On 24 October 2018 the Ministry of Justice revealed on its website that the Members of the Venice Commission discussed during the Commission’s 116^thPlenary Session the fourth Draft Constitutional Amendments of the Ministry.

The Ministry of Justice has, to a certain extent, harmonized the draft text of the constitutional amendments with the recommendations of the Venice Commission. However, it needs to be pointed out that it has been harmonized in accordance with minimum standards, while other, more advanced solutions have not been taken into account.

Lawyers’ Committee for Human Rights – YUCOM and the civil society organizations listed below, have expressed concern about the solutions contained in the Draft Law on Free Legal Aid.  This is problematic seeing that this Law can directly affect the right to a balanced and equal access to justice for all people who are in need of it.

Civic associations with years-long experience in law and the judiciary hereby express concern about the way in which the expert and general public is engaged in the constitutional amendment procedure. In our opinion, the representatives of the Government and Justice Ministry need to open a public debate on constitutional amendments without delay, in which they will involve not only select civic associations (which had submitted their written suggestions on constitutional amendments), but other associations, institutions and most importantly – the citizens – as well. We call on the Justice Ministry to publish the draft constitutional amendments to be debated.

Lawyers’ Committee for Human Rights – YUCOM appeals to be urgently investigated irregularities and illegalities in the work of police officers while they were securing a public assembly, inauguration of the President of the Republic of Serbia on 31 May 2017.

Lawyers’ Committee for Human Rights – YUCOM hereby appeals to the authorities in Serbia, with the aim of protecting democratic order and the rule of law, to investigate all reported cases that point to electoral irregularities, both in the pre-election period and on the elections day, especially those pertaining to criminal acts regarding the election process and right of citizens to freely vote.

At a meeting today with Ms Federica Mogherini, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, civil society representatives from the National Convention on the European Union opened the topics of European integration, rule of law, security, media rights, regional relations and common foreign policy of Serbia and the EU, with the active role of civil society in the negotiation process with the EU.