Constitutional Issues of the Judicial Career in Western Balkan States (Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia)
Abstract
In all four states analysed in this study, the judiciary and judicial career have been undergoing years-long legislative changes, with this ‘reform’, however, still pending finalisation. Another common feature is the effort to take judicial career decision-making away from political factors and entrust it to independent authorities wherein judges have the final word. It is considered the attainment of the principles of independence and autonomy of the judicial branch of power. However, the adoption of legal acts over the past decade was not sufficient to achieve entirely objective elections and decisions on the promotion of judges. The reality in these states reveals that there are strong and, in numerous cases, decisive informal (political and interest) influences on judicial career development decisions. The author's basic assumption is that for the full effect of the adopted regulations to occur, it will take more time for the constitutional institutions to be strengthened, and the political awareness of citizens will increase.
References
Apasijev, D. (2019) Закон за судовите. pp. 1-44 [Online]. Available at: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/337211856_ZAKON_ZA_SUDOVITE__Avtorski_precisten_tekst (Accessed: 6 January 2021).
Beharović, J. (2019) 'Predsjednik Sudskog savjeta Mladen Vukčević podnio ostavku' [Online]. Available at: https://www.pobjeda.me/clanak/predsjednik-sudskog-savjetamladen-vukcevic-podnio-ostavku (Accessed: 4 January 2021).
Blagojević, M. (2019) 'VSTVBiH je svojim postupanjem pogazio i Ustav BiH i sve druge domaće ustave i zakone', Oslobođenje [Online]. Available at: https://www.oslobodjenje.ba/dosjei/kolumne/vstvbih-je-svojim-postupanjem-pogazio-i-ustav-bih-i-sve-drugedomace-ustave-i-zakone-428000, (Accessed: 21 January 2021).
Bogićević, Č. 'Crnogorsko sudstvo na povijesnom razmeđu', Matica, 2014/59, p. 83.
Boljević, D. (ed.) (2017) Jačanje nezavisnostii integriteta sudija u Srbiji. 1st Beograd: Društvo sudija Srbije.
Boljević, D., Hadžiomerović, O., Bjelogrlić, S., Dejanović, M. (2019) Formiranje budućih sudija. 1st Beograd: Društvo sudija Srbije.
Bonifati, L. no date. 'The Judicial System of Bosnia-Herzegovina: Between Courts and Politics', pp. 1-13 [Online]. Available at: https://www.balcanicaucaso.org/ (Accessed: 9 January 2021).
Čupić, D. (2011) 'Garancija nezavisnosti i samostalnosti sudstva u Ustavu Crne Gore - potreba za revizijom ustavnog rješenja', Sveske za javno pravo 2011/2, pp. 1-29 [Online]. Available at: http://www.fcjp.ba/index.php/-95733 (Accessed: 11 January 2021).
Fagan, A., Dimitrova, A. (2019) 'Reforming judicial recruitment and training in Bosnia-Herzegovina and Serbia under EU guidance: implementation without institutionalisation?', Journal of European Integration, 41(2), pp. 221-237. https://doi.org/10.1080/07036337.2019.1572136.
Gorjanc Prelević, T. (ed) (2019), Izbor i napredovanje sudija i državnih tužilaca u Crnoj Gori 2016-2019'. 1st Podgorica: HRA [Online]. Available at:http://www.hraction.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/MNE-Izbor-i-napredovanjesudija-i-drzavnih-tuzilaca-u-Crnoj-Gori-1.pdf, (Accessed: 5 January 2021).
Hirschfeldt, J., Suchocka, H., Tuori, K., Velaers, J. 'Opinion on the draft laws on courts and on rights and duties of judges and on the judicial council of Montenegro', 2014/783, pp. 1-16 [Online]. Available at: https://www.venice.coe.int/webforms/documents/default.aspx?pdffile=CDL(2014)053-e (Accessed: 6 January 2021).
Lance, B.E. (2000) 'Judicial Reform in Macedonia', Judges' Journal, 39(4), pp. 34-36.
Lazović, L. (2018) 'Istorijat uticaja zakonodavne vlasti na nadležnosti Državnog veća tužilaca i Visokog saveta sudstva u Republici Srbiji' in Šarčević E. (ed.) Fondacija Centar za javno pravo - Analize, pp. 1-11 [Online]. Available at: http://fcjp.ba/index. php/-95733 (Accessed: 10 January 2021).
Ljubanović, B. (2013) 'Sudačka neovisnost u Republici Hrvatskoj' in Šarčević, E., Petrov, V. (eds.) Sudije u pravnom sistemu. 1st Sarajevo: Fondacija Centar za javno pravo, pp. 127-144.
Мarković, G. (2012) Bosanskohercegovački federalizam. 1st Beograd: Službeni glasnik.
Marković, Dj. (2017) 'Nezavisnost sudstva u Republici Srbiji - predlozi za promenu ustavnog okvira za izbor sudija i prestanak sudijske funkcije', Srpska politička misao, special issue, pp. 201-227. https://doi.org/10.22182/spm.specijal2017.11
Muharemović, M. (2013) 'Selekcija nosilaca pravosudnih funkcija u BiH - kritički osvrt sa prijedlozima' in Šarčević E. (ed.) Fondacija Centar za javno pravo - Analize, pp. 1-8 [Online]. Available at: http://fcjp.ba/index.php/-95733 (Accessed: 21 January 2021).
Murret, E.J. (2008) 'Strengthening the courts of Bosnia and Herzegovina', Judicature, 91(6), pp. 304-305.
Nikolovska C.M., Koco, V., Aleksijevski, L. (2016) Основна анализа на работењего на Судскиот совет на Република Македонија. 1st Skopje: Институт за човекови права [Online]. Available at: http://www.merc.org.mk/Files/Write/Documents/04735/mk/ICP.pdf (Accessed: 9 January 2021).
Pajvančić, M. (2011) 'O sudskoj vlasti u ustavnom sistemu Srbije u kontekstu međunarodnih standarda', Zbornik Radova Pravnog fakulteta u Novom Sadu, 45(3), pp. 7-21.
Pejić, I. (2013) 'Institucionalne garancije nezavisnog sudstva: Visoki savet sudstva' in Šarčević, E., Petrov, V. (eds.) Sudije u pravnom sistemu. 1st Sarajevo: Fondacija Centar za javno pravo, pp. 113-126.
Perić B. (2019) Pravosuđe u BiH: stanje i perspektive. 1st Banja Luka: Transparency International.
Petrov, V. (2013) 'Izbor sudija uporedno i u Republici Srbiji' in Šarčević, E., Petrov, V. (eds.) Sudije u pravnom sistemu. 1st Sarajevo: Fondacija Centar za javno pravo, pp. 39-69.
Pravilnik o kriterijumima i merilima za ocenu stručnosti, osposobljenosti i dostojnosti za izbor sudije na stalnoj sudijskoj funkciji u drugi ili viši sud i o kriterijumima za predlaganje kandidata za predsednika suda [Online]. Available at: https://www.paragraf.rs/propisi/pravilnik_o_kriterijumima_i_merilima_za_ocenu_strucnosti_osposobljenosti_i_dostojnosti_za_izbor_sudije_na_stalnoj_sudijskoj_funkciji_u_drugi_ili_visi_sud_i_o_kriterijumima_za_predlaganje_kandidata_za_predsednika_suda.html (Accessed: 3 January 2021).
Preshova, D. (2018) Judicial reforms in the Republic of Macedonia: changes without reforms? 1st Skopje: Institute for Democracy 'Societas Civilis'.
Preshova, D. (2020) 'Формални и неформални начини на политичко влијание врз судството' in Danilovska-Bajdevska, D., Jusufi, A., Petruševa, A., Čausidis, T. (eds.) Заслепена правда: до заробена држава во Северна Македонија - судство, јавно обвинителство и полиција, 1st Skopje: Фондација Отворено општество, pp. 70-81 [Online]. Available at: https://mhc.org.mk/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/zaslepenapravda-za-web.pdf (Accessed: 6 January 2021).
Purić, S., Savić Božić, D. (2016) 'Division of the Courts in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Efficiency of the Courts', Ekonomika, 62(3), pp. 79-91. https://doi.org/10.5937/ekonomika1603079P
Radovanovik, T. (2012) 'Does Europeanization Influence the Judicial Reforms in Macedonia', European Journal of Management and Public Policy, 12(1), pp. 4-11.
Schwartz, A. (2019) 'International Judges on Constitutional Courts: Cautionary Evidence from Post-Conflict Bosnia', Law & Social Inquiry, 44(1), pp. 1-30. https://doi.org/10.1111/lsi.12335
Simović, D. (2013) 'Institucionalna jemstva sudijske (ne)zavisnosti u Republici Srbiji' in Šarčević, E., Petrov, V. (eds.) Sudije u pravnom sistemu. 1st Sarajevo: Fondacija Centar za javno pravo, pp. 85-111.
Spasojević, S. 'Razrešenje sudija i predsednika sudova u Republici Srbiji', Sveske za javno pravo 2016/7, pp. 44-61.
Spasojević, S. 'Vrednovanje rada sudija u Republici Srbiji', Sveske za javno pravo 2015/19, pp. 49-56.
Škero Petrović, V. (2020) 'Pravosuđe u odnosu na druge dve grane vlasti', in Jovanović, M. (ed.) Pravosuđe za neupućene.1st Beograd: CEPRIS, pp. 27-44.
Tegeltija, M. (ed.) (2020) Годишњи извештај за 2019. годину ВСТС [Online]. Available at: https://vsts.pravosudje.ba/ (Accessed: 9 January 2021).
Veljanoska, S., Dukoski, S. (2020) 'Reforms in the judicial system of the Republic of N. Macedonia', Horizons - international scientific journal (Series A, Social Sciences and Humanities), 24(13), pp. 207-216. https://doi.org/10.20544/HORIZONS.A.24.1.20.P18
Vukčević, M., Bošković, M. (2016) 'Judicial System in Montenegro (Historical Development, Basic Principles, and Organisation)', Law & Justice Review, 7(13), pp. 1-26.
