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• Editorial Board 2025.

Table of Contents

• Editorial Board 2025.

Killed by Robot or Human: Considerations on Autonomous Weapons Systems and Human Dignity The emergence of autonomous weapon systems (AWS) has raised a number of concerns. In addition to issues related to the capability of these weapons to conform to the principles of international humanitarian law, primarily the principles of distinction and proportionality, concerns have also emerged regarding their compliance with human rights law. In this context, respect for human dignity has been cited as one of the major arguments against the use of AWS. The paper examines arguments for and against using the concept of human dignity as a rationale for prohibiting AWS. It demonstrates that those who oppose completely banning AWS do not necessarily believe that AWS conform to human dignity; rather, they offer different reasons why solutions other than total prohibition may be more appropriate. Finally, the paper explores whether implementing “meaningful human control” could bridge the gap between opposing standpoints on AWS and help resolve the human dignity dilemma.

• Petra Perišić [ University of Rijeka Faculty of Law ]

EXTRAORDINARY REMEDIES AND CONSTITUTIONAL COMPLAINT IN SERBIAN CIVIL PROCEDURE AS AN ADMISSIBILITY CONDITION FOR ECtHR APPLICATIONS This article examines the European Court of Human Rights’ (ECtHR) approach to the exhaustion of extraordinary legal remedies and constitutional complaints in civil cases against Serbia. It explores when an applicant, alleging a human rights violation based on facts considered in civil proceedings, must exhaust such remedies to satisfy admissibility requirements. While it is generally accepted that an ordinary appeal must be used, the obligation to pursue extraordinary legal remedies – such as requests for revision or reopening of proceedings – and the constitutional complaint is less clear. The article highlights that the necessity of exhausting these remedies depends on the specific circumstances of each case and whether the remedy is considered effective. Through an analysis of ECtHR case law, the authors seek to clarify the conditions under which the Court expects applicants to exhaust these legal avenues before filing an application, aiming to identify consistent patterns in the Court’s admissibility decisions.

• Jelena Todić [ Attorney-at-Law, Bredin Prat, France ]
• Hristina Todorović [ Attorney-at-Law, Analyst at Investment Arbitration Reporter, Serbia ]

False Dawn: The Failed Reform of the Yugoslav Secret Political Police 1966–1980 The paper examines the 1966 reform of the Yugoslav secret political police from the legal and operational perspectives, and assesses its outcome. The analysis spans from 1966 to 1980, concluding with the death of Josip Broz, as the country’s political landscape underwent substantial changes following his passing. The research hypothesis is that the reform of the Yugoslav secret political police was a failure. The examination includes political incentives for reform, the 1966 legislative reform and its legacy, the beginning of the reversal of the reform in 1971, and the full reversal starting in 1973. The hypothesis is confirmed. The crucial reason for the failure was the disappointment of the political elite with the reform results and their concerns, amid the political and economic liberalisation of the country, about preserving their monopoly on power. These concerns led to the re-bolshevisation of the country, killing the reform of the secret political police.

• Srđan CVETKOVIĆ [ Institute for Contemporary History, Serbia ]

The Enactment of the Livre au Roi: A Chronological Inquiry The Livre au roi is the oldest of all the treatises that make up the Assizes of Jerusalem. The enactment of this codification was associated with the reign of King Amalric of Lusignan. The subject of research in this paper is an attempt to determine the moment of its adoption more precisely. Firstly, the legal features of the Livre au roi are pointed out. Then, it is indicated to the conflict between King Amalric and Ralph of Tiberias, which had a decisive influence on the enactment and on the content of this codification. Finally, the moment of the Livre au roi’s enactment is sharpened by pointing the peace treaties which King Amalric concluded with Sultan Al-Malik Al-Adil and the provisions of the codification which regulated the regency. The Livre au roi could have been enacted in 1200, 1204, or it was created in both of the mentioned years.

• Miloš Stanković [ Associate Professor, University of Belgrade Faculty of Law, Serbia ]

Surge of ‘Feminisation’ in the Serbian Judiciary In this paper, the author examines the extent to which the actual gender ratio in the Serbian judiciary is a consequence of deep-rooted stereotypes about the roles that women and men should play in the family and society. This dilemma is considered through multiple perspectives, including by analysing statistical data on gender distribution and the parity of men and women in leadership positions. Finally, the author compares gender structure in the Serbian judiciary with corresponding data from a representative sample of European judicial systems. Taking into account that in a number of countries the proportion of women in the Supreme Court is significantly higher (feminisation of the judiciary), while in others this percentage is lower (‘masculinisation’ of the judiciary), the author aims to determine the position of the Serbia in this context, highlighting that the Serbian judiciary is well ahead in terms of ‘feminisation’ compared to EU member states.

• Nenad TEŠIĆ [ Associate Professor, University of Belgrade Faculty of Law, Serbia ]

Constitutional resistance to European integrations: the use and abuse of constitutional identity The EU Member States have accepted the principle of supremacy of EU law over national legislation – but not over national constitutions. The discussion in this paper reveals that: (1) the use of constitutional identity to control the penetration of EU law into national legal systems serves to preserve the importance of the national constitution and/or strengthen/ expand the jurisdiction of the national constitutional judiciary; (2) relying on constitutional identity for these purposes has not threatened the constitutional pluralism on which the relationship between the legal orders of the EU and the Member States rests; (3) the abuse of constitutional identity by the constitutional courts of Poland and Hungary, aiming to support the resistance of populist regimes to European integrations, has broken the link between constitutionalism and constitutional identity, and as such, has managed to threaten the further functioning of constitutional pluralism within the EU.

• Violeta Beširević [ Professor, Union University Law School, Serbia ]
• Ana Vladisavljević [ Teachning Assistant, Union University Law School, Serbia ]

Kaplow, Louis. 2024. Rethinking Merger Analysis. Cambridge, Mass.: The MIT Press, 253.

• Boris Begović [ University of Belgrade Faculty of Law, Serbia ]