Results of the EU-funded EUR2,4 million project “Strengthening of the system of alternative sanctions in Serbia” were presented at the closing conference in Belgrade.
“I am convinced that the money EU invested in this project has been used very successfully,” said Oskar Benedikt, Deputy Head of the EU Delegation to Serbia.
Benedikt said he hoped the system of alternative sanctions would continue to develop in Serbia after completion of the project.
“To achieve this, more resources and people are needed, and EU will surely continue to support Serbian Ministry of Justice,” Benedikt said.
“Alternative sanctions have become viable in Serbia and perhaps this is a small step for Administration for the Execution of Penalty Sanctions and Ministry of Justice, but it is a big one for our citizens,” said director of Administration for the Execution of Penalty Sanctions of the Ministry of Justice Dr. Milan Stevovic, speaking about the importance of implementation of alternative sanctions.
Meeting was attended by representatives of Administration for the Execution of Penalty Sanctions of Ministry of Justice, judges, prosecutors, commissioners for alternative sanctions and other representatives of judicial institutions.
Over the last three years of project’s activities, significant results have been achieved in cooperation with Administration for the Execution of Penalty Sanctions of Ministry of Justice of Serbia in terms of further development and strengthening of the system of alternative sanctions being implemented in Serbia since 2009.
The project’s goal is to strengthen the system of alternative sanctions in view of increased application of alternative sanctions among medium risk offenders (community work, suspended sentence with supervision) including electronic surveillance and prosecutorial opportunity.
EU financed the purchase of over 600 ankle bracelets for electronic surveillance with pertaining equipment. Also, four pilot projects have been implemented, focusing on community work (instead of infringement monetary fines) in social care institutions and application of revised process of the execution of house arrest. Also, training materials on alternative sanctions aimed for prosecutors and judges have been developed under the project.
As a member of Council of Europe and a country in the EU pre-accession process, Serbia has assumed the obligations of developing an entire range of non-institutional measures and sanctions.
As many as 253 community work sentences were executed during 2013 in Serbia, which relates to 74,888 hours of community work and 9,361 days of work. If an employer engaged in community work had hired the manpower, he would have paid 12,730,960 dinars. By duration, this would equal an imprisonment of 25 years. Given that daily cost in prison is five euros per convict, it would take 46.800 euros for the costs.
So far, 17 offices for alternative sanctions have been opened in Serbia. Execution of sanctions, as alternative to imprisonment, is implemented by appointed commissioners within the Department of Treatment and Alternative Sanctions of the Administration for the Execution of Penalty Sanctions of the Ministry of Justice. Commissioners’ offices work closely with local self-governments, judiciary, social work centres, commissioners and public enterprises, which actively participate in the project.
The project “Straightening of the system of alternative sanctions in Serbia” is implemented in Serbia by a consortium led by GIZ (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH) from Germany.
The project has been implemented from September 2011 to November 2014.
