The Minister of Justice of Republika Srpska (RS), Milos Bukejlovic, met in Banja Luka with the Head of the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), Brian Aggeler, to discuss current issues related to the judiciary and legal solutions under the purview of the Ministry. During the meeting, a commitment to fighting corruption was emphasized.
Bukejlovic informed Aggeler about the Draft Law on Amendments to the Criminal Code of RS and the Proposal for Amendments to the Law on Protection of Persons Reporting Corruption – under urgent procedure, both of which were adopted at the latest session of the National Assembly of RS (NARS).
“By removing gender identity from the Criminal Code of RS, we are aligning with the provisions of Article 10 of the Constitution of RS, which stipulates that all citizens in RS are equal in freedoms, rights, and duties, equal before the law, and enjoy the same legal protection,” stated Bukejlovic.
The meeting highlighted a commitment to the fight against corruption through a comprehensive approach that includes institutional capacity-building, as well as stricter and more consistent application of existing regulations and their improvement, according to a statement from the Ministry of Justice.
Bukejlovic noted that the amendments to the Law on Protection of Persons Reporting Corruption adjust the provision regarding the jurisdiction of the Commission for Implementing the Anti-Corruption Strategy to establish a more efficient and straightforward system. He added that a new strategic document for combating corruption in RS is currently under development.
“The Anti-Corruption Strategy is in its second phase of development, which includes defining priorities and measures. The Ministry of Justice has held numerous meetings with target groups, including the judiciary and non-governmental organizations (NGO), to familiarize them with the strategic platform and define specific goals for each group,” Bukejlovic specified.
The conversation also touched on the collection of court fees in civil cases related to compensation claims against RS, the status of human rights defenders, and civilian war victims.
Both parties noted that the collaboration between the Ministry of Justice of RS and the OSCE Mission to BiH has been very successful to date and expressed hope that this positive trend will continue in the future, Srna writes.
Photo: Srna news agency
