24. 12. 2012

AMENDMENTS TO CRIMINAL CODE ADOPTED

Belgrade, December 24, 2012 (B92) - Serbian Parliament adopted the amendments to the Criminal Code decriminalizing defamation and introducing new criminal offense abuse in public procurement procedures.

139 MPs of the ruling majority voted in favor of the amendments, 15 against, with 21 MPs abstaining.

The amendments provide for the punishment in cases of abuse of those who lead the procedure of public procurement as well as tenderer, in the form suitable to the value of the procurement.

The amendments to the Criminal Code also introduce new criminal offense abuse of office of responsible person, which distinguish it from the criminal offense abuse of office that exclusively pertains to disposal of state property and property of public companies in a manner that the responsibility of officials is deemed greater, with more stringent punishments. These amendments will be in forse as of April 15, 2013.

The amendments also established punishment of 6 months to 5 years in prison for threatening journalists. So far, this criminal offense was punishable with one to eight years imprisonment.

The Justice Ministry proposed at first that the provision on threats aimed at journalists be deleted with the amendments to the Criminal Code, however, it decided to keep this criminal offense in the Code in line with the amendment proposed by the Parliament's Justice Committee.