Marta Kos Expresses Concern Over Serbian Government’s Suppression of Independent Judiciary

Marta Kos (BETAPHOTO/HINA/Damir SENCAR)

In a March 19 post on X, European Union Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos said she told Serbian Parliament Speaker Ana Brnabic during their meeting in Brussels that Serbia’s recent steps “to curb the independence of its judiciary” have caused “great concern” in the Union.

“We expect the implementation of the new judiciary laws to be put on hold until the Venice Commission issues its opinion, and for Serbia's authorities to respect the opinion & revise the laws accordingly,” the post reads, referencing the controversial amendments to six judicial laws proposed by ruling Serbian Progressive Party MP Ugljesa Mrdic.

Kos went on to say that she has informed Brnabic of the “ongoing assessment whether Serbia still meets the conditions for payments under the EU's financial instruments” and “urged an end to attacks on civil society and journalists.”

In Brussels, Brnabic met with Kos and Gert-Jan Koopman, director general for neighborhood and enlargement negotiations at the European Commission in Brussels, in charge of the Eastern Partnership.

Following the meeting, Brnabic, too, told the press that the EU officials expressed concern over the adopted judicial law amendments.