Minister expecting positive Hague report

Justice Minister Snezana Malovic says that she expects a positive report on Serbia’s cooperation with the Hague. Malovic told TV B92 that she had spoken with Hague Chief Prosecutor Serge Brammertz about her ministry’s powers within the framework of Tribunal cooperation. Minister expecting positive Hague report “I believe that the report will be a good one, and I base that opinion not only on today’s meeting, but from all the statements he’s made, especially since the arrest of Radovan Karadzic,” she said. Malovic said that cooperation with the Hague Tribunal was not solely based on the arrest of fugitives, but also on the delivery of files sought by the Tribunal, and that Serbia had fulfilled almost all the Tribunal’s requests. The minister said that all state bodies were working to locate and arrest Ratko Mladic and Goran Hadzic, and hoped that the two would be brought to justice soon. Malovic also discussed laws that were important for Serbia’s EU integration. She said that her ministry had prepared laws that were not only important for European integration, but for Serbia’s legal system in general. She expects a set of laws concerning the judicial system to be adopted in the next 30 days. Malovic said that a set of laws enabling Serbia to accede to the so-called White Schengen List would be on the agenda of the next parliamentary session. Laws on the institution of a Supreme Cassation Court and a Court of Appeal would also be introduced into the urgent parliamentary procedure. These courts, said the justice minister, would be formed within six months of the relevant laws’ enactment. She said that the re-election of all judges and prosecutors would also be a key part of further judicial reform. Malovic said that draft laws for confiscation of property acquired through criminal activities had been prepared, as had laws on data protection, cooperation with criminal courts, and a law on the Anti-Corruption Agency. "All the drafts have been sent for parliamentary procedure, and will soon be on the agenda,” she said, adding that she hoped the laws would be adopted by November. She said that the draft law on the Anti-Corruption Agency had been adopted unanimously at yesterday’s cabinet meeting. "The Anti-Corruption Council will not be abolished, it will continue to operate in its existing format. The Agency will be an independent institution with its own bodies,” the minister explained. She added that the powers of the Conflict of Interests Committee would be transferred to the new agency, explaining that the agency director would be able to, upon establishing the existence of a conflict of interest, propose the dismissal of certain officials. "So far, there have been no sanctions for failure to declare property, but the new law envisages a sentence from six months up to five years,” explained Malovic.

Minister expecting positive Hague report

“I believe that the report will be a good one, and I base that opinion not only on today’s meeting, but from all the statements he’s made, especially since the arrest of Radovan Karadžić,” she said.

Malović said that cooperation with the Hague Tribunal was not solely based on the arrest of fugitives, but also on the delivery of files sought by the Tribunal, and that Serbia had fulfilled almost all the Tribunal’s requests.

The minister said that all state bodies were working to locate and arrest Ratko Mladić and Goran Hadžić, and hoped that the two would be brought to justice soon.

Malović also discussed laws that were important for Serbia’s EU integration. She said that her ministry had prepared laws that were not only important for European integration, but for Serbia’s legal system in general.

She expects a set of laws concerning the judicial system to be adopted in the next 30 days.

Malović said that a set of laws enabling Serbia to accede to the so-called White Schengen List would be on the agenda of the next parliamentary session.

Laws on the institution of a Supreme Cassation Court and a Court of Appeal would also be introduced into the urgent parliamentary procedure. These courts, said the justice minister, would be formed within six months of the relevant laws’ enactment.

She said that the re-election of all judges and prosecutors would also be a key part of further judicial reform.

Malović said that draft laws for confiscation of property acquired through criminal activities had been prepared, as had laws on data protection, cooperation with criminal courts, and a law on the Anti-Corruption Agency.

"All the drafts have been sent for parliamentary procedure, and will soon be on the agenda,” she said, adding that she hoped the laws would be adopted by November.

She said that the draft law on the Anti-Corruption Agency had been adopted unanimously at yesterday’s cabinet meeting.

"The Anti-Corruption Council will not be abolished, it will continue to operate in its existing format. The Agency will be an independent institution with its own bodies,” the minister explained.

She added that the powers of the Conflict of Interests Committee would be transferred to the new agency, explaining that the agency director would be able to, upon establishing the existence of a conflict of interest, propose the dismissal of certain officials.

"So far, there have been no sanctions for failure to declare property, but the new law envisages a sentence from six months up to five years,” explained Malović.