Introduction of the public notary service into the legal system of the Republic of Serbia has been motivated by the need to harmonize with contemporary legal trends, provide for legal certainty and favorable climate for investment, said the Minister of Justice Nikola Selaković today at the ceremony held at the National Parliament at which the first public notaries in the Republic of Serbia took the oath.
Selaković reminded that after the vacancies had been announced, on 1 August 2014 the ninety-four public notaries were appointed for the territories of 32 basic courts, while no candidates applied for the territories of five basic courts (Požega, Gornji Milanovac, Aranđelovac, Vrbas i Kikinda). He also added that in addition to the public notaries appointed so far, in the oncoming period the need will persist to continue running the public notary exams and announce vacancies, having that the Regulation on Temporary Number of Public Notary Posts stipulates the total of 371 public notary posts on the territory of Serbia.
„The public notary office is a service vested with public trust and public notaries perform their duties as the sole and permanent profession, for the duration of their appointment, pursuant to the law, while the public notary seal shall replace the court seal in the matters within the notarial competences”, highlighted Minister Selaković. He also added that in discharging of their duties, public notaries are autonomous and independent, but their work and behavior have to substantiate that they are worthy of the public notary office.
Referring to the future work of public notaries, Selaković also said that in addition to creating and certification of documents, that they will be exclusively in charge of, they may also be entrusted with a significant portion of work currently within the competence of courts, primarily the parts relating to non-contentious proceedings (e.g. probate proceedings), to help to relieve the burden off the courts and provide conditions for more efficient operation of the judiciary. He also underlined that the expected results of the public notary system introduction with law enforcement may be achieved only with an effective oversight system, where the Public Notary Chamber, in addition to this oversight, will also initiate and conduct disciplinary procedures according to the law, while the Ministry of Justice will supervise operations of the Chamber in discharging the duties entrusted to it.
„ The Public Notary Chamber will play an important role in upholding the reputation, honor, integrity and rights associated with the profession of public notaries”, emphasized Selaković and added that the Assembly of public notaries would be held on 15 August 2014. On the occasion the Chamber President will be elected, the Statutes adopted, as well as the Rules of Procedure for public notaries and for the Assembly. Election of members of the Executive Board and disciplinary bodies will also be discussed.
„Very seldom a generation has an opportunity to initiate something new in its profession”, said Selaković encouraging the public notaries to go the extra mile to advance the profession in the best, high quality manner.