the Council of Europe’s Secretary General Dennis Hubert said that the reform of the judiciary is an important step Serbia must make on its road to EU integrations.
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