“Special system” needed to protect judges

Serbia’s top judge says that a special system is needed for the protection and security of judges. “For the protection of judges, a systematic fight is needed. Special expert groups should be set up to give security evaluations whether, and in what capacity, judges or their family members need protection,” President of the Serbian Supreme Court Vida Petrovic-Skero told B92. “Special system” needed to protect judges “I do not think that this system for the protection of judges can be completed by the end of the year, but part of it can be. We can work out how many staff are needed for security purposes, but in order for there to be a system for the protection of judges and all those participating in trials, a system that meets many needs has to be developed,” Petrovic-Skero said. “That system must be developed. Laws, budgets and training are needed so that the final goal can be reached. Unfortunately, we have been talking about this for eight, nine years, but are not even close to completing the system. We have not even begun to develop it properly,” the judge said. She recalled that two judges had been killed over the last two years – the president of the district court in Knjazevac several days ago, and a district court judge in Odzaci last summer. As far as the ongoing appeals process before the Supreme Court regarding the Zoran Djindjic murder trial was concerned, Petrovic-Skero said that it was a case in which the sentence alone contained 500 pages, and that the judges and members of the trial chamber required several months to fully familiarize themselves with the matter. The judge said that the “court tries people based on the relevant indictment,” adding that RTS CEO Aleksandar Tijanic’s request for an investigation into the political background of the late prime minister’s murder, and the case of former prosecutor Rade Terzic had nothing to do with that sentence. The job of the prosecutor is to investigate these cases and to present an indictment to the court, she concluded.

“Special system” needed to protect judges

“I do not think that this system for the protection of judges can be completed by the end of the year, but part of it can be. We can work out how many staff are needed for security purposes, but in order for there to be a system for the protection of judges and all those participating in trials, a system that meets many needs has to be developed,” Petrović-Škero said.

“That system must be developed. Laws, budgets and training are needed so that the final goal can be reached. Unfortunately, we have been talking about this for eight, nine years, but are not even close to completing the system. We have not even begun to develop it properly,” the judge said.

She recalled that two judges had been killed over the last two years – the president of the district court in Knjaževac several days ago, and a district court judge in Odžaci last summer.

As far as the ongoing appeals process before the Supreme Court regarding the Zoran Đinđić murder trial was concerned, Petrović-Škero said that it was a case in which the sentence alone contained 500 pages, and that the judges and members of the trial chamber required several months to fully familiarize themselves with the matter.

The judge said that the “court tries people based on the relevant indictment,” adding that RTS CEO Aleksandar Tijanić’s request for an investigation into the political background of the late prime minister’s murder, and the case of former prosecutor Rade Terzić had nothing to do with that sentence.

The job of the prosecutor is to investigate these cases and to present an indictment to the court, she concluded.