Nela Kuburovic – the Justice Minister – stated today that Serbia finally had a modern legislation which was regulating the fight against violence against women and domestic violence, aimed at protecting the victims and preventing violence.
At the “Eliminate Violence” conference, Kuburovic noted that the Domestic Violence Prevention Act had been adopted the day before, including the amendments to the Criminal Code, and that, for the first time, the legislation had been harmonised with international conventions and standards. She added that, above all, the legislation was introducing a new system of protection and prevention.
She explained that the law had up to that point protected the victims only once a criminal offence had been committed and that, now, the Ministry of Interior and the Public Prosecutor’s Office had important roles in the prevention. It was [now] possible – she said – to prevent violence at the moment of danger and to act in a timely manner by way of pronouncement of removal from home measure and a restraining order. "This order shall be given by the relevant police officer, with the possibility of it being extended for 30 days in case of grave danger. We are removing the gap [between the order and] the start of the criminal proceedings, which has existed up to now", Kuburovic emphasised.
“Police officers were now being given a key role in the implementation of the law” – Kuburovic stated, adding that the coordination and cooperation between all the organs involved in the prevention of violence, the police forces, the prosecutor’s office and the social welfare centres were key. “Cooperation has existed, but it has been an improvised one. Now, every participant in the procedure has a duty of cooperation and an increased responsibility", Kuburovic expressed and stressed that the prevention of violence was the objective.
She added that violence did not only mean visible bruises, explaining that the law also recognised the emotional, sexual, psychological and economic violence. "This is why the Ministry of Justice had initiated the “Eliminate Violence” campaign at the beginning of the public hearings, which was first supported by the Ministry of Interior in order to jointly raise awareness of all those who ought to send a clear message that there was a zero tolerance for violence”, Kuburovic said. She concluded that in the upcoming period, the Ministry of Justice would adopt bylaws which would facilitate an efficient start of the Act’s implementation.
Source: Tanjug