On 26 January, the Council of Europe is launching a new project in Serbia, entitled “Human Rights Friendly Judiciary”, funded by the Human Rights Trust Fund.

The project is aimed at supporting the Serbian judiciary in achieving the ambitious goals laid down in the Action Plan for Judicial Reform 2013 – 2018, as well as at the enhancement of inter-judicial dialogue between the national courts themselves and with the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, on the protection of human rights at the national level. At the same time, the project aims to strengthen the importance of education of legal professionals on human rights, by having the European Convention on Human Rights integrated into all relevant subjects, so that the future graduates from law faculties will acquire the reflex that any legal issue can find a solution in the case law of the European Court of Human Rights and acquire the methodology on how to use it in practice. Last, but not least, the project will contribute to further reinforce the knowledge and skills of judges and judicial assistance of project partner-courts, in relation to the application of the European Convention on Human Rights and the European Court of Human Rights case law in their daily work.

The opening ceremony will be addressed by Mr Philippe Boillat, Director General of Human Rights and Rule of Law of the Council of Europe. The launching conference will be attended by representatives of major project partners, guests and dignitaries, including: Mr Nikola Selakovic, Minister of Justice of the Republic of Serbia, Mr Dragomir Milojevic, President of the Supreme Court of Serbia and President of the High Judicial Council, representatives of the diplomatic corps, the Faculty of Law of the University of Belgrade, etc.