Q:
A:
Judicial reform condition for democratic progress
Belgrade,
29 October 2008
Serbian President Boris Tadic said today that without legal order and awareness about the importance of the rule of law, further democratization of Serbian society will be impossible and for this reason firm steps must be taken to reform the judicial system.
Opening a public debate on a set of new judiciary laws, Tadic said that the rule of law is the basis of a modern and democratic society and a requirement for a successful fight against corruption and organised crime.
Without success in these areas Serbia will not be able to join the EU, said the President, adding that the ultimate aim of judicial reforms is to bring about a positive change within society, while creating an attractive investment climate, new jobs and establishing a stable legal order that guarantees equality, security and prosperity.
The Serbian President talked about upholding the law and mentioned Serbia’s obligation to cooperate with the Hague tribunal, emphasizing that those who oppose cooperation are against economic development and a better life.
He said that the immediate goals of judicial reforms must be increased efficiency, the training of judicial employees and protection of civil rights.
The reforms aim to increase the credibility and authority of judges, said Tadic, adding that new laws must guarantee the independence of judges and prosecutors and that principles must be established for identifying and reacting to inefficiency and incompetence.
Tadic said that the general public opinion is that corruption is present in all spheres of society, in politics, health, education and the judiciary and because of this the fight against corruption must also include the judiciary.
In the fight against corruption we must abide by the principles of equality, independence and objectivity regardless of party loyalties, family relations and official positions. From the President to the ordinary citizen no one must escape scrutiny, said Tadic, adding that he is convinced that it is possible to make a huge step forward in the fight against corruption.
He said that he is certain that Serbian society has the institutional strength and potential to make a civilized, reformatory and pro-European step forward for the well being of the people.
The President said that the biggest problem in the judiciary today is time consuming procedures and the number of pending cases, adding that a lenient penal policy also presents a problem, particularly when serious crimes such as drug trafficking are in question.
Serbian Justice Minister Snezana Malovic said that there is no place for incompetent and corrupt judges in the Serbian judiciary and that the criteria set forth by the new laws will ensure this.
She said that these laws are being adopted at a difficult time for the country, as it “takes a historical exam” for EU membership, adding that judicial reforms are one of the most important reforms implemented by Serbia.
She explained that key changes will be a reorganisation of the judicial system, specifying that there will be changes made to the network of judicial bodies and possible changes to the number of judicial functionaries and the personnel structure.
She said that the new network will reduce the number of basic and magistrates’ courts, as well as the number of public prosecutors.
These changes will lead to more efficiency and transparency and will make justice more accessible, said Malovic, adding that the independence of a country’s judicial authorities is the measure of its progress as a democracy.
The public debate on the set of new judiciary laws was organised by the Justice Ministry and the Independent Journalists Association of Serbia.
Without success in these areas Serbia will not be able to join the EU, said the President, adding that the ultimate aim of judicial reforms is to bring about a positive change within society, while creating an attractive investment climate, new jobs and establishing a stable legal order that guarantees equality, security and prosperity.
The Serbian President talked about upholding the law and mentioned Serbia’s obligation to cooperate with the Hague tribunal, emphasizing that those who oppose cooperation are against economic development and a better life.
He said that the immediate goals of judicial reforms must be increased efficiency, the training of judicial employees and protection of civil rights.
The reforms aim to increase the credibility and authority of judges, said Tadic, adding that new laws must guarantee the independence of judges and prosecutors and that principles must be established for identifying and reacting to inefficiency and incompetence.
Tadic said that the general public opinion is that corruption is present in all spheres of society, in politics, health, education and the judiciary and because of this the fight against corruption must also include the judiciary.
In the fight against corruption we must abide by the principles of equality, independence and objectivity regardless of party loyalties, family relations and official positions. From the President to the ordinary citizen no one must escape scrutiny, said Tadic, adding that he is convinced that it is possible to make a huge step forward in the fight against corruption.
He said that he is certain that Serbian society has the institutional strength and potential to make a civilized, reformatory and pro-European step forward for the well being of the people.
The President said that the biggest problem in the judiciary today is time consuming procedures and the number of pending cases, adding that a lenient penal policy also presents a problem, particularly when serious crimes such as drug trafficking are in question.
Serbian Justice Minister Snezana Malovic said that there is no place for incompetent and corrupt judges in the Serbian judiciary and that the criteria set forth by the new laws will ensure this.
She said that these laws are being adopted at a difficult time for the country, as it “takes a historical exam” for EU membership, adding that judicial reforms are one of the most important reforms implemented by Serbia.
She explained that key changes will be a reorganisation of the judicial system, specifying that there will be changes made to the network of judicial bodies and possible changes to the number of judicial functionaries and the personnel structure.
She said that the new network will reduce the number of basic and magistrates’ courts, as well as the number of public prosecutors.
These changes will lead to more efficiency and transparency and will make justice more accessible, said Malovic, adding that the independence of a country’s judicial authorities is the measure of its progress as a democracy.
The public debate on the set of new judiciary laws was organised by the Justice Ministry and the Independent Journalists Association of Serbia.
-
Belgrade, 8 April 2026Serbia remains firmly committed to strengthening cooperation in region
-
Belgrade, 7 April 2026Serbia’s infrastructure, economic development through partnership with China
-
Belgrade, 6 April 2026Anniversary of 1941 bombing of Belgrade marked
-
Belgrade, 2 April 2026Serbian Army remains committed to UNIFIL tasks
-
Belgrade, 2 April 2026Switzerland’s financial support for reform processes in Serbia
-
Belgrade, 30 March 2026Cooperation with Russia, Belarus in areas of mutual interest
-
Belgrade, 27 March 2026World Bank support for implementation of priority energy projects
-
Belgrade, 27 March 2026Continued cooperation with Germany on utility infrastructure projects
-
Belgrade, 26 March 2026Activities of state institutions for opening clusters 2 and 5 examined
-
Belgrade, 26 March 2026Exchange of experiences with Slovakia in field of ICT