FIRST REGIONAL MOOT COURT COMPETITION BEFORE EUROPEAN COURT OF HUMAN RIGHTS

Organized by Young Lawyers of Serbia supported by Swedish Helsinki Committee for Human Rights

Belgrade, 13-15. April 2007.

Within the period of 13-15. April 2007, Association of Young Lawyers of Serbia, with support by Swedish Helsinki Committee for Human Rights, has organized First Regional Moot Court Competition before European Court of Human Rights.

During two-day competition, which has been held in the solemn courtrooms of the Belgrade Palace of Justice, 11 Law Faculties, coming from 5 countries from South-Eastern Europe, took part, including those from Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia.

Participating Moot Court Clubs has been made out of 6 students each (3 of them representing Applicant, and another 3 representing Respondent State).

The area in which the competition has been held was set of those human rights, protected by European Convention, therefore being within the jurisdiction of the European Court of Human Rights from Strasbourg. All the countries participating, by joining Council of Europe, at a different times in previous period, have also accepted the jurisdiction of European Court of Human Rights.

In real sense of word, this event has been the first academic occassion that has gathered Moot Court Clubs from all five capitals from mentioned states – Zagreb, Sarajevo, Skopje, Podgorica and Belgrade – and, in addition, also Banja Luka, SEE University Tetovo, Novi Sad, Nis, Kragujevac and Novi Pazar – after very long time in this region, that had been featured by lack of communication and cooperation among the law students and faculties in this region.

All these reflects two-fold goal of this Regional Moot Court Competition before ECHR. Primary goal was educating selected 66 students from 11 Law Faculties from this region in the area of European system of human rights and jurisprudence in this subject matter developed by the European Court of Human Rights. In addition, equally important group of goals were advancement of regional cooperation among law faculties and promotion of multiethnicity and pluralism related to plenty of locally spoken languages used equally as official languages of this Competition. Namely, official languages used at oral pleadings at the Regional Moot Court Competition were Bosnian, Croatian, Serbian and Macedonian. By all this Competition fulfilled its both groups of goals.

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The Moot Court Clubs were divided into 4 groups, after draw, organized at the Official Opening, considering also their results achieved in written briefs, which had been previously submitted.

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After first day of the competition, which was used for oral rounds within four groups, the winner of groups were:

Sarajevo, Belgrade, Zagreb and SEE Tetovo. These teams qualified directly to semifinals. Additionaly, two teams at 2nd place within groups also qualified to semifinals, according to highest score achieved – Novi Sad and Banja Luka.

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Subsequently, 6 teams were divided into two semifinal groups, three teams each. Winner of two semifinal groups – Belgrade and Zagreb – qualified to finals.

Within the 3-hour long final double match, on the second day of the Competition, these two Moot Court Clubs appeared – „Vladimir Bayer“ from Zagreb Law Faculty and Moot Court Club “Slobodan Jovanovic” from Belgrade Faculty of Law, both led by academic trainers who were experts in area that was subject matter of the Competition.

The very final match has passed in the very exciting and correct atmosphere. Panel of Judges awarded the same number of points to both clubs (30 points each). The final winner was Moot Court Club „Vladimir Bayer“ from Zagreb Law Faculty, after deliberations of Panel of Judges, while Belgrade Faculty of Law Club, named “Slobodan Jovanovic”, took the 2nd place.

Upon the announcement of winner in a very solemn atmosphere, Ms VIDA PETROVIĆ – ŠKERO, President of Supreme Court of Serbia handed the trophy and diploma and congratulated to the winning Moot Court Club “Vladimir Bayer” from Zagreb.  Speakers who adressed to winners, finalists and the audience at the closing ceremony, were also Mr PERCY BRATT, President of Board of Swedish Helsinki Committee for Human Rights from Stockholm and MILAN BAJIĆ, Regional Coordinator of the Moot Court Competition before ECHR and Vice President of Young Lawyers of Serbia, as well as the Academic Trainers of the awarded two teams.

Grand Finals has been carried out before five-membered Panel of High Judges, consisted out of some of the highest judges from countries from region, and was presided by Ms VIDA PETROVIĆ-ŠKERO, President of the Supreme Court of Serbia; among members of the Panel of Judges were also : Ms ŠTEFICA STAŽNIK, Legal Representative of Croatia before ECHR and Deputy Minister of Justice of Croatian Government as well;

Ms. ALEKSANDRA MARTINOVIĆ, Vice President of the Constitutional Court of Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina; Mr ZORAN PAŽIN, President of the High Court in Podgorica, Montenegro, as well as Mr STEFANO MAFEI, professor at University of Parma, eminent scholar and expert in human rights issues.