Constitutional amendments resulting from necessity: A critical overview of the constitutional reforms of the judiciary

Following the referendum which took place on January 16, 2022, in which most citizens voted in favor of constitutional amendments; the National Assembly proclaimed the Constitutional Amendments on February 9. Although not a generally accepted view, there has been emphasis on these amendments as havi...

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Main Author: Simović Darko Z.
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: University of Novi Sad, Faculty of Law 2022-01-01
Series:Zbornik Radova: Pravni Fakultet u Novom Sadu
Subjects:
Online Access:https://scindeks-clanci.ceon.rs/data/pdf/0550-2179/2022/0550-21792201085S.pdf
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author Simović Darko Z.
author_facet Simović Darko Z.
author_sort Simović Darko Z.
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description Following the referendum which took place on January 16, 2022, in which most citizens voted in favor of constitutional amendments; the National Assembly proclaimed the Constitutional Amendments on February 9. Although not a generally accepted view, there has been emphasis on these amendments as having improved the constitutional framework of the judiciary. Changes include the elimination of the three-year probationary mandate for judges and the election of all judges and court presidents to be under the exclusive jurisdiction of the High Judicial Council. The election process of the members of the High Judicial Council have also been depoliticized. In addition, the constitutional guarantee of the independence of judges have been improved, by securing the permanency of tenure of judicial office, constitutionalizing the basis for the removal of judges and more precise guaranteeing of their irremovability. Despite this, most scholars remain critical or at least evidently reserved with respect to the effects of the implemented constitutional changes. Aside from a deficit in democratic legitimacy in the convocation of the National Assembly who had decided upon the Constitutional Amendments, there is emphasis on the fact that the guarantees of the independence of the judiciary have only been partially improved with the creation of the new, and best described as hidden channels for political influence. Hence, a contextual analysis of the content of these constitutional amendments show that the implemented constitutional reform cannot have positive effects on the advancement of the rule of law in Serbia.
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spelling doaj.art-b50fe54e43254756afb38825d68590112022-12-22T04:29:33ZengUniversity of Novi Sad, Faculty of LawZbornik Radova: Pravni Fakultet u Novom Sadu0550-21792406-12552022-01-015618511910.5937/zrpfns56-379490550-21792201085SConstitutional amendments resulting from necessity: A critical overview of the constitutional reforms of the judiciarySimović Darko Z.0Kriminalističko-policijski univerzitet, Beograd, SerbiaFollowing the referendum which took place on January 16, 2022, in which most citizens voted in favor of constitutional amendments; the National Assembly proclaimed the Constitutional Amendments on February 9. Although not a generally accepted view, there has been emphasis on these amendments as having improved the constitutional framework of the judiciary. Changes include the elimination of the three-year probationary mandate for judges and the election of all judges and court presidents to be under the exclusive jurisdiction of the High Judicial Council. The election process of the members of the High Judicial Council have also been depoliticized. In addition, the constitutional guarantee of the independence of judges have been improved, by securing the permanency of tenure of judicial office, constitutionalizing the basis for the removal of judges and more precise guaranteeing of their irremovability. Despite this, most scholars remain critical or at least evidently reserved with respect to the effects of the implemented constitutional changes. Aside from a deficit in democratic legitimacy in the convocation of the National Assembly who had decided upon the Constitutional Amendments, there is emphasis on the fact that the guarantees of the independence of the judiciary have only been partially improved with the creation of the new, and best described as hidden channels for political influence. Hence, a contextual analysis of the content of these constitutional amendments show that the implemented constitutional reform cannot have positive effects on the advancement of the rule of law in Serbia.https://scindeks-clanci.ceon.rs/data/pdf/0550-2179/2022/0550-21792201085S.pdfconstitutional amendmentsreferendumjudicial independencejudgeshigh judicial councilvenice commission
spellingShingle Simović Darko Z.
Constitutional amendments resulting from necessity: A critical overview of the constitutional reforms of the judiciary
Zbornik Radova: Pravni Fakultet u Novom Sadu
constitutional amendments
referendum
judicial independence
judges
high judicial council
venice commission
title Constitutional amendments resulting from necessity: A critical overview of the constitutional reforms of the judiciary
title_full Constitutional amendments resulting from necessity: A critical overview of the constitutional reforms of the judiciary
title_fullStr Constitutional amendments resulting from necessity: A critical overview of the constitutional reforms of the judiciary
title_full_unstemmed Constitutional amendments resulting from necessity: A critical overview of the constitutional reforms of the judiciary
title_short Constitutional amendments resulting from necessity: A critical overview of the constitutional reforms of the judiciary
title_sort constitutional amendments resulting from necessity a critical overview of the constitutional reforms of the judiciary
topic constitutional amendments
referendum
judicial independence
judges
high judicial council
venice commission
url https://scindeks-clanci.ceon.rs/data/pdf/0550-2179/2022/0550-21792201085S.pdf
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