Serbian MP dismisses claims of positive Venice Commission opinion on judicial laws

Marinika Tepić, head of the Party of Freedom and Justice (SSP) parliamentary group, has sharply criticized Parliament Speaker Ana Brnabić's assertion that the Venice Commission provided an "absolutely positive opinion" on amendments to judicial laws. Tepić dismissed Brnabić's claims, labeling the changes as "corrections to corrections" of the original laws, which she argued had already received a negative opinion.

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For what exactly did you receive this alleged 'absolutely positive opinion from the Venice Commission'? For adopting Mrdić's (Vučić's) judicial laws that we urged you not to adopt in parliament? No, for that you received an absolutely negative opinion.

"For what exactly did you receive this alleged 'absolutely positive opinion from the Venice Commission'? For adopting Mrdić's (Vučić's) judicial laws that we urged you not to adopt in parliament? No, for that you received an absolutely negative opinion," Tepić stated in a release. She questioned whether the positive opinion was for the amendments made after the Venice Commission's initial negative assessment of the laws.

"No. And you received a negative opinion on the corrections as well. You are boasting about an alleged positive opinion on corrections to corrections of the Mrdić-Vučić judicial laws. Alleged, because we have not yet seen the Venice paper, and you and your boss are truly not to be trusted. And now you are proclaiming this a great victory on the international stage. Unbelievable stupidity and insolence. If it's from you, it's too much," Tepić assessed.

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No. And you received a negative opinion on the corrections as well. You are boasting about an alleged positive opinion on corrections to corrections of the Mrdić-Vučić judicial laws. Alleged, because we have not yet seen the Venice paper, and you and your boss are truly not to be trusted. And now you are proclaiming this a great victory on the international stage. Unbelievable stupidity and insolence. If it's from you, it's too much.

She likened the situation to a student failing a grade, being sent for remedial classes, failing again, and then barely passing, only to claim they achieved an unprecedented success. "Instead of lying to citizens about the Venice Commission's support for the laws, you should resign because, as Speaker of the Assembly, you allowed the adoption of laws that will ultimately leave almost nothing but the name. Everything else you adopted, you had to annul," Tepić concluded. Brnabić had previously stated that the Venice Commission of the Council of Europe gave a positive opinion on the proposed changes to recently adopted judicial laws, noting that the government managed to defend at least three provisions that had faced public criticism.

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Instead of lying to citizens about the Venice Commission's support for the laws, you should resign because, as Speaker of the Assembly, you allowed the adoption of laws that will ultimately leave almost nothing but the name. Everything else you adopted, you had to annul.