The Delegation of the European Union to Serbia has stated that it deeply regrets the promulgation of amendments to key judicial laws, describing the move as a serious step backward on Serbia’s path toward EU membership and calling for an urgent course correction.
In statements published on X, both the EU Delegation and its Head, Ambassador Andreas von Beckerath, stressed that Serbia should have opted for inclusive consultations and sought the opinion of the Venice Commission, instead of adopting the contested legal changes.
“We deeply regret the promulgation of amendments to key judicial laws adopted by the Serbian Parliament. This represents a serious step backward on Serbia’s EU accession path, and an urgent reversal is needed. Inclusive consultations and the opinion of the Venice Commission are the way forward,” the statement said.
Concerns Over Judicial Independence
Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić signed the amendments earlier today, after they were adopted by the Serbian Parliament on Wednesday, despite widespread criticism that the changes undermine judicial independence and the autonomy of the prosecution, particularly the Prosecutor’s Office for Organized Crime.
Immediately after the parliamentary vote, the European Commission warned that the amendments contradict Serbia’s previous reforms and its commitments to strengthen the independence of the judiciary and prosecutorial autonomy.
EU Enlargement Commissioner’s Warning
EU Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos stated on Wednesday—and reiterated her position yesterday—that the adopted amendments limit judicial independence, cautioning that Serbia “risks moving in the opposite direction at a time when the enlargement process is gaining strong momentum.”
Laws Affected
The amendments signed by President Vučić include changes to:
- The Law on the Seats and Jurisdictions of Courts and Public Prosecutors
- The Law on the High Prosecutorial Council
- The Law on the Organization and Jurisdiction of State Authorities for Combating High-Tech Crime
- The Law on the Public Prosecutor’s Office
- The Law on Judges
