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The Government of the Republic of Serbia

In the service of citizens

Protocol on Spanish support to Higher Judiciary Council signed

Belgrade, 27 March 2008

Serbian Minister of Justice Dusan Petrovic and Spanish Ambassador to Belgrade Jose Riera Siquier signed today a protocol on cooperation securing Spanish support to the establishment of the Higher Judiciary Council in Serbia.

Jose Riera Siquier and Dusan Petrovic

The project is supported by the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID) in order to establish the Higher Judiciary Council.

The project is part of the Spanish government’s donation to the programme of institutional building in Serbia.

Petrovic noted that this document will help take consultancy and technical measures in order to constitute the Higher Judiciary Council sooner. He added that the process of establishing an independent judiciary should be accelerated.

The aim of the Ministry of Justice is to constitute all institutions, including the Higher Judiciary Council, Supreme Court of Cassation and courts of appeals, as well as Administrative Court, which should round up the reform of judiciary under the new Constitution.

The Minister reiterated that all the necessary decisions will be made in 2008 so that the safety system for judges, prosecutors and attorneys may be established.

He recalled that in June last year he ordered all court presidents in Serbia to inform the police on their evaluation of risks to safety on a daily basis and added that the analysis is underway to determine how this order has been implemented.

According to Petrovic, the number of court guards has been doubled in the past ten months and the plan is to improve the technical safety of courts, as well as introduce metal detectors and other safety equipment.

Siquier confirmed that Spain will keep supporting the strengthening of institutions in Serbia which will help create a state of law and assist Serbia on its road to the EU.

He noted that the creation of a true state of law is a challenge all young democracies are faced with and added that the formation of judicial organs is the founding stone of the reform in the judiciary whose aim are independent courts.

Siquier also said that the project was endorsed by the Spanish Agency for International Cooperation with the support of the Spanish General Judicial Council.