Skopje, 1 October 2024 (MIA) - The SRS Femida Court Recording Software for audio and video recording of court hearings will ensure a more efficient, effective, and transparent justice in courts and restore trust in judiciary, it was noted during a Tuesday promotion of the system in the Administrative Court of the Republic of North Macedonia.

Administrative Court president Burim Sejdini said that the program installed in all courts cost Mden 21 million (EUR 342.250) from the judicial budget. He added that upgrading and installing new technologies for mandatory audio recording of hearings will ensure more efficient, effective, and transparent justice in courts.

“Upgraded and new technologies for mandatory audio recordings of hearings guarantees accurate reports during court hearings, finally putting an end to disputes over what was said in court; the system also supports the process of a fair trial based on full communication in court, and not just what is reproduced," Sejdini noted.

Implementation of this technology, according to him, produces permanent audio recordings on every case, which will help improve professionalism, integrity, and ethics in courts.

"Group public procurement was carried out for thirty-one courts across the country, equipping a total of 81 courtrooms with the SRS FEMIDA audio update, 8 courtrooms with new SRS FEMIDA audio equipment, two courtrooms with new FEMIDA TRUE RECORDS audio-video equipment. I would like to point out that the SRS FEMIDA system for audio recording is implemented in 16,000 courtrooms across the world as a serious tool in the digital sphere of the justice systems of the beneficiary countries," Sejdini explained.

Judicial Council President Vesna Dameva said that implementing this system is a step towards restoring public trust in the judiciary.

"Audio recordings guarantees the ethical conduct of the judges, on the other hand, is an effective defense mechanism for judges against accusations of bias and inappropriate conduct of hearings," Dameva noted.

Justice Minister Igor Filkov shared that although this obligation is normally regulated in the 2010 laws, after 14 years, in 2024 will finally be implemented in the Administrative Court.

"The audio recording equipment is being installed in the Administrative Court today. Let's not waste another 14 years and wait for rulings from the Bureau for Representation of the Republic of North Macedonia before the European Court of Human Rights, that require us to apply fair trial standards,” Filkov stressed.

He added that since there is no longer any excuse for the absence of sound recording technology and all courts are equipped, he is convinced that in the next 15 days the system will be applied everywhere. ssh/ba/

Photo/video: MIA