Parliament adopts strategies on judiciary and corruption

BELGRADE The Serbian MPs adopted 2013-2018 national strategies for the justice system reform and the fight against corruption on Monday. The Serbian MPs adopted 2013-2018 national strategies for the justice system reform and the fight against corruption on Monday. Parliament adopts strategies on judiciary and corruption The judiciary reform strategy, which was supported by 131 MPs and opposed by 31, aims at strengthening of the citizens' trust in legal institutions. Noting that the strategy is a guideline for a general plan to battle corruption, Serbia's Justice Minister Nikola Selakovic said during the parliamentary debate that it is the greatest test for the government in the country where political corruption is the biggest problem. The most important novelties, which will be brought by the anti-corruption strategy, refer to political parties whose financing should be controlled by the State Audit Institution. The main goals are elimination of failures in the legal framework which regulates financing of the parties, conflict of interest and control of income and property of officials and establishing of precise criteria for evaluation of the results of work of directors of public companies, reduction of discretionary powers of the director of the Privatization Agency and strengthening of mechanisms of internal financial control in the public sector. The document also stipulates establishing of efficient cooperation and exchange of information between the police, prosecutor's offices, courts, regulatory and monitoring bodies, and other sectors of society which are battling corruption. Moreover, it is planned to form a common database of corruption offences, while the Ministry of Justice is to analyze the implementation of the strategy and the action plan for the fight against corruption every three months. As for the judiciary reform strategy, Selakovic said that it stipulates changes to the normative framework bearing in mind the legal tradition, social environment where the reform is implemented and the need for harmonizing with the European acquis and standards. In order for the reforms to be successfully implemented no later than within a year, it is planned to carry out an analysis of the justice system in Serbia. The strategy stipulates five crucial principles and priorities for the reform of the justice system in Serbia - independence, impartiality and the quality of justice, proficiency, responsibility and efficiency. (Tanjug) Tanjug

Parliament adopts strategies on judiciary and corruption

The judiciary reform strategy, which was supported by 131 MPs and opposed by 31, aims at strengthening of the citizens' trust in legal institutions.

Noting that the strategy is a guideline for a general plan to battle corruption, Serbia's Justice Minister Nikola Selaković said during the parliamentary debate that it is the greatest test for the government in the country where political corruption is the biggest problem.

The most important novelties, which will be brought by the anti-corruption strategy, refer to political parties whose financing should be controlled by the State Audit Institution.

The main goals are elimination of failures in the legal framework which regulates financing of the parties, conflict of interest and control of income and property of officials and establishing of precise criteria for evaluation of the results of work of directors of public companies, reduction of discretionary powers of the director of the Privatization Agency and strengthening of mechanisms of internal financial control in the public sector.

The document also stipulates establishing of efficient cooperation and exchange of information between the police, prosecutor's offices, courts, regulatory and monitoring bodies, and other sectors of society which are battling corruption.

Moreover, it is planned to form a common database of corruption offences, while the Ministry of Justice is to analyze the implementation of the strategy and the action plan for the fight against corruption every three months.

As for the judiciary reform strategy, Selaković said that it stipulates changes to the normative framework bearing in mind the legal tradition, social environment where the reform is implemented and the need for harmonizing with the European acquis and standards.

In order for the reforms to be successfully implemented no later than within a year, it is planned to carry out an analysis of the justice system in Serbia.

The strategy stipulates five crucial principles and priorities for the reform of the justice system in Serbia - independence, impartiality and the quality of justice, proficiency, responsibility and efficiency.