Serbia: Reform denounced as a political takeover of justice

"After months of mounting pressure on independent media, academic institutions and NGOs, Serbia's ruling majority has turned its attention to the judiciary. In an expedited procedure, without public debate or consultations and bypassing established legislative standards, the Serbian parliament last week adopted a package of amendments to core judicial laws that critics say threatens the independence of the country's judiciary."

"The so-called "Mrdic laws" named after ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) lawmaker Ugljesa Mrdic, who formally submitted them introduced changes to a total of five laws. Mrdic argued that the amendments would make the justice system "more efficient." "This is the first step in returning the hijacked judiciary to the state and the people of Serbia, so that it is no longer governed by alienated centers of power under foreign control," he said during the parliamentary debate."

Serbia's parliament adopted expedited amendments to five core judicial laws without public debate, consultations or established legislative procedures. The changes, called the "Mrdic laws," were presented as measures to make the justice system more efficient and to return the judiciary to the state. Legal professionals view the amendments as an effort to place the prosecution under political control and to obstruct investigations into high-level corruption and organized crime. The Public Prosecutor's Office for Organized Crime (TOK) faces the largest impact: more than half of its prosecutors will lose mandates within 30 days and be reassigned to previous posts, which the TOK warned will paralyze handling of complex and sensitive cases.

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