EC non-paper: Serbia to hold referendum on constitutional changes by end of 2021

The document the website saw said the Action Plan envisaged the constitutional changes for chapter 23 (Judiciary and fundamental rights), adding Serbia had so far made two out of 12 steps necessary in adopting amendments.

The non-paper also said that it left Belgrade less than six months to make the changes and organise a referendum by the end of 2021.

The document offered recommendations for strengthening the independence of the judiciary and the autonomy of the prosecutors.

It recalled that the parliamentary procedure for the Constitutional changes started on May 6.

The non-paper also tackled media freedom in Serbia, suggesting creating an atmosphere free of insults, attacks, violation of journalists' and bloggers' privacy.

The EC document recalled that the Action Plan for Media Strategy was adopted last December and that two working groups were formed - one to monitor and implement the Strategy and the other to observe the journalists' safety.

"Most of the media associations left the group for monitoring their safety in March 2021, because of hate speech and campaigns against journalists and NGOs, including speeches by the ruling party's deputies, despite the adoption of an ethic code in December 2020," the document seen by Nova.rs website said.

The non-paper also suggested Serbia should fully implement the Law on Media and strengthen the Regulatory Body for Electronic Media (REM) independence.

Also, Belgrade was called to secure transparent financing of media contents and increase the transparency of media and advertising ownership.

The non-paper also said that Serbia did not have an anti-corruption strategy since 2018 when the previous one expired. It added that the Government postponed the changes to the Law on Financing Political Activities, which should be in line with the ODHIR and OSCE recommendations and increase the independence and administrative capacities of the respective supervisory bodies.

The EC document also pointed out that some of the officials' property was not public and that the penalties for violating the respective law were not envisaged.

The non-paper warned that the Government had postponed the changes to the Law of Access to Information of Public Interest after two deadlines - the last quarter of 2016 and then the last quarter of 2020 - had expired.

Other postponed changes, for which two deadlines also expired, include those related to privatisation, public procurement, public spending and foreign donations to political parties.

Nova.rs said the document was an EC six-month report on Serbia which could be the foundation for the EU member states to decide on the next steps in negotiations with Serbia.

The inter-governmental conference due this month will decide whether Serbia will open any new chapter in the accession negotiations with the EU, Nova.rs said.