Prosecutorial Council: Non-paper confirms that progress has been made in all areas of our work

The Prosecutorial Council has made progress in all areas of its activities, a non-paper report by the European Commission (EC) stated, with particular emphasis on improving the transparency of work, efficiency in the ethical and disciplinary accountability procedure, as well as strengthening the independence of the State Prosecutor's Office.

The Report states that the Prosecutorial Council has adopted a new Communication Strategy, and that good practice is maintained in terms of transparency of work, given that sessions are public, so that the media and civil society organizations can attend them, and that minutes of sessions and decisions are published publicly in a timely manner.

"And the public publication of all decisions on the evaluation of state prosecutors and heads of state prosecutors' offices, as well as decisions of the Disciplinary Council, after anonymization, has been enabled," the Prosecutorial Council said in a statement. It added that the EC particularly praised the establishment of the Commission for the Protection of the Independence of State Prosecutors from Undue Influence, which operates within the Prosecutorial Council.

In this context, as stated by the Prosecutorial Council, it is emphasized that appropriate criticism of any institution, including the prosecutor's office, is legitimate in a democratic society.

"However, political actors, especially those holding high public office, should refrain from statements that could constitute or be perceived as an attempt to influence prosecutorial decisions or undermine the work of the prosecution, as well as from commenting on cases that are still ongoing," the statement said.

It is indicated that the report also positively assessed the efficiency of the work of the Ethics Commission and the Disciplinary Council, with particular emphasis on the transparency of their decision-making.

It is noted that the normative framework for the work of the Prosecutorial Council has been improved by amendments to the Rules of Procedure of the Prosecutorial Council, the adoption of a new Code of Ethics for State Prosecutors, as well as new Rules for the Evaluation of the Work of State Prosecutors, which are aligned with European standards.

The EC also states that the filling of prosecutorial positions is carried out through a transparent procedure based on merit in accordance with the Plan for Vacant Prosecutorial Positions, which is adopted in accordance with the procedure prescribed by law.

It is stated that the Non-Paper Report emphasizes that the evaluation of state prosecutors and heads of state prosecutor's offices is now conducted based on clearer, more precise and objective criteria, which contributes to strengthening the professionalism, accountability and integrity of the prosecutorial organization.