Serbia's parliament adopted a package of changes to its judicial system in late January without consulting prosecutors, judges, the European Union, or other expert bodies.

Critics argue that these amendments grant court presidents increased authority over judges and eliminate safeguards designed to ensure prosecutorial independence.

This move comes amid several high-profile corruption investigations targeting senior government officials and members of the ruling party.The Council of Europe's Venice Commission expressed its concern over the lack of transparency and public debate in the legislative process, stating that such significant reforms should be prepared with greater respect for inclusiveness and democratic principles.

The commission also regretted that these principles were not adequately observed during the lawmaking process.

In response, it provided recommendations to improve certain aspects of the legislation.One of the key recommendations made by the Venice Commission is to revert the handling of prosecutors' objections against hierarchical decisions back to a council of prosecutors rather than relying on the higher-ranking public prosecutor's office.

The European Union has also criticized these reforms and warned Serbia that failing to align them with EU standards may result in the withdrawal of financial support.Following the draft opinion from the Venice Commission, Serbian authorities acknowledged its findings as fair.

However, they expressed their intention to begin working on amendments as soon as possible.