With the support of the project "Support for the Implementation of Judicial Reform in Serbia", the Working Group for drafting the Rulebook on the evaluation of the work of chief public prosecutors and public prosecutors held its third meeting in Vršac on 4-5 March 2024. The Working Group comprises several members of the High Prosecutorial Council, public prosecutors from all four appellate prosecutors' offices, representatives of professional associations, as well as civil society representatives as observers.

During the third meeting, the Working Group focused on taking into account recommendations from the analysis of the draft Rulebook by Council of Europe international experts. The Working Group discussed and adapted the draft of the Rulebook, accepting some of the recommendations. The local Council of Europe expert, with support from the Working Group, discussed possible ways of synergising the Rulebook on case weighting and the Rulebook on the evaluation of work. Additionally, the Working Group provided further clarity to the whole text, focusing particularly on the scope and meaning of each of the evaluation criteria. The Draft will be finalised following amendments proposed by prosecutors' offices of special jurisdiction to address the particularities of their work.

The Rulebook on the evaluation of the work of chief public prosecutors and public prosecutors is expected to introduce a new system of performance evaluation to enable merit-based career advancement of public prosecutors. The new evaluation rules, along with the new system of election of public prosecutors and case weighting, are expected to introduce significant changes in the prosecutorial system. The project "Support for the Implementation of Judicial Reform in Serbia" will continue to support the prosecutorial council in the process of developing implementation bylaws.