Serbian Lawyers Hold Silent Protest İn Capital

Nearly 3,000 Serbian lawyers joined a demonstration at the Government of Serbia building on Monday.



Carrying banners saying "Lawyers are right" and "Rich and richer notaries," the lawyers staged a silent protest demanding a reduction in fees for advocacy services and changes in country's notaryship law.



Speaking to reporters during the demonstration, Dragolyub Corcevic, the head of union of Serbian Bar Association, said: "Our occupation is not adequately respected and we demand an end to privileges for notaries."



The government has created the position of the notary public with the exclusive right to handle property transactions this year. Lawyers want to be allowed to continue to handle these transactions as they did before the introduction of public notaries. The protesters pointed out that lawyers performed this task at a price ten times lower than that set by notaries. 



Corcevic said Serbia's judicial reform has really failed, and called for immediate negotiations with government officials. Serbian lawyers have been on strike for more than a month. 



"We are ready to hold talks with officials and solve the problems in the interest of the Serbian citizens," he added. 



The protesting lawyers dispersed after half an hour without any intervention from the police. 



www.aa.com.tr/en - Sırbistan