Reforms in the sector are neither quick nor easy. It is necessary to persevere on the path we set out on. The road to reform, and the results will surely come, he says Minister of Justice Bojan Maricic in his New Year video address, wishing above all for good health, success, happiness and to have a new year filled with success in every field.
– Last year, some processes continued which I consider to be extremely important for the future and long-term development of the country. “Here in the Ministry of Justice, intensive work has been done on many new laws and processes that were more than necessary have been completed,” said Minister Maricic in his New Year’s video address.
This year, Maricic points out, we conducted a census and after 20 years, in really complex conditions, pandemics, calls for a boycott, etc., we managed to count the population and property.
– I am especially proud that during my term of office the Ministry of Justice prepared this law which successfully completed this statistical process. This year, the Government adopted the amendments to the Criminal Code, which significantly increases the legal protection of women, but also of journalists and media workers. We have made amendments to several other laws for them, which reduce the compensation for defamation and insult, both for journalists and the media. “Such systemic steps to improve the situation of media workers is something that contributes to a great democratization of public space,” Maricic said.
Last year, according to Maricic, with the signing of Protocol 16 of the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, the country raised the level of cooperation with the court to the direct benefit of the citizens.
– We started with the digitalization of the judiciary. Several services for the citizens are already fully digitalized, there is no more waiting at the counters for certificates of non-conviction, and the same will be done with other services. In the meantime, the filtering of the judiciary continued, and due to the unprofessional and unscrupulous work, several judges were dismissed by the Judicial Council. An agreement was reached for higher salaries in the judiciary and the prosecution by 15 percent and that agreement has already been implemented in next year’s budget. Additionally, for the better functioning of the rule of law, we drafted last year, the Government adopted them and now there are dozens of laws in the Parliament, for which I hope that the MPs will soon give the “green light”, Maricic emphasizes in his New Year address.
Maricic also reminds that this year we received positive reports from the State Department and the European Commission in the area of justice where progress has been noted.
“This is another proof that everything we have done in the past as a Government and as the Ministry of Justice is recognized by the most relevant international factors, which in the past gave poor marks in the area of rule of law and the rule of law,” said Maricic.
According to Maricic, the reforms in the sector I lead are neither quick nor easy.
– There are daily attacks on the rule of law, from different centers of power, and to dismantle the remnants of the regime in the judiciary requires real time and patience. However, I am sure that after the problems are already talked about publicly and their work is solved and after the real systemic solutions are finally brought, it is necessary to persist on the path we have taken. The path of reforms, and the results will surely come, says Maricic.
In the end, Maricic in his New Year video address, congratulates everyone on the new year, with wishes above all for good health, success, happiness and to have a new year filled with success in every field.
Source: MIA
