PROMINENT LAWYERS IN THE HIGH JUDICIAL COUNCIL OF REPUBLIC OF SERBIA: NEW RULES, NEW DOUBTS

Aleksa Damnjanović

DOI Number
https://doi.org/10.22190/FULP240827015D
First page
171
Last page
185

Abstract


In January 2022, Serbian Constitution was amended for first time after its adoption in 2006. The constitutional amendments were the basis for the new judicial reform. In 2023, a set of new laws on the judiciary was adopted, including the new Act on the High Judicial Council. This reform included changes in composition of the High Judicial Council of the Republic of Serbia. The subject matter of this paper is the new composition of the High Judicial Council. The author examines the new constitutional and legal norms on the composition of the High Judicial Council, particularly focusing on prominent lawyers as members of the High Judicial Council. The analysis of the constitutional amendments and relevant provisions of the new High Judicial Council Act focuses on the conditions that candidates for the High Judicial Council membership have to fulfill, as well as the election procedure. The author points to the dangerous impact that politics may exert through prominent lawyers on the work of the High Judicial Council. The purpose of this paper is to examine whether new legal framework may provide for a more independent High Judicial Council. The hypothesis is that new composition of the High Judicial Council will not make this body more independent.

Keywords

High Judicial Council, prominent lawyers, judicial reform, judiciary, judicial independence, Serbian constitutional law.

Full Text:

PDF

References


Kolaković-Bojović, M., Petković, B. (2020), Položaj pravosuđa u Srbiji – između vladavine prava i samovlašća (Position of the Judiciary in Serbia – between the rule of law and autocracy), Belgrade, Institut za kriminološka i sociološka istraživanja;

Marković, Đ. (2023). Visoki savet sudstva u novom normativnom ruhu (The High Judicial Council in the New Normative Setting/ In: Mirjanić, Ž., Milinković, I., Vlaški, B., Miškić, M. (ed.), Zbornik radova Međunarodni naučni skup “Izazovi i perspektive razvoja pravnih sistema u XXI vijeku”, 2023, Vol. 3, No. 3 (1), pp. 297-316;

Marković, R. (2006). The 2006 Constitution of the Republic of Serbia – A critical appraisal, Anali Pravnog fakulteta u Beogradu, Vol. 54, No. 2, 2006, pp. 5-46;

Orlović, S., (2010). Stalnost sudijske funkcije vs. opšti reizbor sudija u Republici Srbiji (General Reappointment of Judges vs Permanent Tenure of Judicial Office in Serbia), Anali Pravnog fakulteta u Beogradu, Vol. LVIII, No. 2, 2010, pp. 163-186;

Pajvančić, M. (2017). Ustavni položaj sudija u okviru organizacije vlasti: Normativni okvir – problemi normativnog i faktičkog karaktera (Constitutional Status of Courts in the Government Organization: Normative framework – problems of normative and factual character), Glasnik Advokatske komore Vojvodine, Vol. LXXVII, No. 3-4, 2017, pp. 173-189;

Pejić, I. (2022). Constitutional Referendum and Judicial Reform in Serbia, Zbornik radova Pravnog fakulteta u Nišu,, Vol. LXI, No. 94, 2022, pp. 75-92;

Pejić, I. (2014). Konstitucionalizacija sudske nezavisnosti: uporedno i iskustvo Srbije (Constitutionalization of Judicial Independence: in comparative law and in Serbian legislation), Zbornik radova Pravnog fakulteta u Nišu, Vol. LIII, No. 68, 2014, pp. 157-174;

Petrov, V. (2014). Predlozi za reformu Ustava u delu koji se odnosi na pravosuđe - preispitivanje Nacionalne strategije (Proposals for Constitutional Reform in the part relating to the Judiciary - the Review of the National Strategy), Zbornik radova Pravnog fakulteta u Nišu, Vol. LIII, No. 68, 2014, pp. 97-108;

Petrović-Škero, V. (2017). Visoki savet sudstva – Sastav, izbor, razrešenje, mandat, članstvo, nadležnost (The High Judicial Council – Status, election, dismissal, mandate, participation, jurisdiction), Glasnik Advokatske komore Vojvodine, Vol. LXXVII, No. 3-4, 2017, pp. 215-255;

Simović, D. (2022). Ustavni amandmani iz nužde - kritički osvrt na reformu sudske vlasti (Constitutional Amendments Resulting from Necessity: A Critical Overview of the Constitutional Reform of the Judiciary), Zbornik radova Pravnog fakulteta u Novom Sadu, Vol. LVI, No. 1, 2022, pp. 85-119;

Stanić, M. (2022). Sudski saveti: sastav i nadležnosti širom Evrope (Judicial Councils – Composition and Competences Across the Europe), Beograd, Institut za uporedno pravo, ISBN 978-86-80186-87-0

Vodinelić, V. (2010). Reizbor sudija 2009: uspeo početak reforme ili reforma neuspelog početka? (Re-election of Judges in 2009: Successful Beginning of the Reform or Reform of Unsuccessful Beginning?), Hereticus, Vol. VIII, No. 1, 2010, pp. 7-13;

Legal Documents

Constitution of Republic of Serbia, Official Gazette RS, 98/2006; https://www.refworld.org/legal/legislation/natlegbod/2006/en/71120

Constitution of Republic of Serbia (amended), Official Gazette RS, No. 98/2006, 16/2022; https://www.paragraf.rs/propisi/constitution-of-the-republic-of-serbia.html

Zakon o Visokom savetu pravosuđa iz 2001 (Act on the High Council of the Judiciary); http://www.podaci.net/_zakon/propis/Zakon_o_Visokom/Z-vsprav03v0163-0561.html

Закон о Високом савету судства (Act on the High Judicial Council), Службени гласник РС, 10/2023; https://www.paragraf.rs/propisi/zakon_o_visokom_savetu_sudstva.html; https://mpravde.gov.rs/files/Law%20on%20the%20High%20Judicial%20Council%2015112022.docx

Одлукa о расписивању првог јавног конкурса за избор чланова Високог савета судства које бира Народна скупштина (Decision on call for the First public competition for the election of the High Judicial Council members elected by the National Assembly), Народне скупштинa Републике Србије, 01 No. 02-282/23 on 10.02.2023, Службени гласник РС, 11/2023

Одлука о првом избору члана Високог савета судства кога бира Народна скупштина , Народна скупштина РС, 20. априла 2023 (Decision on the election of a member of the High Judicial Council elected by the National Assembly on 20.04.2023), Службени гласник РС, бр. 31/2023;

Одлука о првом избору три члана Високог савета судства које бира Народна скупштина (Decision on the first election of three members of the High Judicial Council elected by the National Assembly), Комисија за избор члана Високог савета судства и Високог савета тужилаштва 01 No. 02-896/23 од 08.05.2023, Службени гласник РС, бр. 38 од 10. маја 2023.

Venice Commission, Opinion No. 405/2006 on the Constitution of Serbia, CDL-AD(2007)004, https://www.venice.coe.int/webforms/documents/?pdf=CDL-AD(2007)004-e;

Internet Sources

Čodanović, N., (2023). Predstavljanje istaknutih pravnika pred Odborom – bez stavova, uz Đukanovićeve savete i razgovor o togama (Presentation of Prominent Lawyers before the Committee - without opinions, including Đukanović’s advice and discussion about judicial gowns), Istinomer, 3.4.2023, https://www.istinomer.rs/analize/predstavljanje-istaknutih-pravnika-pred-odborom-bez-stavova-uz-djukanoviceve-savete-i-razgovor-o-togama/; (accessed 14 August 2024)

Đurđić, S. (2023). Primedbe na Nacrt Zakona o Visokom savetu sudstva i predlozi za njegovu izmenu i/ili dopunu (Remarks on the Draft Act on the High Judicial Council and proposals for its amendment), Centar za paravosudna istraživanja, Beograd, (accessed 12 August 2024), https://www.cepris.org/istrazivanja-i-analize/primedbe-na-nacrte-zakona-o-sudijama-uredenju-sudova-i-visokom-savetu-sudstva/;

Mitrović, S., (2022). Ustavne promene - depolitizacija pravosudne grane vlasti ili konzerviranje postojećeg stanja? (Constitutional Changes: Depolarization of the Judicial Branch or Conservation of the Present Condition), Centar za evropske politike, Beograd, (accessed 13 Aug.2024) https://cep.org.rs/blog/ustavne-promene-depolitizacija-pravosudne-grane-vlasti-ili-konzerviranje-postojeceg-stanja/;

Nikolić, M. (2023). Ugledni pravnici, besprekorni i nepoznati (Prominent lawyers, impeccable and indeterminate), Istinomer, 18.3.2023; https://www.istinomer.rs/analize/ugledni-pravnici-besprekorni-i-nepoznati/ (accessed 14 August 2024);

Spaić, B. (2022). ‘Istaknuti pravnik’: uputstvo za upotrebu (Prominent Lawyer: Instruction Manual), accessed on 12.08.2024. https://www.otvorenavratapravosudja.rs/teme/ustavno-pravo/istaknuti-pravnik-uputstvo-za-upotrebu;

Narodna skupstina RS (2023a). Deseta sednica Odbora za pravosuđe, državnu upravu i lokalnu samoupravu, 6 mart 2023 (Proceedings of the 10th session of the Committee on Judiciary, Public Administration and Local Self Government) accessed on 7 August 2024, http://www.parlament.gov.rs/Deseta_sednica_Odbora__za_pravosu%C4%91e,_dr%C5%BEavnu_upravu_i_lokalnu_samoupravu.46680.941.html;

Narodna skupstina RS (2023b). 11. sednica Odbora za pravosuđe, državnu upravu i lokalnu samoupravu, 11 mart 2023 (Proceedings of the 11th session of the Committee on Judiciary, Public Administration and Local Self Government, accessed on 7 August 2024, http://www.parlament.gov.rs/11._sednica_Odbora_za_pravosu%C4%91e,_dr%C5%BEavnu_upravu_i_lokalnu_samoupravu.46706.941.html;

Narodna skupstina RS (2023c). 12. sednica Odbora za pravosuđe, državnu upravu i lokalnu samoupravu, 18.mart 2023 (Proceedings of the 12th session of the Committee on Judiciary, Public Administration and Local Self Government), accessed on 7 August 2024, http://www.parlament.gov.rs/12._sednica_Odbora_za_pravosu%C4%91e,_dr%C5%BEavnu_upravu_i_lokalnu_samoupravu.46746.941.html;

Narodna skupstina RS (2023d). 12. sednica Odbora za pravosuđe, državnu upravu i lokalnu samoupravu, 26. mart 2023 (Proceedings of the 13th session of the Committee on Judiciary, Public Administration and Local Self Government, accessed on 7 August 2024, http://www.parlament.gov.rs/13._sednica_Odbora_za_pravosu%C4%91e,_dr%C5%BEavnu_upravu_i_lokalnu_samoupravu_.46818.941.html;




DOI: https://doi.org/10.22190/FULP240827015D

Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.


ISSN 1450-5517 (Print)
ISSN 2406-1786 (Online)