Justice Minister Nela Kuburović and the newly-appointed U.S. Ambassador to Serbia Anthony Godfrey assessed at today’s meeting that the cooperation between the U.S. and Serbia in the field of justice had to date been very good, noting that the U.S. had continuously supported, directly or through various USAID projects, the advancement of the rule of law and the implementation of the judicial reform in Serbia.
Minister Kuburović emphasised that the support had yielded rather measurable results visible to citizens, which had contributed to Serbia being a step ahead of some countries of the region and the EU. As an example, she noted the great support received from the experts hired by the USAID Rule of Law project in drafting a new National Strategy for Advancing the Judiciary and amendments to the Enforcement and Security Act.
Ambassador Godfrey said that the U.S. supported Serbia’s EU integration efforts as they perceived Serbia to be a pillar of stability in the Western Balkan region, underlying his country’s willingness to enhance cooperation with Serbia in the justice sector.
The U.S. Ambassador observed that although concrete results had been achieved in Serbia in the fight against corruption, the public perception remained unchanged: that not enough had been done in the area concerned; which was why the focus of activity in the coming period should be on the implementation of law.
Minister Kuburović recalled that in 2018 Serbia had introduced a new system of work and procedures for prosecutors and courts in combatting corruption, and that the U.S.’ support had been instrumental in training judges and prosecutors to work in special anti-corruption departments.
Despite Serbia being criticised for its lack of commitment to fighting corruption, the Minister remarked that the results of anti-corruption departments were rather good and easily measurable, explaining that those departments conducted proceedings against assistant ministers, directors of public enterprises, judges and others. It was her opinion that courts and prosecutor’s offices were not open enough to the general public and that they did not present their results in a sufficiently transparent manner.
Minister Kuburović also stressed that her Ministry was making great efforts to ensure that judges and prosecutors had the best possible legal framework for effective prosecution of corruption, as well as adequate working conditions. She concluded that there had never been more investment in judicial infrastructure than in the past few years.