Amendments to Law on Notary Public adopted

BELGRADE - Serbian MPs adopted on Wednesday the amendments to the Law on Notary Public and a set of accompanying laws, which created the conditions to unblock the work of the judiciary.

The adoption of amendments to the law is exceptionally important because it signifies the end to a four-month strike of Serbian lawyers.

Serbian Justice Minister Nikola Selakovic said that the government of Serbia adopted the amendments in their original form as put forth by lawyers' representatives, noting that the controversial issues have been defined with regard to the existence of public notary register, contract on real estate sale and procedure to ratify legal affairs commonly referred to as solemnization.

On the other hand, representatives of the opposition regard Selakovic as responsible for the paralysis of the judiciary because he stubbornly insisted on matters that he is now annulling by filing law amendments, and they also demanded that he should resign.

The debate was attended by representatives of law practice in Serbia and President of the Serbian Bar Chamber Dragoljub Djordjevic told reporters that lawyers will resume their work as soon as the amendments to the Law on Notary Public enter into force.

He also said that the request for dismissal of Minister Selakovic is still in force, but does not constitute a condition for ending the protest.

Photo Tanjug Video, camera operator Zoran Milenkovic