Serbia has ended its State of Emergency

On 06 May 2020, the Serbian National Assembly adopted a decision to end the state of emergency which was declared on 15 March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The state of emergency had been declared in accordance with the joint opinion of senior medical professionals advising the state, the crisis response team and the Government itself. Conditions for abolishment of the state of emergency have now been satisfied.

Experts emphasize that, regardless of the fact that the State of Emergency is abolished, the epidemic is not over. Certain protections measures for the coronavirus epidemic are still in force in the Republic of Serbia, including the wearing of protective masks and gloves indoors, a ban on public gatherings and social distancing policies.

In addition to the abolishment of the state of emergency, the Serbian National Assembly also adopted the Law on the Validity of Decrees Adopted by the Government with the Co-Signature of the President of the Republic during the State of Emergency and Confirmed by the National Assembly (“the Official Gazette of the RS” No- 65/2020 – “Law”). The law abolished eleven decrees that were in force during the state of emergency.

Some of the most important decrees covered by the adoption of this law include:

• An end to the restriction and prohibition of movement;
• The elimination of stay at home orders, i.e. employers are no longer obliged to organize work outside of the premises of the employer;
• Retail stores, shops, beauty salons, car mechanics, gym and fitness centers, cafes and restaurants, as well as parks and public areas intended for recreation and sports are reopened;
• Deadlines in civil proceedings, criminal proceedings (in private lawsuits), initiating procedures of enforcement, filing lawsuits for an administrative dispute and filing a constitutional complaint are no longer halted;
• Public transport and intercity transport is available;

In the following period is expected that the gradual adoption of additional relevant laws will further regulate the situation following the abolition of the State of Emergency, including the reopening of country borders, mandatory quarantine after entering the country, etc.  Unofficially, commercial flights to and from Serbia will remain suspended until 18 May 2020, resuming subject to restrictions by other countries.