Situation in Serbian judiciary "difficult", minister says

BELGRADE Serbia’s Justice Minister Nikola Selakovic has stated that the “inherited situation in the judiciary is extremely difficult”. He added that he would perform a detailed analysis that was necessary in order to find a solution. Situation in Serbian judiciary "difficult", minister says The minister told daily Danas that he did not intend to “be a judge or a prosecutor” and that such practice needed to stop. He assessed that the current network of courts and prosecutions in Serbia did not adequately meet the needs of the citizens. When asked whether he would start a proceeding against certain judges and prosecutor who were in prison or standing trial after the Constitutional Court’s decision to reinstate non-elected judges and prosecutors, Selakovic said that one should not expect him to be a judge or a prosecutor. “Do not expect a justice minister to act like a judge or like a prosecutor. If Serbia really wants to be a modern European democracy and a state with a full legal order, then such practice needs to remain a dark historical example,” he was quoted as saying. When asked what would happen to the judicial reform that was implemented by the previous government, Selakovic said that “the word reform has lost its essential meaning in our case”. He denied that the new government would have so-called party quotas for the appointment of judges and prosecutors. “If I knew about any kind of quotas, I assure you that you would be talking to somebody else right now and not with me,” the justice minister noted. Nikola Selakovic (Tanjug, file) Beta Danas

Situation in Serbian judiciary "difficult", minister says

The minister told daily Danas that he did not intend to “be a judge or a prosecutor” and that such practice needed to stop.

He assessed that the current network of courts and prosecutions in Serbia did not adequately meet the needs of the citizens.

When asked whether he would start a proceeding against certain judges and prosecutor who were in prison or standing trial after the Constitutional Court’s decision to reinstate non-elected judges and prosecutors, Selaković said that one should not expect him to be a judge or a prosecutor.

“Do not expect a justice minister to act like a judge or like a prosecutor. If Serbia really wants to be a modern European democracy and a state with a full legal order, then such practice needs to remain a dark historical example,” he was quoted as saying.

When asked what would happen to the judicial reform that was implemented by the previous government, Selaković said that “the word reform has lost its essential meaning in our case”.

He denied that the new government would have so-called party quotas for the appointment of judges and prosecutors.

“If I knew about any kind of quotas, I assure you that you would be talking to somebody else right now and not with me,” the justice minister noted.