BELGRADE – On May 14, 2019, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Rule of Law Project, in cooperation with the Supreme Court of Cassation, the Ministry of Justice, and the Chamber of Public Enforcement Officers, organized a workshop to advance measures that will make enforcement of judgements more efficient and fair—particularly focusing how impending amendments to the Law on Enforcement and Security can contribute to this goal.  Improvements in the rule of law are essential for Serbia to meet its European Union (EU) accession aspirations.

“Without an efficient judgement enforcement system, a single mother does not receive the child support she needs to raise her children; a worker does not receive pay from an unscrupulous employer; the victim of a car accident doesn’t get compensation for property damage,” said Brock Bierman, Assistant Administrator for USAID’s Bureau for Europe and Eurasia. “USAID is proud to support Serbia’s efforts to improve the timeliness, predictability, transparency, and fairness of its system for enforcing legal judgements.”

The event focused on harmonizing practices between courts and public enforcement officers with the aim of making enforcement procedures more fair and transparent. Balancing the rights of citizens with efficient debt recovery is in line with the European Court of Human Rights standards. More than 60 representatives from the judiciary, the Ministry of Justice, public enforcement officers, and other judicial institutions discussed European standards in civil enforcement and the practical application of proportionality to protect the most vulnerable citizens.

USAID’s four-year, $9.8 million Rule of Law project is supporting justice sector reforms that enhance the timely delivery of justice for Serbian citizens. The project works with the courts, public enforcement agents, and the State Attorney’s Office to increase judicial efficiency, transparency, and access to justice.