OSCE-facilitated conference on simplified forms of criminal procedure in Belgrade, Serbia

BELGRADE, 24-6-2013 — /europawire.eu/ — An OSCE-facilitated regional conference on the simplified forms of criminal procedure, which started today in Belgrade brought together some 130 participants.

The two-day event, organized by the OSCE Mission, aimed to promote sharing of experience and raise the efficiency of criminal proceedings. Participants included legal experts, judges, prosecutors and defence lawyers from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, and Slovenia.

“In its new Criminal Procedure Code, Serbia expanded the use of simplified forms of criminal proceedings such as plea bargaining, summary proceedings, sentencing hearing, principle of opportunity and others. These mechanisms will help resolve criminal cases more efficiently, while upholding rights of defendants,” said Ambassador Peter Burkhard, the Head of the OSCE Mission to Serbia.

The Head of the EU Delegation to Serbia, Ambassador Vincent Degert added: ,,From the European integration perspective, reforming legislation should be carefully approached. Innovative legal solutions should be in harmony with the core principles of a single system. This requires both clarity in its formulation and due respect for the human rights and fundamental freedoms.”

A publication “Simplified forms of procedure in criminal matters: regional criminal procedure legislation and experiences in practice” was also presented at the event. It was produced with the OSCE editorial support and includes a collection of articles on trends and experiences in this field written by prominent scholars and practitioners in the region.

The annual conference and the book are part of the OSCE Mission’s activities focused on legislative novelties and practical experiences with criminal procedure legislation changes in the region.

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Contacts

Ivana Jovanovic
Senior Press and Political Affairs Assistant
OSCE Mission to Serbia
Španskih boraca 1
11000 Belgrade
Serbia
Office: +381 11 3606 151
Mobile: +381 63 251 778
Fax: +381 11 3606 116
ppiu-serbia@osce.org

OSCE Mission to Serbia
Španskih boraca 1
11000 Belgrade
Serbia
Office: +381 11 3606 100
Fax: +381 11 3606 119
ppiu-serbia@osce.org