The Belgrade Centre for Human Rights regrets that the President of the Supreme Court of Serbia, Mrs. Leposava Karamarkovic, resigned. Mrs. Karamarkovic has personalised independence for which every judge should strive. Because she has stood for the independence of the judiciary and has acted according to her convictions, she had been removed from the judiciary under the previous regime. She was therefore the natural choice for the highest-ranking judge in democratic Serbia. Her reputation and stature gave hope that the Serbian judiciary could grow to be the guarantor of independent, impartial and efficient protection of individuals. Unfortunately, her endeavours to unburden the judiciary of unworthy judges were neither appreciated by the legislative or executive power, nor by her indifferent colleagues. In our unfortunate political circumstances it became possible for others, much less worthy, to carry the beakon of reform of the judiciary and to try to morally humiliate and politically disqualify Leposava Karamarkovic.
The Belgrade Centre hopes that the work on the building an independent judiciary would not be stopped with the departure of Leposava Karamarkovic. The Centre calls upon all state organs to contribute to the establishment of independent judiciary in Serbia.
