Govt. embarks on judicial reform

The government has drawn up six judicial laws that should result in superior court efficiency and more timely work by judicial organs. Justice Minister Snezana Malovic said that the draft laws, adopted by the government yesterday, pertained to the High Judicial Council, the State Prosecutor Council, judges, the public prosecution, court governance, court and public prosecutor headquarters and jurisdictions, as well as draft amendments to the Law on Misdemeanors. Govt. embarks on judicial reform Adoption of these laws was, she said, a commitment stemming from the Constitution and Constitutional law. Malovic said that the draft law on judges envisions general selection of judges, which, according to her, was a “necessary and inevitable part of judicial reform.“ She said that selection of judges would no longer be the responsibility of parliament, but of the High Judicial Council. “The High Judicial Council’s independence is reflected primarily in the fact that the High Judicial Council has independent access to state funds to perform its work,“ the minister explained. “In this draft law, we’ve stipulated that from 2011, the decision to finance the judiciary will be in the exclusive orbit of the High Judicial Council. Thus far it has been the responsibility of the Justice Ministry, but from 2011, it will be the job of the High Judicial Council,“ she said. Snezana Malovic (FoNet, archive)

Govt. embarks on judicial reform

Adoption of these laws was, she said, a commitment stemming from the Constitution and Constitutional law.

Malović said that the draft law on judges envisions general selection of judges, which, according to her, was a “necessary and inevitable part of judicial reform.“ She said that selection of judges would no longer be the responsibility of parliament, but of the High Judicial Council.

“The High Judicial Council’s independence is reflected primarily in the fact that the High Judicial Council has independent access to state funds to perform its work,“ the minister explained.

“In this draft law, we’ve stipulated that from 2011, the decision to finance the judiciary will be in the exclusive orbit of the High Judicial Council. Thus far it has been the responsibility of the Justice Ministry, but from 2011, it will be the job of the High Judicial Council,“ she said.