Judicial Assistants send urgent letters to Venice Commission and EU Delegation: 'Recommendations to Serbia are being grossly bypassed'

Serbia's Association of Judicial Assistants has alerted the Venice Commission and the head of the EU Delegation in Belgrade to concerns over the adoption of a package of judicial laws. The association argues that the process in the Serbian Parliament is a mere "semblance of dialogue" and that the proposed laws on the Judicial Academy, judges, and public prosecutors directly violate European standards.

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We are not seeking any external interference, but as professionals, we are informing international partners that we believe the recommendations made to Serbia are being grossly bypassed.

In a statement, the association emphasized that the adoption of these laws bypasses crucial recommendations made to Serbia. They assert that European standards for good legislation require transparency, inclusivity, and broad participation from stakeholders at every stage of the process. The association stressed that their communication is not seeking external interference but aims to inform international partners about what they perceive as a gross disregard for these principles.

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Laws are made in Belgrade, and solutions for Serbian judiciary must be crafted in the best interest of our citizens.

The Association of Judicial Assistants claims that the professional legal community was not given a genuine opportunity to influence the content of the laws, with the government instead "imposing a finished product." They argue that as Serbia has chosen a European path, it must adhere to European standards of transparency and inclusivity, rather than implementing hasty experiments that undermine the stability of the legal system.

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The profession has not had any real opportunity to influence the content of the laws in this process; instead, the government has imposed a finished product.

The association stated they will not stand by idly while the profession is degraded and important laws are enacted improperly. They are calling for a true and substantive public debate before the parliamentary procedure continues, emphasizing that solutions for Serbia's judiciary must be crafted in the best interest of its citizens.

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Since our country has chosen the European path, we are obliged to respect European standards of transparency and inclusivity, and not to introduce hasty experiments that undermine the stability of the legal system.