BELGRADE – Ambassador Michael D. Kirby and Minister of Justice Nikola Selaković kicked off an educational outreach campaign for the new Law on Misdemeanors at a press conference on May 7, 2014.  Dragomir Milojević, President of the High Court Council and the Supreme Court of Cassation, and Zoran Pašalić, President of the Appellate Misdemeanor Court, also participated in the announcement.  

At the event, USAID’s Judicial Reform and Government Accountability Program, in cooperation with the Ministry of Justice, the High Court Council, and the Association of Misdemeanor Judges, launched a month-long campaign to educate the public on the most important changes under the new Law on Misdemeanors.

“The rule of law serves as the foundation for a democratic and prosperous society.  We support the Government’s dedication to reform, which has helped put Serbia firmly on the path towards EU accession.  More importantly, this reform is vital in protecting the rights of all citizens and providing them with an investment climate that brings economic opportunities,” said Ambassador Kirby.

The new Law on Misdemeanors introduces more efficient misdemeanor proceedings, a faster fine-collection system (which serves as a significant source of public revenue), and a new and transparent centralized record-keeping system.  The goal of these changes is to detect and prevent corruption in the judiciary system and to enforce justice equally for all Serbian citizens, thereby strengthening citizens’ trust in the judiciary.