German Ambassador on Vucic’s Announced Courthouse Blockade: An Unacceptable Attempt to Influence Court Proceedings

German Ambassador Anke Konrad (BETAPHOTO/MILAN ILIC)

On May 21, Germany’s Ambassador to Serbia Anke Konrad called attempts to influence court proceedings unacceptable and emphasized that the rule of law entails an independent judiciary free of pressures.

Commenting on President of Serbia Aleksandar Vucic’s announcement that he will call for a blockade of the Novi Sad Courthouse until jailed activists of the Serbian Progressive Party are released, Konrad said that, in Germany, a high official pressuring the judiciary would raise very many questions.

“But we have the rule of law and such cases are essentially impossible. There is freedom of expression, but there can be no attempts to influence court proceedings. This is a tenet of the rule of law,” Konrad told N1 TV.

According to the ambassador, Germany is closely following the situation in Serbia because it sees the country as a candidate for membership in the EU – for which the rule of law is a foundational pillar. “The rule of law means an independent judiciary, without pressures. The independent operation of judges and prosecutors must be ensured. This is an expectation within the EU accession process, and we are assuming this is a goal for Serbia as well,” Konrad added.

The announced blockade of the Novi Sad Courthouse pertains to four Progressive activists who used a baseball bat to break the jaw of a female Novi Sad University student and comes is a response to the Novi Sad’s Appellate Court releasing local opposition activists Marija Vasic, Lado Jovovic and Lazar Dinic on house arrest. Based on an illegal surveillance recording, the trio was arrested on March 15 along with three other people who remain jailed, on suspicion of attempting to topple the constitutional order.

With regards to the regime using a sonic cannon against protestors at the massive March 15 rally in Belgrade, Konrad stated that the European Court is currently handling the matter. “The Court requested a statement from the Serbian government, as well as reports from the persons affected [by the weapon]. We should wait for the conclusions of the court inquiry so we can form a picture of what really happened,” said the German ambassador.