Vujic, Venice Commission delegation discuss set of judicial laws

BELGRADE - Serbian Justice Minister Nenad Vujic met with a Venice Commission delegation on Tuesday to discuss a recently passed set of judicial laws and noted that the legislation was based on constitutional solutions adopted in 2022, as well as on guarantees of judicial independence and autonomy of public prosecutors.

"The Minister informed the representatives of the Venice Commission in detail about the implementation of the amendments to the Law on the Public Prosecutor’s Office, the Law on Organisation and Jurisdiction of Government Authorities for Suppression of Cybercrime, the Law on the High Prosecutorial Council, the Law on Judges and the Law on the Seats and Territorial Jurisdictions of Courts and Public Prosecutor’s Offices.

He underlined that the amendments to these laws do not deviate in any way from the recommendations made by the Venice Commission when drafting the constitutional amendments and accompanying legislation, and that some of those recommendations have only now been adopted, that is, implemented in full," a government statement said.

Vujic noted that the amendments "strengthen the mandate of the High Prosecutorial Council by expanding its competences in relation to the secondment of public prosecutors, in line with the Commission’s earlier recommendations."

"He also emphasised that no new powers of the executive branch in relation to the judiciary have been introduced, nor do the legislative amendments leave room for any political influence on individual judicial or prosecutorial decisions.

Serbia remains fully committed to strengthening the independence, autonomy, accountability and efficiency of the judicial system, in accordance with the Constitution of the Republic of Serbia and European standards, the Minister underlined."