"Changes to Constitution before EU accession"

BELGRADE Serbian Minister of Justice Nikola Selakovic has said that Serbia will not change its Constitution for the time being. However, he added that changes in the country's top legal act can be expected prior to Serbia's accession to the European Union (EU). "Changes to Constitution before EU accession" "We in Serbia tend to criticize certain existing legislation, although we have not implemented them fully," Selakovic said, adding that it should first be seen what can be done within the framework of the Constitution that was adopted in a referendum in 2006. "Once constitutional changes are on the agenda, we will prepare for them well," the justice minister said, adding that this is expected to happen prior to Serbia's EU accession. Selakovic told journalists at the Palace of Serbia that the Justice Ministry has prepared a national strategy for the judicial reform and that during the preparations the ministry received some suggestions relating to independence of the judiciary. As he put it, the suggestions are interesting on the one hand, while on the other they are convincing and refer to election of judges and prosecutors. When it comes to suggestions coming from the French ambassador, who criticized the election of judges and prosecutors in the parliament, because it depends on the political will - that is on the decision of the parliamentary majority - Selakovic said that, according to Serbia's laws, candidates for judges and prosecutors are nominated by the High Judicial Council (VSS) and the State Prosecutorial Council (DVT). VSS and DVT are the only judicial bodies which have the power to nominate candidates for the election of judges and prosecutors, Selakovic pointed out. Vincent Degert and Nikola Selakovic (Tanjug) Tanjug

"Changes to Constitution before EU accession"

"We in Serbia tend to criticize certain existing legislation, although we have not implemented them fully," Selaković said, adding that it should first be seen what can be done within the framework of the Constitution that was adopted in a referendum in 2006.

"Once constitutional changes are on the agenda, we will prepare for them well," the justice minister said, adding that this is expected to happen prior to Serbia's EU accession.

Selaković told journalists at the Palace of Serbia that the Justice Ministry has prepared a national strategy for the judicial reform and that during the preparations the ministry received some suggestions relating to independence of the judiciary.

As he put it, the suggestions are interesting on the one hand, while on the other they are convincing and refer to election of judges and prosecutors.

When it comes to suggestions coming from the French ambassador, who criticized the election of judges and prosecutors in the parliament, because it depends on the political will - that is on the decision of the parliamentary majority - Selaković said that, according to Serbia's laws, candidates for judges and prosecutors are nominated by the High Judicial Council (VSS) and the State Prosecutorial Council (DVT).

VSS and DVT are the only judicial bodies which have the power to nominate candidates for the election of judges and prosecutors, Selaković pointed out.