EU Delegation: Amendments to Judicial Legislation a Serious Step Back for Serbia

Andreas von Beckerath (BETAPHOTO/MILOS MISKOV)

The Delegation of the European Union to Serbia said in a Jan. 30 release that it deeply regretted the promulgation of amendments to key judicial laws, describing them as a serious step backward on Serbia’s path toward membership of the Union and calling for an urgent correction of Serbia’s course.

Both the EU Delegation and its head, Andreas von Beckerath, suggest that Serbia choose “inclusive consultations and the opinion of the Venice Commission” instead.

“We deeply regret the promulgation of amendments to key judicial laws adopted by the Parliament of Serbia. This is a serious step back on Serbia’s path toward membership of the European Union, and an urgent course correction is needed. Inclusive consultations and the opinion of the Venice Commission are the way forward,” the Delegation and von Beckerath said.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic signed on Jan. 30 a set of amendments to several judicial laws adopted by the Parliament of Serbia on Jan. 28, despite critical voices warning that the amendments would undermine judicial independence and the autonomy of prosecutors, the Office of the Prosecutor for Organized Crime in particular. Shortly after the Parliament adopted the amendments, the European Commission said they were a serious step backward on Serbia’s path toward EU membership, running counter to Serbia’s earlier reforms and its commitment to strengthening judicial independence and prosecutorial autonomy.