MPs continue the parliamentary session, with a joint debate on Constitutional Court judges on the agenda

SNS MP and President of the Committee on Judiciary, Public Administration, and Local Self-Government, Uglješa Mrdić, pointed out that the candidates in question have strong backgrounds, including professors, judges, and distinguished lawyers, each with a significant career.

“None of them are criminals, as opposition MPs claim. We have noticed that when candidates are discussed, the opposition attacks them for having an apartment, a job, or a family. When someone has no program, does not know the competences of the Constitutional Court, cannot uphold the Constitution, and cannot analyze candidates, they try to discredit them personally,” Mrdić said during the parliamentary session.

He emphasized that no one has the right to personally discredit a candidate for the Constitutional Court.

“I will remind you what the former regime did until 2012. The former regime not only discredited the work of the Constitutional Court but also blocked it. When you were in power, you did not respect the Constitutional Court, even though you had judges under your control. Today we have a functioning Constitutional Court with a changing composition,” Mrdić stated.

He stressed that the SNS advocates for respecting the Constitution of Serbia and the law and that, as he said, no one should attack or assault police officers.

“In the coming period, Serbia faces a major struggle for new investments and new successes. People need higher salaries and pensions; we need to build Serbia for a better future. But for this to be possible, the Constitution and laws must be respected; there can be no demolitions, fires, blockades, or beatings. That is why the opposition is nervous. Whenever they hear about the Constitution, law, or parliament, they panic,” Mrdić said.

He added that the opposition would prefer Serbia to have no Constitutional Court and to choose, as he put it, 15 “losers” on the streets to control the court.

“That is how they envision Serbia. The people of Serbia have the say, not terrorists or losers. And the people have given us support, mainly for the politics of Aleksandar Vučić, who is the main protector of the Constitution,” Mrdić said.

He told citizens that Serbia is our homeland.

“We must protect the Constitution and act according to the law, and those who break the law must be held accountable. Nothing is more important than the Constitution and Serbia,” Mrdić stated.

SNS MP Aleksandar Mirković said that the claim that the judiciary is under the “thumb of SNS” is disproven by the fact that no one has been held accountable for demolished party offices or injured party members and police officers.

“You charge at the police, seize shields, hit them with rods, and no one is held accountable. While your parliamentary group colleague calls for violent overthrow, you applaud,” Mirković said.

Serbia Centre MP Slobodan Petrović challenged the proposed candidates for the Constitutional Court, arguing that they were supported by the SNS and questioned whether they could be trusted to judge according to the law rather than the will of the government.

People’s Movement of Serbia MP Uroš Djokić said it is important for the Constitutional Court to operate at full capacity, but candidates must be distinguished lawyers with professional authority who have contributed to legal theory and practice. He added that they “must possess integrity and be independent from other government bodies,” criteria also recognized by the Venice Commission.

During yesterday’s debate on the list of candidates for Constitutional Court judges, proposed by the President of the Republic and the National Assembly, ruling coalition MPs emphasized that the candidates are competent and educated individuals.

Opposition MPs criticized the proposals, claiming the government is trying to control the judiciary by proposing ruling party candidates.

The session agenda includes a total of 17 items, among them the Draft Law on ratifying the Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Serbia and the Government of Romania on cooperation in disaster prevention, limitation, and mitigation, and the Draft Decision approving amendments to the 2025 Financial Plan of the Securities Commission.

Debates will also cover the Draft Conclusion regarding the presentation of the European Commission’s 2025 report on Serbia, the annual reports of the Securities Commission for 2023 and 2024, and the 2024 Annual Report submitted by the Regulatory Authority for Electronic Communications and Postal Services.

Additionally, MPs will consider several personnel decisions concerning the National Assembly.