The working group of the National Convention on the European Union for Chapter 23 held a regular session on 21 December 2023 in the Palace of Serbia, dedicated to the implementation of the obligations of the Republic of Serbia from Chapter 23 with a focus on amending the Criminal Code and the Criminal Procedure Code. The meeting was attended by members of the NKEU working groups for Chapter 23 and Chapter 24, representatives of the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and members of the working groups working on amendments to the laws in question.
The session began with introductory presentations by Jovana Spremo, from the Committee of Lawyers for Human Rights, coordinator of the NKEU Chapter 23 working group, and Branislav Stojanović, head of the negotiating group for Chapter 23 and assistant to the Minister of Justice. They pointed out the importance of the topic of the session, i.e. amendments to the Code of Criminal Procedure and the Criminal Code in the context of the implementation of obligations from Chapters 23 and 24. After them, Vladimir Vinš, assistant to the Minister of Justice and a member of the working groups for amendments, spoke, who informed the attendees about the work of the working groups so far. Neda Marković, senior adviser at the Ministry of Justice, presented the current direction of amendments to this important law.
During the discussion, DPNSEE Executive Director Milutin Milošević spoke about the legal regulation of drug use and advocated its decriminalization. Decriminalization means abolishing the criminal offense and treating drug use as a misdemeanour. This would lead to an end to stigmatization and discrimination, as well as reduced pressure on the police, prosecutor’s offices and correctional institutions.
The participants agreed that this type of contribution in the form of specific comments by members of the RG NKEU for Chapter 23 on the exposed drafts of the CC and the CPC is useful, and that it should be continued in a similar format, only to propose specific subtopics or parts of the law that would be discussed.
Following the meeting, as agreed with Mr Branislav Stojanović, head of the negotiating group for Chapter 23 and assistant to the Minister of Justice, DPNSEE submitted a formal proposal for amendments that include decriminalisation of drug use and the possession of drugs for personal use and discrimination and stigmatisation of people who live with HIV.