The SNS has adopted amendments to judicial laws while completely ignoring the views of the profession, and this “declaration of war” threatens in the long term to establish the SNS’s lasting dominance over the judiciary in Serbia, writes the German newspaper Neues Deutschland (ND).
The daily states that this is indeed a “declaration of war” on the courts, but also that the judiciary is defending itself against the attack, as it believes that the rule of law and the fundamental rights of citizens are under threat. “So far, this has not led to any change in the position of the government, led by the SNS,” the newspaper writes.
It is stated that “one of the reasons for the dissatisfaction among Serbian legal professionals is the manner in which Mrdić’s laws were pushed through parliament”.
“They were declared proposals requiring an urgent procedure, and professional associations such as the Bar Association or the State Prosecutorial Council were not even heard,” writes the Berlin-based daily.
However, legal professionals are not only criticising the fact that parliament bypassed them, but also the substance of the legislative amendments, the paper writes, explaining that many experts “fear that the judicial system will now fall under even greater control of the authorities”.
Noting that the new law primarily concerns the appointment of judges and the TOK, the newspaper writes that “interference in judicial careers” will result in “politically compliant judges having far better prospects for advancement”.
“The amendments relating to the TOK weaken that prosecution office, meaning that many complex investigations will not even be able to begin,” ND writes. The German daily assesses that “it is hardly surprising that the government has set its sights on the Prosecutor’s Office for Organised Crime, as in December it upset the calculations of Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić and Jared Kushner, the son-in-law of US President Donald Trump, regarding the construction in Belgrade of a hotel and luxury real estate worth several hundred million dollars”.
“After Kushner’s withdrawal, Vučić was furious, and only a few days later Mrdić came to the aid of his party colleague with his amendments to the laws,” ND writes.
The weakening of the TOK, the newspaper continues, also concerns the investigation into the fatal accident at the railway station in Novi Sad, which triggered the largest protest movement against SNS rule and the “greatest threat to Vučić so far”.
“To rein in that movement while at the same time having a judiciary loyal to the political line would secure the rule of the Progressives and the enrichment of their officials that goes hand in hand with it,” concludes the daily, which is close to the Left party and describes itself as left-wing pluralist.
(021.rs, 02.03.2026)