OSCE Mission to Serbia, U.S. Embassy support discussion on use of plea bargains

BELGRADE, 11 December 2009 - Forty Serbian prosecutors gathered today in Belgrade to discuss the use of plea bargaining in Serbia at an OSCE-supported roundtable discussion.

The meeting, organized jointly by the OSCE Mission to Serbia and the U.S. Department of Justice at the U.S. Embassy in Belgrade, focused on practical matters concerning the implementation of plea bargaining, which was introduced in the newly amended Criminal Procedure Code.

"It is essential for prosecutors and the judiciary to understand the advantages of applying plea bargaining, because it allows for expediting procedures and offers an opportunity to make the criminal justice system more effective," said Mato Meyer, the OSCE Mission to Serbia's Legal Adviser on Judicial Reform.

"We are happy to see that mandatory prosecutorial guidelines and model forms on plea bargaining were issued by Republic Prosecutor's Office with our assistance, and we hope that the prosecutors will benefit from this roundtable at which these important documents will be presented and discussed", added Eli Richardson, U.S. Embassy/Department of Justice Resident Legal Advisor.

The seminar was held as part of the OSCE Mission to Serbia's support for judicial reform in Serbia.