Table of contents

1. Introduction - 2. The slow march toward democratic freedoms and the rule of law in the prolonged constitutional transition - 3. ...and the downsizing of Serbian pan-Slavic aspirations. The special unitive bond between Serbia and Montenegro -  4. Orthodoxy, Catholicism, Islam, Judaism: monotheistic religions compared. What about ethno-confessional minorities? The Law on National Minorities No. 11/2002 - 5. The "depositum fidei et nationis" of the Serbian Orthodox Church and the apparent drowsiness of the symphonic parameter in state-church relations - 6. A legislative framework in democratic progression on freedom of religion. The fundamental Law No. 36/2006 and the extension of the prohibition of discrimination in Law No. 22/2009 - 7. Confessional statutes. Brief overviews - 8. Residual issues in the matter of restitution of property confiscated during Titina self-administration: the new property and tax regime - 9. School legislation and the teaching of religious education: the real test of "post-transition" in the education sector - 10. Freedom of association and assembly and public order in the new Serbia - 11. Family legislation. The principles of solidarity and non-discrimination in the Law on Youth (2011) and civil rights legislation -12. Culture, freedom of information and confessional values -13. Confessional space in the administrative and fiscal state. The "enhanced" Ombudsman in Serbia - 14. Legislative alignments with EU standards (in human rights legislation and criminal law) - 15. Serbian diplomatic-concordat policy with the Vatican: a dialogue in perennial mistrust - 16. Belgrade's cooperation with the "good neighbor" policy in the Western Balkans region and human rights - 17. Balances achieved (and expected) in Serbia's EU and international relations - 18. Conclusions. The future of fundamental and religious freedoms in Serbia.

Abstract

The contribution examines the salient passages of Serbian constitutional history and then pauses to analyse the main legislative interventions on ethical issues, culture, human rights, religious freedom and minorities with the aim of verifying the harmonization of domestic law with European standards.