European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos said on Wednesday that recent steps by Serbian authorities to “limit judicial independence” have raised “serious concerns.”
Kos met with Serbian National Assembly President Ana Brnabić in Brussels and urged that the implementation of the new judiciary laws be postponed until the Venice Commission issues its opinion. She emphasized that Serbia should respect the Commission’s guidance and revise the legislation accordingly. The European Commission is also assessing whether Serbia continues to meet the conditions for EU financial instruments.
Brnabić acknowledged the concerns raised by her European counterparts over amendments to Serbia’s judicial laws, which were adopted in January. She confirmed the laws are being implemented despite the European Commission’s request to delay enforcement.
“They are concerned about the procedures [for passing the laws]. As Assembly President, I think we should have held a public debate,” Brnabić told Serbian journalists. She added that her party, the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS), has introduced a principle of public consultations, which she said was not practiced by previous governments. “We set very high standards. I regret that we did not uphold those standards on this occasion,” she said.
The European Commission has described the January amendments as “a serious step backward in Serbia’s EU integration process” and requested their suspension pending review by the Venice Commission.
Brnabić is in Brussels to attend the 50th anniversary of the European People’s Party, where SNS holds associate membership.