PM talks about corruption, singles out inefficient judiciary

PM talks about corruption, singles out inefficient judiciary

Vucic told the conference on fight against corruption that Serbia has "a zero tolerance policy on corruption" and that "un this sense no one is protected," adding that the number of indictments raised and the number of crimes detected have never been greater, but underlined that the judiciary is inefficient.

“Even before the three-month strike by the lawyers, none of us could be satisfied with the efficiency of the judiciary,” Vucic said.

He underlined that a strategy for the fight against corruption and an action plan have been passed, while the Law on Whistleblower Protection has been adopted and the results of its implementation are being awaited.

“I believe that it is crucial for the society to focus on the zero tolerance, so that we could condemn both the one who takes money for a child's school enrollment and those who took hundreds of millions from the state-owned banks to bribe politicians and directors,” Vucic said.

He underlined that the fight against corruption calls for a comprehensive, joint action of all state bodies, society, government, agencies, independent bodies, police prosecutions and judiciary.

Over the last 20 years, corruption has ruined the Serbian society, we need to team in the fight against this plague, and we are not doing this for the sake of the EU or anyone else, but rather for our own state and citizens, the prime minister said.

“Therefore, unlike other countries which were afraid and waited for Chapters 23 and 24 to be opened in the final phase of the negotiations, we are happy that they will be opened at the very start,” Vucic said, stressing that we will do our best to complete this job in the shortest time possible.