OSCE Mission to Skopje supports conference on trial within reasonable time

SKOPJE, 13 November 2009 - An OSCE-supported conference for Supreme Court judges on the right to trial within a reasonable time started in Skopje today.

The two-day event is organized by the Academy for Training of Judges and Prosecutors in co-operation with the Supreme Court, and supported by the OSCE Spillover Monitor Mission to Skopje. The conference will serve an open forum for legal practitioners to discuss the ways of handling complaints on violations of this right stipulated in the Article 6 of the European Convention on Human Rights.

"Ensuring citizens' right to a trial is not enough; they must also have the right to be tried within a reasonable time. The OSCE Mission welcomes the authorities' effort to make sure that the domestic legal remedy for violation of the right to a trial within reasonable time is effective," said Ambassador Jose Luis Herrero, Head of the OSCE Mission to Skopje.

Justice Minister Mihajlo Manevski added: "Long court procedures and non-respect of the right to trial within a reasonable time have a negative impact on the efficiency of the judiciary system and undermine its credibility. All legal remedies should be used to revert the situation."