Milanović (SRCE): Amendments to judicial laws abolish the third pillar of power

The Srbija centar (SRCE) party has strongly criticized the Serbian government's proposed amendments to three key judicial laws, asserting that these changes will effectively dismantle the independence of the judiciary. Verica Milanović, a member of SRCE's Presidency, stated that the proposed legislation undermines the third pillar of power: the courts.

The core of the criticism centers on the proposed changes to the Law on the Judicial Academy, the Law on Judges, and the Law on Public Prosecution. A significant alteration mandates that only candidates who have completed training and received a certificate from the Judicial Academy can be appointed as judges or prosecutors for the first time. This requirement would apply to the High Judicial Council and the High Prosecutorial Council.

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With the proposed amendments to the three judicial laws, the regime is abolishing the third pillar of power – the judiciary.

Milanović argued that instead of engaging in consultations with legal professionals and holding public debates, the government has conducted only four public hearings with professional associations. The consensus among these associations, she stated, is that the proposal is flawed and should be withdrawn. "Despite the joint stance that the proposal is bad and must be withdrawn from the procedure, this has not deterred the proposers in the least," Milanović added.

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Instead of consultations with the professional public, public debate, four public hearings were held where professional associations were present. The common position is that the proposal is bad and must be withdrawn from the procedure.

SRCE contends that these amendments are part of a broader pattern of politicizing the justice system in Serbia. Milanović pointed to 14 years of what she described as the "devaluation of the profession," the "opening of markets for buying diplomas," and the establishment of "party employment as a rule." She specifically cited the election of Constitutional Court judges based solely on "party activism," suggesting that the current judicial reform proposals are a predictable outcome of this trend.

The party's strong opposition underscores concerns about the rule of law and the potential for further erosion of judicial independence in Serbia under the current government's policies.

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After 14 years of devaluing the profession, opening markets for buying diplomas, introducing party employment as a rule, electing judges of the Constitutional Court with the sole criterion - party activism, we can expect nothing else from the authorities.