Europees Hof van de Rechten voor de Mens benadrukt voorrang europese mensenrechten conventie (en)

Press release 620(2007)

26.9.2007

EUROPEAN COURT OF HUMAN RIGHTS

Press release issued by the Registrar

President calls for a strengthening of the dialogue with national courts

While on an official visit to Belgrade, Mr Jean-Paul Costa, the President of the European Court of Human Rights, stressed the need for national courts to secure the guarantees set out in the European Convention on Human Rights as they have been interpreted in the Court's case-law. He emphasised the importance of strengthening dialogue between the domestic courts and the European Court.

"The domestic courts have a right and duty to ensure the primacy of the Convention", said Mr Costa during the conference on "The Role of Supreme Courts in implementing the European Convention on Human Rights at national level", which was organised by the Serbian Supreme Court and the Directorate of Human Rights and Legal Affairs of the Council of Europe in the framework of Serbia's Chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe.

Mr Costa, accompanied by a delegation from the Court made up of Mr Dragoljub Popovic, judge elected in respect of Serbia, and Mrs Sally Dollé, Section Registrar, paid an official visit to Belgrade from 20 to 22 September 2007. He met MrBoris Tadic, President of the Republic of Serbia, Mr Vojislav Kostunica, the Prime Minister, and Mr Bo_idar Djelic, Deputy Prime Minister responsible for European integration. The President also had meetings with Ms Vida Petrovic Skero, President of the Serbian Supreme Court, Mr Dusan Petrovic, Minister of Justice, and MrOliver Dulic, President of the Parliament. All of these high-level figures expressed their esteem for the Court, which enjoys considerable prestige in Serbia, and for its case-law, which the Serbian authorities hope to draw on, especially with regard to the rules governing a fair trial.

Further information about the Court can be found on its Internet site ( http://www.echr.coe.int ).

Press contacts

Emma Hellyer (telephone: 00 33 (0)3 90 21 42 15)

Stéphanie Klein (telephone: 00 33 (0)3 88 41 21 54)

Tracey Turner-Tretz (telephone: 00 33 (0)3 88 41 35 30)

Paramy Chanthalangsy (telephone: 00 33 (0)3 90 21 54 91)

The European Court of Human Rights was set up in Strasbourg by the Council of Europe Member States in 1959 to deal with alleged violations of the 1950 European Convention on Human Rights.

Council of Europe Press Division

Tel: +33 (0)3 88 41 25 60

Fax:+33 (0)3 88 41 39 11

pressunit@coe.int

www.coe.int/press