"EU's latest Serbia report negative"

The latest monthly report of the EU delegation in Belgrade is very negative, Novi Sad's Dnevnik newspaper writes today. The report concerns progress in Serbia's stabilization and association process efforts. "EU's latest Serbia report negative" The document criticizes "growing corruption" in the country, dubs the state of human rights and position of small religious communities as "worrying", and accuses the ruling coalition of wishing to maintain "a political influence on judges". "The degree of corruption in Serbia is increasingly worrying, since the situation has significantly deteriorated in comparison to the previous period in the sectors of financing of political parties, public procurement, free access to information and conflict of interest," Dnevnik quoted the report. "Judicial reforms lagging behind and a lack of improved business climate contribute to a very negative picture." Justice Minister Snezana Malovic was criticized for insisting that judges be reelected in parliament, the daily writes. According to the report, judges and prosecutors do not have adequate guarantees for their independence due to constitutional constraints and a lack of clear criteria for their appointment, advancement, disciplinary measures, or termination of service. The report also mentions "the latest incidents and attacks on human rights activists", to conclude that the constitutionally guaranteed right to freedom of thought and expression in Serbia has been "seriously violated". The EU delegation welcomed a recent police decision to ban a neo-Nazi rally in Belgrade, noting that bans are a measure that must be accompanied by campaigns in education, media, and a series of anti-discriminatory measures. Anti-Adventist Church graffiti appearing in Vojvodina have caused a stern reaction from the EU, Beta news agency quotes Dnevnik, but the report also praised Religion Minister Bogoljub Sijakovic who has "not only verbally condemned it, but has promised to solve the problem". Serbia's parliament was also criticized, with the EU believing that the long standing problems in its functioning stem from procedural shortcomings and a lack of a political consensus over "key state priorities". The EU report goes on to say that "new rules of procedure will solve the existing problems in parliament's work, but its adoption and full implementation will depend on how many parliamentary parties will work to have the new rules of procedure successfully applied".

"EU's latest Serbia report negative"

The document criticizes "growing corruption" in the country, dubs the state of human rights and position of small religious communities as "worrying", and accuses the ruling coalition of wishing to maintain "a political influence on judges".

"The degree of corruption in Serbia is increasingly worrying, since the situation has significantly deteriorated in comparison to the previous period in the sectors of financing of political parties, public procurement, free access to information and conflict of interest," Dnevnik quoted the report.

"Judicial reforms lagging behind and a lack of improved business climate contribute to a very negative picture."

Justice Minister Snežana Malović was criticized for insisting that judges be reelected in parliament, the daily writes.

According to the report, judges and prosecutors do not have adequate guarantees for their independence due to constitutional constraints and a lack of clear criteria for their appointment, advancement, disciplinary measures, or termination of service.

The report also mentions "the latest incidents and attacks on human rights activists", to conclude that the constitutionally guaranteed right to freedom of thought and expression in Serbia has been "seriously violated".

The EU delegation welcomed a recent police decision to ban a neo-Nazi rally in Belgrade, noting that bans are a measure that must be accompanied by campaigns in education, media, and a series of anti-discriminatory measures.

Anti-Adventist Church graffiti appearing in Vojvodina have caused a stern reaction from the EU, Beta news agency quotes Dnevnik, but the report also praised Religion Minister Bogoljub Šijaković who has "not only verbally condemned it, but has promised to solve the problem".

Serbia's parliament was also criticized, with the EU believing that the long standing problems in its functioning stem from procedural shortcomings and a lack of a political consensus over "key state priorities".

The EU report goes on to say that "new rules of procedure will solve the existing problems in parliament's work, but its adoption and full implementation will depend on how many parliamentary parties will work to have the new rules of procedure successfully applied".