Serbia revises judicial laws amid government praise and opposition criticism

Serbia's National Assembly convened an extraordinary session to revise a package of judicial laws, which have been publicly referred to as "Mrdić's laws." The ruling majority asserts that these changes fully comply with the recommendations of the Venice Commission, presenting the revisions as an improvement to existing regulations.

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The Venice Commission shows that the January amendments were not a step backward. Also, much more importantly, we show that the National Assembly and all ministers are ready to take further steps in the reform of the judiciary.

Minister of Justice Nenad Vujić expressed satisfaction with the amendments, stating, "The Venice Commission shows that the January amendments were not a step backward. Also, much more importantly, we show that the National Assembly and all ministers are ready to take further steps in the reform of the judiciary." He added that the government proposes these revised laws also be known as "Mrdić's Venetian laws, number two," referencing the opposition's earlier naming of the legislation.

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Since you called this set of judicial laws 'Mrdić's judicial laws,' now you have 'Mrdić's Venetian laws number two.'

However, opposition parties view the situation critically. They argue that the government's actions are not an enhancement but a correction of a "legal mess" created by the initial laws. Ana Jakovljević, a Member of Parliament from the People's Movement of Serbia, stated, "We have an arsonist who started a fire, then took it upon himself to put it out, and now they are trying desperately to present themselves as heroes who extinguished the fire. In reality, we have lost time, and funds from the Growth Plan have been halted. We have literally been legally embarrassed as a country in every possible way."

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We have an arsonist who started a fire, then took it upon himself to put it out, and now they are trying desperately to present themselves as heroes who extinguished the fire. In reality, we have lost time, and funds from the Growth Plan have been halted. We have literally been legally embarrassed as a country in every possible way.

The Venice Commission had previously indicated that seven out of nine recommendations were met, but two key points remained unaddressed. These concerned the organization of work within key prosecutor's offices and the status of prosecutors removed under Mrdić's laws, who were involved in major Serbian cases, including the "Novi Sad tragedy" and a significant marijuana seizure. Opposition MPs Borislav Novaković and Ana Jakovljević highlighted that prosecutors like Aleksandar Barac and Irena Bjeloš, crucial to these investigations, have not been reinstated.

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Sixteen lives were lost. Aleksandar Barac is working on that very delicate job. He has not been returned to the Prosecutor's Office for Organized Crime. The second delicate matter is led by Irena Bjeloš - the problem of Konjuh and the marijuana found there.