Prosecutors, judges and lawyers from Novi Sad will stage a protest on Monday, 2 February, over the adoption of a set of judicial laws in the National Assembly of Serbia proposed by Uglješa Mrdić, an MP from the ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS).
The protest gathering will be held at 11 a.m. in front of the courthouse building in Sutjeska Street in Novi Sad, Autonomija has learned.
The National Assembly of Serbia adopted the set of judicial laws on 28 January, and they were published in the Official Gazette after being signed by the President of Serbia on Friday, 30 January, despite warnings from the European Union that they should be revised and aligned with European standards.
The package includes amendments to the Law on the Seats and Jurisdictions of Courts and Public Prosecutors’ Offices, the Law on the High Prosecutorial Council, the Law on the Organisation and Jurisdiction of State Authorities for Combating High-Tech Crime, the Law on the Public Prosecutor’s Office, the Law on Judges, and the Law on Civil Servants.
All of the laws enter into force eight days after publication in the Official Gazette, with the exception of the Law on Civil Servants, which entered into force the day after it was signed, on Saturday, 31 January.
An additional exception applies to the implementation of the Law on the Seats and Jurisdictions of Courts and Public Prosecutors’ Offices, the application of which begins on 1 July, although it enters into force on 6 February.
Official Brussels assessed that the adoption of the set of judicial laws in the National Assembly of Serbia represents a serious setback in the European integration process.
The adoption of the laws was also criticised by the opposition, as well as by numerous non-governmental organisations, legal experts and representatives of the judiciary.
The European Movement in Serbia warned that these laws represent an undisguised attempt by the executive branch to place the judiciary under its control, stating that such a move is unworthy of a civilised European state in the 21st century.
The President of the Judiciary Trade Union, Nemanja Đurić, also called on colleagues to suspend work on Monday as a sign of protest over the adoption of the judicial laws.
He assessed that if the set of judicial laws that encroach upon the independence of this branch of government comes into force, the Public Prosecutor’s Office for Organised Crime will not be able to operate and function as it has until now.
(Danas, 31.01.2026)