The public hearing was opened by the Speaker of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia Dr Vladimir Orlic who congratulated all involved on a work well-done for our country so far, one that started more than a year ago with the intention of raising the independence and autonomy of the judiciary to a level much higher than ever before.

Dr Orlic reminded the attending that the Constitution was amended in the part related to the judiciary, accompanied by a successful referendum and followed by meticulous work on the preparation of corresponding laws as a result of the adopted constitutional changes. As a result, at the beginning of this year, the National Assembly had adopted a set of laws, prepared according to the highest standards, and started the procedure for the selection of prominent lawyers for the first election of members of the High Judicial Council and members of the High Prosecutorial Council of the, said the National Assembly Speaker. He also praised the procedure conducted by Committee on the Judiciary, Public Administration and Local Self-Government, opining that the Committee's statement on the candidates has unequivocally confirmed that the best of all candidates were chosen for discussion and election in the plenum.

Concluding his address, Dr Vladimir Orlic pointed out that, by performing these important tasks, we ensured that our state is more efficient than in the years before and the citizens are more satisfied, as well as that an important step has been taken on our European path.

The Chairman of the Committee on the Judiciary, Public Administration and Local Self-Government Vladimir Djukanovic then gave the floor to the candidates for members of the High Judicial Council: Prof. Dr Jelena Vuckovic, Zikica Dronjak, Prof. Dr Nikola Bodiroga, Marina Grbic, Rastko Brajkovic, Aleksandar Popovic, Srdjan Stefanovic and Prof. Dr Natasa Delic, as well as candidates for members of the High Prosecutorial Council: Dr Miroslav Djordjevic, Dusan Puric, Predrag Cetkovic, Vesna Lukovic, Vladimir Simic, Prof. Dr Nenad Tesic, Jelena Glusica and Bojan Petrovic.

The public hearing was attended by members of the Committee on the Judiciary, Public Administration and Local Self-Government, MPs and representatives of the general and professional public: the Ministry of Justice, High Judicial Council, State Prosecutorial Council, law faculties in Serbia, e Association of Public Prosecutors and Deputy Public Prosecutors of Serbia, Judicial Academy Alumni Club, Association of Judges of the RS Misdemeanour Courts, Bar Association of Serbia and the Bar Association of Belgrade.

In the continuation of the public hearing, they spoke with the candidates for the first election of members of the High Judicial Council and for the first election of members of the High Prosecutorial Council elected by the National Assembly.