Opening the conference, Mr Goran Ilic, president of the Association of Public Prosecutors and Deputy Public Prosecutors in Serbia, said that the independence of the Prosecutor’s Office is closely related to the democratisation of society.
“Everyone, regardless of his/her political, social position and personal wealth should be subjected to criminal prosecution,” Ilic said.
“This must change, and I hope we will all witness it soon,” he added referring to interference in their work.
Norwegian Ambassador to Serbia, Mr Arne Bjornstad said that justice must be impartial in order to be called justice, but it must also independent to be perceived as impartial, or no one would believe in it.
He believes it is very important to have prosecutors who are sufficiently independent to have the integrity to say that the investigation is not good enough or that the government has not interpreted the law well and send the case back.
“In order for justice to work, there must be confidence in the legal system and individual prosecutors must be accountable to a higher independent authority to make sure that all prosecutors apply in the same way and react in case of wrongdoings.” the Ambassador said.