Why did the Serbian authorities adopt controversial laws curbing judicial independence?

A few thousand people gathered on Saturday for the “March for Justice” to show support for judges, prosecutors, lawyers, and other judicial staff. Protesters highlighted that recent amendments to judicial laws threaten the independence and autonomy of the legal profession.

Attempts by the authorities to curb the work of judicial bodies began late last year, when proposed changes to the judicial system were announced. It quickly became clear that these amendments aimed to limit the operations of the Prosecutor’s Office for Organized Crime (JTOK), which, after more than a decade, had begun investigating cases involving the highest levels of government.