Letter to the Judicial Academy

News20.07.2010.

Mr. Vekaric,

Judges’ Association of Serbia was informed that the first session of the Management Board the National Judicial Academy was held on June 10th, 2010. Judges’ Association of Serbia welcomes the establishment of the National Judicial Academy, considering this as achievement of one of JAS important goals.

JAS is also informed that it was stated that, despite the request, JAS didn’t recommend its candidate for the member of the Programme Council. To support this assertion, the audience was shown that the letter, in which JAS was called to suggest its candidate, was filed in the cartulary book of the Academy.

Judges’ Association of Serbia hereby informs members of the Board that such a letter was not received in JAS office. If the letter was received, Academy would have corresponding evidence, which the cartulary book certainly is not.

We remind the members of the Board that, since the time of JAS establishment, back in 1997, during and despite the former regime, JAS was advocating for establishment of independent, impartial, professional and accountable judiciary. As JAS was aware that, for achieving these goals, a reform of judicial system was needed, it was JAS who initiated and provided funds for foundation of the Judicial Training Center, roused the interest and came to understanding of former Government for existence of such Center and its constant materially provided operation. At the end of 2001, as the result of such activities, pursuant to the Agreement between the Republic of Serbia and the Judges’ Association of Serbia, which determined founding rights of the parties in equal shares, Judicial Training Center was founded, as a forerunner of the National Judicial Academy.

Law of National Judicial Academy has, how ever, taken the status of a founder from the JAS, reducing its rights on suggesting one of nine members of the Board. At the very beginning the Board of the Academy, it self, shown the lack of will to esteem JAS, one of the two founders of the Judicial Training Center, and enable JAS to suggest one of the 11 members of the Program Council of the Academy. So, JAS was illegally disabled to suggest its candidate for the member of the Program council of the Academy.

As we indicate the necessity of mutual respect and cooperation of all judiciary subjects and bodies for successful operation of National Judicial Academy and the reform of the judiciary, Judges’ Association of Serbia regrets and deprecates because of such a start.

We kindly ask that this letter should be read at the next meeting of the Board of the National Judicial Academy so that all members of the Board can be informed in unambiguous way about the content of the letter.

Dragana Boljevic
President of Judges Association of Serbia