Attorneys continue protest with same demands

BELGRADE - The Assembly of the Bar Association of Serbia (AKS) decided on Monday that attorneys will continue their nationwide strike with the same demands, calling for changes in the notary public Law, lump-sum taxation scheme and resignation of the justice minister.

AKS President Dragoljub Djordjevic told Tanjug that the AKS Assembly voted in favor of continuing the protest in the unchanged form and with unchanged demands, but also for resuming the negotiations with the justice ministry and exploring the options for meeting attorneys' demands.

The negotiations will go on at the justice ministry on Tuesday, Djordjevic said, noting that the AKS Assembly delivered certain guidelines for the AKS expert negotiating team.

The session of the AKS Assembly is being held behind closed doors in Belgrade on Monday, in line with the AKS leadership's decision.

During the debate, someone tabled a proposal for making a concession in the work halt in relation to detention cases, for the persons who are already in custody, saying that, by insisting on the suspension of work in these cases too, the AKS violated its code of practice, as it made it impossible for attorneys to protect the rights of their detained clients.

The reply was that it is the court's jurisdiction only to decide on the detention, so the reasoning is without grounds, and that the code of practice obliges attorneys to protect the legality.

The previous assembly session was held on September 13, and four days later, attorneys decided to go on strike and suspend work until their demands are met.

The negotiations on attorneys' demands - changes to the notary public law and lump-sum taxation scheme, were held with the justice ministry...