Today, Nela Kuburovic - the Justice Minister – visited the High Court, the Basic Court, the High Public Prosecutor’s Office and the Basic Public Prosecutor’s Office in Vranje, including the Alternative Sanctions Office, where she discussed the functioning of these judicial institutions with their management. On the occasion, Kuburovic noted that these judicial bodies had lately been faced with an increase in the criminal offences of human trafficking and illegal crossing of borders.

Kuburovic emphasised that the Ministry of Justice was planning to amend the Criminal Code as soon as possible, specifically with respect to the criminal offences of human trafficking and illegal crossing of borders. “Recently, this area has certainly been dominated by a large number of criminal proceedings against traffickers and those concerning illegal crossing over the state border. For that reason, I am pleased to hear that over 80 individuals have been prosecuted“, she said.

She noted that, bearing in mind the damages and the consequences caused by the perpetrators of these crimes, the Ministry of Justice would propose changes to the sentences having to be issued to the effect that the perpetrators are exclusively sentenced to imprisonment.

Kuburovic explained that the Ministry would also attempt to define these criminal offences in a different manner that would enable the police and the prosecution to act and establish these criminal offences more easily.

Kuburovic added that the Ministry of Justice would also strive to strengthen the alternative sanctions enforcement offices in the upcoming period, considering their great importance in reducing the prison overcrowding.