As representative of the Serbian Parliament, MP Dubravka Filipovski among other things said that Serbia was among the first states to ratify the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence. The Convention led to the adoption of a number of important laws, the most important among them being the Law on Prevention of Domestic Violence which came into force on 1 June.

“We expect the two urgent measures stipulated by the Law to yield the biggest results: removal of the perpetrator from the domicile and restraining orders. This is the first time these appear in the Serbian legislation. The Law also includes disciplinary liability for bearers of judiciary office who do not act within legal deadlines, and criminal liability for police officers. The Law is implemented transparently and has given results from the onset. Its enforcement was preceded by a six-month training for 1500 prosecutors, police officers and judges. The objective of the training was to make sure prosecutors, police officers and judges can recognize violence and distinguish between it and a family argument or conflict”, said MP Dubravka Filipovski.

From the aspect of the National Assembly’s oversight role in the enforcement of the Law on Prevention of Domestic Violence, it is key to educate the society that violence is unacceptable, improve coordination between the relevant institutions, cooperate with local anti-violence commissions and councils, keep accurate records on violence and support the victims of violence. The amendments to the Criminal Code also introduced criminal offenses against sexual freedom and no statute of limitation for sexual crimes.

Serbia has two laws named after girls, victims of crime – Tijana’s and Marija’s law, whose lives changed the law. According to Tijana’s Law the police is to start the search for a missing person the moment it is reported. Marija’s Law instated stricter control and penalties for paedophiles.

Filipovski also said that responding to violence with new punishments and greater force is not the only way forward. The entire society has to join the efforts, violence against women and children needs to be discussed in schools, hospitals and families. It is heartening that the parliamentarians have come together to eradicate violence against women and children, since one in three women suffers some type of violence. 326 women were killed in Serbia in the last ten years which is why 18 May was declared Remembrance Day for victims of violence said Filipovski, adding that it is important to support women working together to reach full equality.