Round-table on the working draft of the National Judicial Reform Strategy for 2019–2024 period held in Novi Sad

The second round-table discussion on the working draft of the National Judicial Reform Strategy for 2019–2024 period was held today in Novi Sad as part of a consultative process. Representatives of the drafting working group said that key judicial reforms had been implemented and that efforts were now being focused on advancing the system for greater efficiency.

State Secretary of the Ministry of Justice Mirko Čikiriz stressed that the Strategy was very important for the functioning of the judicial system in our country, thus concerning both the holders of judicial offices whom it directly affected and the citizens. He added that the Strategy had the ultimate objective of achieving the rule of law and raising judicial legality, accountability and efficiency.

Deputy Director of the Judicial Academy Majda Kršikapa said that the most important element of the Strategy was judicial capacity development. ‘Capacity development entails institutional, human, material and financial resources of the judiciary. We have defined the development vision which, once all the activities have been completed, should result in a modern and an efficient judiciary’, Ms Kršikapa explained.

Deputy Chief of Party Dragana Lukić managing the USAID Rule of Law Project which has facilitated the drafting of the Strategy and the public debates, said that key judicial reforms were notably ‘behind us’ and confirmed that work was being done on improving the system to ensure greater efficiency. A testament to that – she emphasised – was the analysis adopted by the Commission for the Implementation of the Strategy in November.

President of the Appellate Court in Novi Sad Darko Tadić said that good progress had been made since the previous strategy, as much in the total number of completed cases as in the total number of old cases closed which – he explained – could be found in the annual report on courts issued by the Supreme Court of Cassation. Mr Tadić said he believed the new strategy would add to the achievement of even greater results.

The consultations on the working draft of the Judicial Reform Strategy for 2019–2024 period are being organised by the Ministry of Justice with the USAID Rule of Law Project support. Round tables have been held in Kragujevac and Novi Sad, and the upcoming ones will be held in Niš and Belgrade.