Minister of Justice Andrej Milović asked the President of the High Court in Podgorica, Boris Savić, as well as the Acting President of the Supreme Court, Vesna Vučković, to organize the work of the Special Department in two shifts in order to increase efficiency in solving cases and prevent more defendants, who will soon be serving three years without first-instance decisions, they get their hands on freedom.
In a letter, Milović asked Savić to submit information to the Ministry of Justice, no later than November 17, that would contain data on the cases in which the defendants were ordered to be detained almost three years ago, and that the first-instance judgment has not yet been issued in those proceedings.
"In order to find adequate and sustainable solutions to overcome the problems arising in the work of the Special Department of the High Court in Podgorica, it is necessary that you submit to the Ministry of Justice information that will contain the following information: business designations of the cases in which the defendants were detained almost 3 years ago, and that in those cases, the first-instance judgment has not yet been passed (with an indication of the date of expiry of the 3-year detention period). The names and surnames of the defendants who were ordered to be detained in the said cases, as well as the names and surnames of the judges acting in the said cases," says the letter of the Minister of Justice, which sent this morning to the High Court in Podgorica.
In a letter to the Acting President of the Supreme Court, the Minister of Justice expressed his "concern about the fact that several defendants, who were indicted almost three years ago for committing crimes under the jurisdiction of the High Court, due to the ineffectiveness of the work of the Special Department of the High Court in Podgorica, and the fact that in those cases, the first-instance judgment has not yet been passed, he will soon be released from custody".
"In this regard, and since the President of the High Court in Podgorica has repeatedly emphasized that the efficiency of the work of the Special Department of the High Court in Podgorica is reduced due to the lack of spatial capacity and human resources, I suggest that, in cooperation with President Savić, you consider the possibility of he organizes working hours in the High Court in Podgorica in two shifts. I remind you that Article 37 of the Rules of Court stipulates that the working hours schedule for all courts is determined by the President of the Supreme Court," stated Milović.
On September 20 of this year, the President of the High Court in Podgorica disclosed worrying data in front of the Judicial Council, stating that six judges work in the Special Department, who handle about 25 cases per year, but also an alarming statistical report that the backlog is as many as 138 cases!
"We have six judges in the Special Department and we have never had more judges there, but that cannot solve the influx. There are many reasons why cases are not solved, we have a lot of defendants. In special cases, defendants are motivated to postpone trials, because according to the CPC ", their custody expires after three years," Savić said at the time.
On that day, former Minister of Justice Marko Kovač also asked Savić for information on how many people would leave UIKS by the end of 3, due to the expiration of the 2023-year deadline.
According to "Vijesti" data, at least 12 defendants against whom court proceedings are being conducted in cases of organized crime and corruption could be released by the New Year.
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