Press Release

Transparency – Serbia considers that any effort of executive power to influence the courts' decisions, and especially when they recommended the judges to violate their legal duties, represents attack to the essence of the rule of law, which is the strongest barrier from corruption. There is no doubt that ruining rule of law produces greater damage then the consequences of economic crisis because it results in lack of citizens' trust into institutions and creates environment in which doing business is very risky.

It is understandable that Ministry of Economy takes care of economy of the country and of remaining debts of privatized firms which can endanger their current business. However, executive authority has available mechanisms for resolving these problems, which are in accordance with law: state subsidies and possibility to propose regulations which would decrease businesses' ballast. Naturally, when those measures are implemented, it should be taken care not to stimulate, with tax payers money, those who brought themselves into inconvenient position consciously neglecting obligations towards employees and state. Equally is important not to punish indirectly firms that settled their obligations to employees and towards the state in timely manner.

Transparency – Serbia

Belgrade ,

24 March 2009.