A former Serbian Public Defender warned that the authorities are exerting ever greater pressure on the judiciary in an attempt to take complete control over the courts.

Lawyer and former Public Defender Sead Spahovic told Belgrade daily NIN that the authorities are not happy with the level of control they have over the judiciary. “That is reflected in the fact that the judiciary is often the target of party gauleiters who insult judges and prosecutors accusing them of taking bribes even though they are corrupt,” he said.

Spahovic said that the “the very competent people in the judiciary are an enclave of professionalism and honesty in their job”.

According to him there are two ways that the authorities can pressure the judiciary. “The first is non-institutional through media controlled by the authorities when judgments are ordered, guilt is announced. The second is pressure through court presidents and chief prosecutors,” he said, adding that court presidents are political appointees.