The Belgrade Centre for Human Rights expresses its concern over the statement which Mr. Zoran Stojković, the Minister of Justice of the Republic of Serbia, publicly made on 27 November. The Minister questioned the competency and professional qualities of members of the Association of Judges of Serbia, who had only expressed their opinions on the work of the current Government in the field of the administration of justice. The Minister accompanied his statement with threats.Public expression of opinions regarding the activity and attitudes of State organs is a fundamental civil right; coming from professional associations, such statements should be taken as benevolent and worthy of consideration, irrespective of their critical tone. The work of the Government should be in the interest of all citizens.
The Belgrade Centre considers as unacceptable the reaction of the Minister to the evaluations of the Association of Judges, combined with his attempt to discredit the judge who spoke on behalf of the Association; his threats directed at the spokesperson’s judicial position are harmful and dangerous as they can be interpreted as an attack of the executive on the independence of the judiciary in Serbia.
