TRAVEL REPORT The Hon. Michael Atkinson MP Attorney-General ...

SERBIA PROGRAMMonday, 16 August, 2004Mr Zoran StojkovicSerbian Justice MinisterMr Branislav BjelicaDeputy MinisterHis Excellency Mr John OliverAustralian Ambassador to SiM and FYROMMr Krsto GracunInterpreterBiographyZoran Stojkovic was born in 1946 in Belgrade . He graduated fromthe Faculty of Law, Belgrade University, and worked as a district court judgeby the end of the 1980s and then began a private law practice . Stojkovic wasone of the founders of the Democratic Party of Serbia and was a member ofthe Serbian election committee on several occasions . He is married and hastwo children .Meeting sumaryThe Minister was pleased to note the delegation's interest in learning aboutthe judicial system, the constitutional developments in Serbia and also thecountry's cooperation with the I.C .T.Y .He pointed out that the Ministry of Justice with Internal Affairs represents thecore of the ruling apparatus . Serious steps have already been taken to reformthe judicial system, although they initially encountered some difficulties as ithad been reported in the media that 3 years' work had been done on theConstitution which proved to be untrue .They formed a Commission for the reform of the judicial system . Theprevious organisation which covered this area was made up of 20 peoplewhich was too large and which has since ceased . A smaller commission of 6people has been formed comprising Minister and Deputy Minister, 2 deputyPresidents of Higher Court, President of the Supreme court, andrepresentative of the Bar Association of Serbia and Montenegro . Thiscommission then formed work teams .So far 18 laws have been drafted, 8 of which have been passed in parliamentand the remaining 10 will be considered in the autumn session . The 8accepted were more urgent than the rest . The changes concerned theautonomy of the judiciary and the prosecuting system - they returned thechoice of magistrates and judges back to the Parliament Previously theMinister for Justice would suggest names and the government would choosethe officers in the Prosecutor's Office . This was changed to enable andIndependent Body of the Supreme Court to make suggestions to theParliament which made the decision .Travel Report, Hon . Michael Atkinson, MP. and Ms. Vini Ciccarello M.P ., August, 2004 92