Greater consistency of judicial practice, stronger protection of human rights and continued judicial reform emerged as key priorities at the Annual Conference of Judges of the Republic of Serbia – Judicial Days 2026, bringing together Serbian and European judges for discussions on the future development of Serbia’s justice system.

Throughout the two-day conference, participants examined a range of issues affecting the Serbian judiciary through plenary sessions and specialised panels on criminal, civil and administrative law. Particular attention was devoted to the costs of criminal proceedings, where Council of Europe experts presented European standards and comparative practices aimed at preventing procedural abuses and strengthening legal certainty. Discussions also highlighted the importance of the consistent application of procedural rules and harmonised case-law in improving the efficiency and predictability of judicial proceedings.

Participants stressed the importance of judicial dialogue, peer-to-peer exchange and the consistent application of European standards as essential tools for strengthening legal certainty, public trust in the judiciary and the effective protection of human rights.

Opening the conference, Head of the Council of Europe Office in Belgrade, Janos Babity, praised Serbia’s progress in justice reform while stressing that further improvements remain essential. He underscored the importance of fully implementing the opinions of the Venice Commission in future legislative reforms, describing judicial independence as a cornerstone of democratic governance and effective human rights protection.

Every year, judges of the European Court of Human Rights participate in the Judicial Days to engage in a dialogue with their Serbian peers. Addressing participants, ECtHR Judge Ioannis Ktistakis emphasised the essential role national courts play in implementing the European Convention on Human Rights, noting that judicial dialogue between domestic courts and Strasbourg has become increasingly important in today’s legal landscape.

Judge Ktistakis and Judge Mateja Durovic later engaged with Serbian judges in discussions on the right to home and the impact of ECtHR jurisprudence on domestic judicial practice, providing insights into recent developments and emerging trends in the Court’s case-law.

Traditionally organised each year, Judicial Days brought together leading representatives of the Serbian judiciary, legal experts and international partners in Vrnjačka Banja on 21–22 May 2026.

The conference was organised with the support of the European Union and the Council of Europe through the action “Strengthening Legal Culture in Serbia and Capacities of the Judicial and the Prosecutorial Councils”, as well as the action “Strengthening Human Rights Protection in Serbia”, implemented under the joint European Union and Council of Europe programme “Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Türkiye”.